- Adverbs of place describe where an action happens.
- Common examples include here, there, everywhere, nowhere, outside, and upstairs.
- They are typically placed between the subject and verb or at the end of a sentence.
- There are three types of adverbs of place: those that express position, direction, or distance.
- Prepositional phrases often function as adverbs of place (in the park, on the roof, at the store, toward the ceiling).
Adverbs of place enhance sentences by clarifying location and movement. Whether an action occurs here, outside, nearby, or far away, these adverbs indicate where events happen.
What are adverbs of place?
Adverbs of place describe the location, direction, or distance away of an action. They answer the question, “Where?”
Types of adverbs of place
Adverbs of position (the location in which an action is happening)
- Examples: here, there, upstairs, downstairs, underground
- Example sentence: She is waiting outside.
Adverbs of direction (along what trajectory movement is happening)
- Examples: left, right, forward, backward, north, south
- Example sentence: They walked forward into the building.
Adverbs of distance (how far away an action is taking place)
- Examples: nearby, far away, close, miles apart
- Example sentence: The school is nearby, so we can walk.
Common adverbs of place and their usage
| Adverb of Place | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| Here | In this place, close to the speaker | Stay here for a moment. |
| There | In that place, away from the speaker | Look over there! |
| Everywhere | In all places | She searched everywhere for her phone. |
| Nowhere | In no place | I have nowhere to go. |
| Inside | Within a space or enclosure | The dog is inside the house. |
| Outside | In the open air, not inside | Let’s eat outside today. |
| Upstairs | On a higher floor or level | He went upstairs to sleep. |
| Downstairs | On a lower floor or level | The kitchen is downstairs. |
| Forward | Toward the front | She took a step forward. |
| Backward | Toward the back | He fell backward onto the couch. |
| Nearby | Close to the current location | There’s a bank nearby. |
| Far away | At a great distance | The village is far away from here. |
Placement of adverbs of place in sentences
After the verb
Most adverbs of place appear after the verb or verb phrase.
Example: She looked everywhere for her keys.
At the end of a sentence
Adverbs of place can also appear at the end of a sentence for emphasis.
Example: They built a new school nearby.
At the beginning of a sentence (less common)
In some cases, an adverb of place can be placed at the beginning of a sentence for style or emphasis.
Example: Upstairs, the music was playing softly.
Prepositional phrases as adverbs of place
Prepositional phrases consisting of a place preposition, such as in, at, near, or toward, and an object of the preposition that names a place often function as adverbs of place.
Example: We play in the park every weekend.
Example: I left my keys on the table.
Example: Let’s walk toward the river.
Examples of prepositional phrases used as adverbs of place
| Preposition | Example Sentence |
| In | The kids are playing in the garden. |
| On | We had a picnic on the rooftop. |
| At | She is shopping at the supermarket. |
| Toward | He ran toward the door. |
| Across | The café is across the street from my house. |
| Along | They took a walk along the river. |
| Near | Our hotel is near the station. |
