Relative Adverb Examples & Definition
What is Relative Adverb?
A relative adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb and answer three questions “when”, “where”, and “why”.
Relative adverbs serve as adverbs and can modify adjectives or verbs. (An adjective is a word that modifies a noun, such as “tall” modifying the noun “boy.” A verb is a word that describes an action, such as “ran” in the sentence “The boy ran home.”)
How to identify relative adverb?
Relative adverbs are used in a sentence to provide more information about the subject of a sentence. They always come directly before the relative clause, which contains both a subject and a verb. The main function of the relative adverb is to clarify or elaborate on the subject.
To identify a relative adverb, you first find the relative clause in a sentence. Relative clauses contain both a subject and a verb. Their primary function is to provide more information about the noun, or subject, of the sentence.
In the sentence “The store where I buy my groceries is closing.” the phrase “where I buy my groceries” is a relative adjective clause because it modifies the noun phrase “the store.” The word “where” is itself a relative adverb.
Relative Adverb Types
There are two types of relative clauses, relative adverb clauses, and relative adjective clauses. Relative adverb clauses modify the verb, but they cannot stand alone and rely on an independent clause to function. For example, I spend time where I read books.
In this example, the relative adverb clause “where I read” is modifying the verb “spend”.
In contrast, relative adjective clauses modify the noun by describing which specific one it is. For example, “The hotel where I stayed is expensive.”
In this sentence relative adjective clause “where I stayed” is modifying the noun “the hotel”.
Relative Adverb Example Sentences
- I am going to the store, where I will buy some bread.
- She is sleeping in a room where the windows are covered in ivy.
- He went over to talk to her, where he leaned in too close for comfort.
- I keep my bike in the garage, where it is safe from thieves.
- They’re going on vacation to a place where it never rains.
- The cat likes to sit in the sun, where it can warm up its body.
- I always put my laptop on the desk, where it’s easy to access.
- He went out for a walk, where he ran into his old friend from high school.
- I’ll call you when I get home.
- The movie was called Despicable Me when it came out in 2010.
- When deciding on the career path you want to take, make sure you have considered all your options.
- He is an actor when he is on stage, but otherwise, he is a professional engineer.
- She was always on time when she worked at that company.
- My brother was reprimanded when he arrived late to work in cold weather one morning due to his car not starting.
- The CEO was pleased when her pet project was approved.
- If you’re thinking of going on vacation, but have too much work, it will hurt your productivity when you come back.
- Most people don’t like when someone is not being honest with them.
- Here are five tips on how to stay protected when funds get tighter.
- The company published a press release when it decided to extend the warranty by getting the parts at cheaper rates.
- A heavy downpour in the city made traffic chaotic; when women and children got stuck in a jam, one fearless soul jumped into the water and rescued them.
- He will talk to her when he leans in too close for comfort.
- I will go to study abroad, why not this year?
- It is the reason why we like winter better than summer.
- I wonder why there are so many people in the restaurant at this hour.
- We don’t know the reason why it’s happening.
- I’ve no idea why he quit.
- I don’t get why you’re so mad at me all the time.
- The reason why I don’t swim is that I have asthma.
- The main reason why I didn’t study for the exam is that I hadn’t appropriately revised.
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