Adverbial Phrase

An adverbial phrase (AdvP) is a linguistic term for a group of two or more words operating adverbially, when viewed in terms of their syntactic function.

Compare the following sentences:

• I'll go to bed soon.
• I'll go to bed in an hour.
• I'll go to bed when I've finished my book.

In the first, soon is an adverb (as distinct from a noun or verb), and it is an adverbial (as distinct from a subject or object). Clearly, in the second sentence, in an hour has the same syntactic function, though it does not contain an adverb; therefore, a prepositional phrase consisting of a preposition and a noun (preceded by its article) can function as an adverbial and is called an adverbial phrase. In the third sentence, we see a whole clause functioning as an adverbial; it is termed an adverbial clause.

Adverb phrases, are phrases that do the work of an adverb in a sentence. They, like adverbs, can describe:

1. Time (answers the question 'When?')

   She will be arriving in a short time.

2. Place (answers the question 'Where?')

   He is waiting near the wall.

3. Manner (answers the question 'How?')

   They are discussing the matter in a civilized way.