TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials trainers notes

Description
This activity introduces participants to the wide range of kinds of words and phrases which
are adverbials. Participants understanding of adverbials is checked, and they brainstorm,
recognise and categorise different adverbials. There is also a sample TKT: KAL task.
Time required:

35 minutes

Materials
required:

Aims:

Participants Worksheet 1 (one copy for each participant)

Participants Worksheet 2 (one copy for each participant)

Sample Task (one copy for each participant)

to introduce adverbials and different categories of adverbials

to practise recognising different adverbials in context

to practise a TKT: KAL sample task

Procedure
1. Start by asking participants in pairs to brainstorm at least 5 adverbs. One or two
participants can then help you to write the brainstormed adverbs onto the board or
flipchart. This allows you and them to check their understanding. Explain that you are
going to look at adverbials in this session.
2. Give out Participants Worksheet 1 Exercise 1. Participants work in pairs to decide
which of the words/phrases in the box are adverbials. Dont give any information
about what adverbials are at this stage. Feed back with the whole group (see Key
below). Establish that not all adverbs end in ly!
3. Pairs now look at Exercise 2 and decide which definition/s of an adverbial is/are
correct. Feed back (see Key below). Point out that although all these definitions are
correct, (b) and (c) are more helpful than (a). You could ask participants for examples
as you go through the definitions.
4. Refer participants back to the adverbs they brainstormed in Step 1. Pairs now have
one minute to brainstorm more adverbs (not adverbials). They then categorise the
adverbs according to the groups in the table in Exercise 3. They should add
examples of categories where none were suggested in the brainstorming. Feed back
by joining pairs into fours and monitor, supplying examples where necessary (see
Key below).
5. Give out Participants Worksheet 2. Participants work individually to underline the
adverbials in the text. Then they compare their answers with a partner, and together
decide which category each adverbial belongs to. Feed back with the whole group
(see Key below).

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6. Give out the Sample Task. Allow participants up to 7 minutes to complete it

(candidates have an average of 1 minute per question in the TKT: KAL exam). Check
answers (see Key below).
7. Discuss with participants why knowledge of adverbials might be useful in their
teaching. (to help them help their learners to, for example:
distinguish adverbs from adjectives
place adverbs correctly in sentences
form adjectives correctly
understand the function of different types of adverbs)
Additional information
Adverbs and adverbials may be tested in TKT: KAL as tasks in their own right as in the
sample task here, or as part of tasks on, for example, identifying sentence parts or
recognising grammatical features of texts.

Suggested follow-up activities

1. This activity could be followed by the activity TKT: KAL Part 3: Types of verbs.

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TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials answer keys

Key to Participants Worksheet 1
Exercise 1
lovingly9
every week9

in a hurry9

lonely

Monday

a lot9
in the garden 9

as soon as possible9
only9

really9

with some reservations9

in front of

there9

two cupfuls

London

with great care9

very9
often9

after I get to work9

The rubric says can be adverbials because whether something is an adverbial or not can
depend on its function in a sentence e.g. Every week is a bit too often v He goes to see him
every week.
Exercise 2
An adverb is a single word; an adverbial is a single word or more, including phrases and
clauses. They have the same function.
a) and b) are correct definitions. c) is incomplete as it does not refer to adverbials that
contain more than one word.
Exercise 3
Possible answers:
Categories
Examples
Manner

Carefully, slowly

Frequency

Always; often

Time

Now, tomorrow

Place

Here, there

Relative time

Already, recently, soon

Degree

Extremely, rather, very

Quantity

A lot, a little

Focussing

Even, also, only, particularly

Attitude markers

Apparently, unfortunately

(from Parrot M., 2000, Grammar for English Language Teachers, CUP, slightly adapted)

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Key to Participants Worksheet 2

Both men have played better (manner) but the tension was there (place) from the start
yesterday (time) as they traded early breaks. Nadal was striking the ball the more sweetly
(manner) and every time he got the chance he pummelled the Federer backhand with
viciously (degree) top-spun forehands of the kind only (focussing) he can hit. A backhand in
the net gave Nadal a second break to lead 4-3 and, though Federer had four chances to
break back at 5-4, Nadal held on to take the opening set.
When Nadal broke in the opening game of the second set, it looked as if he would run away
with it but Federer became more aggressive and broke back immediately (time). Nadal
unleashed four brilliant backhands to break again (frequency) on his way to a 4-2 lead but a
resilient and improving Federer broke back to level at 4-4, with his drop shot increasingly
(degree) effective.
Twice (frequency) Nadal held serve to stay in the set and, though Federer led 4-2 in the
tiebreak, Nadal would not be bowed and won four straight points to lead 6-4.
Federer saved one match point with a brilliant forehand winner but Nadal snatched victory
when a horrible bounce off the line took the ball beyond the racket of the Swiss.
Key to Sample Task
1 E

2 A

3 H

4 G

5 F

6 B

7 C

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TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials Participants Worksheet 1

Exercise 1
Which of these words and phrases can be adverbials? Tick (9) them.
lovingly
every week

in a hurry

lonely

Monday

a lot
in the garden

as soon as possible
only

really

with some reservations

in front of

there

two cupfuls

London

with great care

very
often

after I get to work

Exercise 2
Look at these words again and decide what the difference is between an adverb and an
adverbial.
Are these correct definitions of an adverbial?
a. any word, phrase or clause that functions like an adverb (Cambridge Grammar
of English (CUP) p.539)

b. indicates the time, place, manner, degree, frequency, duration, viewpoint etc.
of an event, action or process (Cambridge Grammar of English (CUP) p.539)
c. a word which describes or gives more information about a verb, adjective,
adverb or phrase (Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary (CUP 2005) p.19)
Exercise 3
Put the adverbs into the correct category below. Supply at least two examples for any
category not covered by the adverbs you listed.
Categories

Examples

Manner
Frequency
Time
Place
Relative time
Degree
Quantity
Focussing
Attitude markers
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TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials Participants Worksheet 1

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TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials Participants Worksheet 2

Find and underline the adverbs in this narrative of a tennis match. Which of the
categories on Participants Worksheet 1 do they belong to?
Both men have played better but the tension was there from the start yesterday as they
traded early breaks. Nadal was striking the ball the more sweetly and every time he got
the chance he pummelled the Federer backhand with viciously top-spun forehands of the
kind only he can hit. A backhand in the net gave Nadal a second break to lead 4-3 and,
though Federer had four chances to break back at 5-4, Nadal held on to take the opening
set.
When Nadal broke in the opening game of the second set, it looked as if he would run
away with it but Federer became more aggressive and broke back immediately. Nadal
unleashed four brilliant backhands to break again on his way to a 4-2 lead but a resilient
and improving Federer broke back to level at 4-4, with his drop shot increasingly effective.
Twice Nadal held serve to stay in the set and, though Federer led 4-2 in the tiebreak,
Nadal would not be bowed and won four straight points to lead 6-4.
Federer saved one match point with a brilliant forehand winner but Nadal snatched victory
when a horrible bounce off the line took the ball beyond the racket of the Swiss.

(Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer to win Madrid Masters; The Guardian, Monday 17 May 2010)

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TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials Participants Worksheet 2

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TKT: KAL Part 3 Grammar: adverbials Sample Task

A teacher is doing a quiz to check his own knowledge of types of adverbs in preparation for
teaching them to a class.
For questions 1-7, match the adverbs as used in the sentences with the types of adverbs
listed A-H.
There is one extra option which you do not need to use.

Types of adverbs
A. Manner
B. Frequency
C. Place
D. Relative time
E. Degree
F. Quantity
G. Focussing
H. Attitude markers

Sentences
1. That maths test was really difficult.
2. The train goes direct to Paris.
3. Luckily, I found it on my way to work.
4. This fruit is lovely, especially the strawberries.
5. He told me a bit about what happened to him.
6. Their staff are generally helpful and friendly.
7. I keep seeing that strange sign everywhere.

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Acknowledgements
Cambridge ESOL is grateful to the following for copyright permission:
Guardian.co.uk
Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer to win Madrid Masters, Monday 17 May 2010

Every effort has been made to identify the copyright owners for material used, but it is not always
possible to identify the source or contact the copyright holders. In such cases, Cambridge ESOL
would welcome information from the copyright owners.

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