Learn Chinese for Free - Lesson 33

Sentence Structure 18
Adverbial Adjuncts

An adverbial adjunct is used to modify a verb or an adjective. Adverbs, adjectives, time words and prepositional constructions can all be used as an adverbial adjunct. They usually precede the part which is being modified.

Examples of adverbs used as an adverbial adjunct

他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details都character: 都
pinyin: dōu
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

我character: 我
pinyin: wǒ
details很character: 很
pinyin: hěn
details好character: 好
pinyin: hǎo
details。

Example of time word used as an adverbial adjunct

他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

Sentence Structure 19
Time Words Used As An Adverbial Adjunct

Time words are nouns or numeral-measure compounds indicating time.

They may be used as subjects, objects, predicates, attributives, complements, or adverbial adjuncts. Here we pay special attention to their use as an adverbial adjunct.

When used as an adverbial adjunct, time words generally come before the main element of the predicate.

Example

他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

Anyway, when special emphasis is laid on the time words, they may be shifted before the subject to the beginning of the sentence.

Example

今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details他们word: 他们
pinyin: tāmen
details来character: 来
pinyin: lái
details。

(emphasis on 今天word: 今天
pinyin: jīntiān
details)