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Introduction

Adverbial phrases are vital components of English grammar, functioning as groups of words that act as adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs by indicating time, place, manner, or degree. For students and candidates preparing for competitive exams like SSC, IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE, a thorough understanding of adverbial phrases is essential for excelling in grammar, comprehension, and writing sections. Examples like “in a hurry” in “She left in a hurry” enrich sentence detail. This article provides over 100 adverbial phrases examples with meanings, along with practical tips to enhance your exam performance.

What Are Adverbial Phrases?

Adverbial phrases are multi-word expressions that function as adverbs, providing information about when, where, how, or to what extent an action occurs. They often include prepositions, adverbs, or other parts of speech and are commonly tested in competitive exam grammar and sentence construction tasks.

100+ Examples of Adverbial Phrases with Meanings

Below is an extensive list of over 100 adverbial phrases, showcasing their use and meanings to strengthen your grammar skills.

1. In a hurry – Quickly or rushed (He finished in a hurry).
2. With great care – Carefully (She handled it with great care).
3. At the moment – Right now (I’m busy at the moment).
4. In the morning – During the morning (They jog in the morning).
5. On the way – During travel (He called on the way).
6. Without delay – Immediately (She responded without delay).
7. With confidence – Confidently (He spoke with confidence).
8. In silence – Quietly (They worked in silence).
9. At full speed – Very fast (The car moved at full speed).
10. In the distance – Far away (She saw a light in the distance).
11. With ease – Easily (He solved it with ease).
12. At night – During the night (They sleep at night).
13. In a rush – Hastily (She packed in a rush).
14. With enthusiasm – Enthusiastically (They cheered with enthusiasm).
15. On purpose – Intentionally (He did it on purpose).
16. In the end – Finally (They agreed in the end).
17. At a glance – Quickly looking (She understood at a glance).
18. With difficulty – Not easily (He climbed with difficulty).
19. In time – Before it’s late (They arrived in time).
20. On occasion – Sometimes (He visits on occasion).
21. With joy – Joyfully (She laughed with joy).
22. At first – Initially (He hesitated at first).
23. In the afternoon – During the afternoon (They met in the afternoon).
24. With caution – Carefully (She drove with caution).
25. On the contrary – In opposition (It’s not true; on the contrary).
26. In a loud voice – Loudly (He shouted in a loud voice).
27. At once – Immediately (Do it at once).
28. With patience – Patiently (She waited with patience).
29. In the evening – During the evening (He reads in the evening).
30. On the spot – Immediately (She decided on the spot).
31. With effort – Strenuously (He lifted it with effort).
32. At random – Without order (He chose at random).
33. In a whisper – Quietly (She spoke in a whisper).
34. With pride – Proudly (He stood with pride).
35. On time – Punctually (The train arrived on time).
36. In the meantime – During the interval (In the meantime, wait).
37. With skill – Skillfully (She painted with skill).
38. At last – Finally (They met at last).
39. In a group – Together (They traveled in a group).
40. With anger – Angrily (He shouted with anger).
41. On the whole – Generally (It was good on the whole).
42. In a flash – Very quickly (He disappeared in a flash).
43. With love – Lovingly (She hugged with love).
44. At present – Currently (He’s busy at present).
45. In the past – Earlier (She lived in the past).
46. With respect – Respectfully (He bowed with respect).
47. On the other hand – In contrast (It’s cheap; on the other hand).
48. In a moment – Very soon (He’ll arrive in a moment).
49. With grace – Gracefully (She danced with grace).
50. At dawn – At daybreak (They started at dawn).
51. In the future – Later (Plans are in the future).
52. With courage – Bravely (He fought with courage).
53. On behalf of – Representing (She spoke on behalf of).
54. In a hurry – Quickly (They left in a hurry).
55. With interest – Interestedly (He listened with interest).
56. At noon – At 12 PM (Lunch is at noon).
57. In the nick of time – Just in time (They finished in the nick).
58. With sadness – Sadly (She cried with sadness).
59. On average – Typically (He works on average).
60. In a circle – Circularly (They sat in a circle).
61. With energy – Energetically (He ran with energy).
62. At dusk – At evening fall (They returned at dusk).
63. In the long run – Over time (It pays in the long run).
64. With hope – Hopefully (She waited with hope).
65. On the surface – Apparently (It seems fine on the surface).
66. In a line – In a row (They stood in a line).
67. With determination – Determinedly (He worked with determination).
68. At midnight – At 12 AM (The party ended at midnight).
69. In the short term – Temporarily (It helps in the short term).
70. With excitement – Excitedly (She screamed with excitement).
71. On the road – During travel (They talked on the road).
72. In a daze – Confusedly (He walked in a daze).
73. With precision – Accurately (She cut with precision).
74. At the end – Finally (They celebrated at the end).
75. In the middle – Centrally (He stood in the middle).
76. With kindness – Kindly (She helped with kindness).
77. On the brink – Nearly (They were on the brink).
78. In a rush – Hastily (He ate in a rush).
79. With strength – Strongly (He pulled with strength).
80. At the start – Initially (They met at the start).
81. In the open – Outside (They played in the open).
82. With laughter – Laughingly (She responded with laughter).
83. On the rise – Increasing (Prices are on the rise).
84. In a dream – Imaginatively (He lived in a dream).
85. With fear – Fearfully (She looked with fear).
86. At the peak – At the top (They arrived at the peak).
87. In a crowd – Among people (He spoke in a crowd).
88. With peace – Peacefully (She slept with peace).
89. On the move – Traveling (They were on the move).
90. In a trance – Absently (He stared in a trance).
91. With passion – Passionately (She sang with passion).
92. At the base – At the bottom (They camped at the base).
93. In the heat – During heat (They worked in the heat).
94. With relief – Relievedly (He sighed with relief).
95. On the edge – Nearly (They stood on the edge).
96. In a storm – During a storm (They sailed in a storm).
97. With gratitude – Gratefully (She thanked with gratitude).
98. At the heart – Centrally (The issue is at the heart).
99. In the dark – Without light (They walked in the dark).
100. With style – Stylishly (He dressed with style).
101. On the line – At risk (His career is on the line).
102. In a fit – Suddenly (He laughed in a fit).
103. With honor – Honorably (She served with honor).
104. At the helm – In control (He was at the helm).
105. In the mood – Feeling like (She danced in the mood).
106. With trust – Trustingly (He followed with trust).

Tips for Using Adverbial Phrases in Competitive Examinations

Adverbial phrases are a key focus in SSC, IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE exams, tested through grammar, sentence correction, and comprehension tasks. Here are essential tips to master them:

1. Learn Structure: Recognize phrases with prepositions (e.g., “in a hurry”) for SSC grammar.
2. Practice Placement: Use at the beginning, middle, or end (e.g., “With care, she worked”) for IELTS writing.
3. Identify in Texts: Spot adverbial phrases in reading passages (e.g., “at once”) for GRE comprehension.
4. Avoid Overuse: Balance with single adverbs in essays for TOEFL writing.
5. Match Context: Ensure the phrase fits the action (e.g., “with joy” for happiness) for SSC tests.
6. Enhance Speaking: Use adverbial phrases (e.g., “in a rush”) in IELTS/TOEFL speaking for fluency.
7. Solve Exercises: Use SSC/TOEFL workbooks with phrase fill-in-the-blanks to build accuracy.
8. Practice Writing: Include varied phrases (e.g., “at the moment”) in GRE essays.
9. Review Regularly: Create lists of examples for daily revision, aiding vocabulary growth.
10. Mock Test Practice: Take SSC/IELTS mock tests to identify weak areas in phrase usage.

Conclusion

Adverbial phrases are a vital skill for adding detail and context to sentences, essential for excelling in competitive exams like SSC, IELTS, TOEFL, and GRE, where they test grammar and writing proficiency. By mastering the 100+ adverbial phrases examples provided and applying the tips above, students and candidates can confidently tackle exam challenges and enhance their language skills. Consistent practice and a clear understanding of adverbial phrases will lead to exam success and improved communication abilities.

Also Read: Master Conjunctive Adverbs: 100+ Examples for Exam Excellence

Master Prepositions of Movement: 100+ Examples for Exam Victory

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