Adverb clauses and adverbial phrases are groups of words that play the role of an adverb.
So lets take a look at this example sentence on the board.
When I complete this task, we can go.
Now in the meat of this sentence, the subject and verb of this sentence,
comes in the later part of this sentence, we can go. We right here is the subject and can go
is the verb phrase. So when I complete this task could actually be removed from this sentence
and the sentence would still make sense. We can go, makes perfect sense by itself.
So when I complete this task then is an adverb because adverbs aren't necessarily important
to a sentence. You can remove an adverb and the sentence will still make sense
without it because adverbs just merely modify or further describe another word in the sentence.
So since we can remove, when I complete this task, from the rest of the sentence, then
it is probably our adverb clause, and it is.
Now there's not one word
in this uh adverb
clause right here that actually would be an adverb by itself. It's the group of words
right here together,
that modify the verb, can go or the verb phrase, can go, cause can
and go together make up the verb phrase. So, when I complete this task,
is our adverb clause
and it modifies, can go. Its answering the question, when? When can we go? When I complete
this task, because adverbs often answer a question. The question here is when, and it's
saying, when I complete this task. Now notice that it's called a clause. This is called
an adverb clause and that's because clauses contain both a subject and a verb. And that
is the case with this group of words right here. You see a subject and a verb. I is the subject,
and complete is the verb.
All right so lets take a look at this next sentence.
In a moment, the pizza will be ready.
Here, the meat of our sentence is again the later part of the sentence.
Pizza is the subject and will be
is the verb phrase. So here again,
in a moment can be removed from the sentence. In a moment, the pizza will be ready. Now
lets try reading the sentence without this. The pizza will be ready. The sentence still
makes sense so this is probably our adverbial phrase. Now notice this time, its called an
adverbial phrase instead of an adverb clause. Well what's the reasoning behind that? The
reasoning is, a clause contains both a subject and a verb. A phrase does not contain a subject
and a verb and here there's no subject and there's no verb. So that's why it's called
an adverbial phrase. This group of words right here, in a moment,
describes um or modifies,
will be. Again, its answering the question, when? When will the pizza be ready? It'll
be ready in a moment. So the important thing to remember is the main distinction between
adverb clauses and adverbial phrases. Adverb clauses are a group of words that modify another
word. But the adverbial clause or the adverb clause contains both the subject and verb.
In the case of an adverbial phrase again is a group of words that modifies another word,
but in this case, the adverbial phrase does not contain a subject and a verb.