VIEWPOINT AND COMMENTING ADVERBS

There are some adverbs and adverbial expressions which tell us about the speaker's viewpoint or
opinion about an action, or make some comment on the action. These adverbs are different from other
adverbs because they do not tell us how an action occurred. Commenting and viewpoint adverbs
modify entire clauses rather than single verbs, adverbs, or adjectives. There is no real distinction
between commenting adverbs and viewpoint adverbs, except in their sentence placement. Many
adverbs that can be used as viewpoint adverbs can also be used as commenting adverbs. However, in
some cases, an adverb is far more common as one or the other.

SENTENCE PLACEMENT
Viewpoint adverbs are placed at the beginning, or more rarely, at the end of the sentence. They are
usually separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. Commenting adverbs are placed before
the main verb unless the verb "to be" is used, in which case placement can be either before or after the
verb. In some cases, commenting adverbs placed before the main verb will also be separated from the
rest of the sentence by commas, although in most cases they will not be. In the examples below,
viewpoint and commenting adverbs are shown in the correct sentence placements. When a sentence
placement is unusual, stilted, or too formal for spoken language, it is marked with an asterisk.

Viewpoint or
At the start of a
commenting Before the main verb At the end of a sentence
sentence
adverb

Clearly, he doesn't He clearly doesn't know what he is He doesn't know what he is

clearly
know what he is doing. doing. doing, clearly.
Obviously, you are
obviously You are obviously acting silly You are acting silly, obviously.
acting silly.
Personally, I'd rather
personally I'd personally rather go by train. I'd rather go by train, personally.
go by train.
Presumably, he didn't
He presumably didn't have time to go He didn't have time to go to the
presumably have time to go to the
to the post office. post office, presumably.
post office.
Seriously, I can't give
seriously I seriously can't give this speech. I can't give this speech, seriously.
this speech.
Surely you tried to get You tried to get here on
surely You surely tried to get here on time.
here on time. time, surely.
Technically, we cannot We technically cannot fly to Mars and We cannot fly to Mars and
technically
fly to Mars and back. back. back, technically.
Undoubtedly, he has a
He undoubtedly has a good reason not He has a good reason not to
undoubtedly good reason not to
to come. come, undoubtedly.
come.
Bravely, I kept on
bravely I bravely kept on walking. *I kept on walking, bravely.
walking.
Carelessly, she threw She carelessly threw her book into the *She threw her book into the
carelessly
her book into the pond. pond. pond, carelessly.
certainly Certainly you should You certainly should be there. / You You should be there, certainly.
Viewpoint or
At the start of a
commenting Before the main verb At the end of a sentence
sentence
adverb

be there. should certainlybe there.

Cleverly, Sally hid the *Sally hid the
cleverly Sally cleverly hid the jellybeans.
jellybeans. jellybeans, cleverly.
*Definitely, you are You defintely are smart. / You
definitely *You are smart, definitely.
smart. are definitely smart.
Foolishly, they cried
foolishly They foolishly cried out. They cried out, foolishly.
out.
Generously, he donated *He donated the
generously He generously donated the money.
the money. money, generously.
Stupidly, they played in *They played in the
stupidly They stupidly played in the street.
the street. street, stupidly.
We are obviously lost. /
obviously Obviously, we are lost. We are lost, obviously.
*We obviously are lost.
Kindly, she fed the cat
kindly She kindly fed the cat first. She fed the cat first, kindly.
first.
Luckily, you got here
luckily You luckily got here on time. You got here on time, luckily.
on time.
Fortunately, we found
fortunately We fortunately found the boat. We found the boat,fortunately.
the boat.
Naturally, you cannot You naturally cannot be in the circus You cannot be in the circus
naturally
be in the circus now. now. now, naturally.
Wisely, she stayed She stayed home to take a
wisely She wisely stayed home to take a nap.
home to take a nap. nap, wisely.
Confidentially, I never I never gave him the
confidentially
gave him the envelope. envelope, confidentially.
We could theoretically send astronauts
Theoretically, we could We could send astronauts to
theoretically to Mars. / We theoretically could send
send astronauts to Mars. Mars, theoretically.
astronauts to Mars.
Truthfully, I don't like I don't like chocolate
truthfully I truthfully don't like chocolate much.
chocolate much. much, truthfully.
Disappointingly, she She got fourth
disappointingly She disappointingly got fourth place.
got fourth place. place, disappointingly.
Thoughtfully, I turned
thoughtfully I thoughtfully turned away. I turned away, thoughtfully.
away.
*Simply, I don't want to
simply I simply don't want to come.
come.
Unbelievably, she She showed up late
unbelievably She unbelievably showed up late again.
showed up late again. again, unbelievably.
Unfortunately, there is There is unfortunately no more room. / There is no more
unfortunately
no more room. There unfortunately is no more room. room, unfortunately.