Adverb Clauses of Time, Place, Condition, and Manner

Adverb clauses (Adverbial clauses) are groups of words with a subject and a verb that function as adverbs. There are many different types: contrast, purpose, cause, effect, comparison, time, place, manner, and condition.

RELATED: Don’t miss our Complete guide to adverb clauses with definitions, types, and examples.

Adverb Clause of Time

Adverb clauses of time tell us about when something happens. We can use conjunctions like ‘when’, ‘whenever’, ‘before’, ‘after’, ‘as’, ‘while’ ‘until’, ‘as soon as’, and ‘since’:

• I stopped running when I saw my friend.
• Annie gets excited whenever she sees a dog.
• I’ll do my homework before I go back to school.
• Harry went home after the movie ended.
• I watched my mother as she prepared dinner.
• He washed the dishes while his girlfriend vacuumed the floor.
• I will come over as soon as I finish eating.
• Gemma hasn’t stopped working since she arrived.

Adverb Clause of Place

Adverb clauses of place tell us about where something happens. We can use ‘where’, ‘wherever’, and ‘everywhere’:

• Wherever I go, I always see McDonald’s.
• I’m not sure where she lives.
• We met kind people everywhere we went.

Adverb Clause of Condition

Adverb clauses of condition tell us about the circumstances under which something happens. These clauses often begin with ‘if’, ‘unless’, or ‘provided that’:

• I only watch TV if my favorite show is on.
• He won’t go to university unless he studies very hard.
• You can play the game, provided that you follow the rules.

Adverb Clause of Manner

Adverb clauses of manner show us how something happens. They usually begin with ‘like’, ‘as though’ or ‘as if’:

• She looked as though she was in pain.
• Ryan walked past as if he hadn’t seen us.
• He talked to me like I was a child.

Watch this video and learn what an adverb clause is and what types of them we can use:

Learn more about other types of adverb clauses:

Adverbial Clauses of Contrast and Purpose

Clauses of Cause, Effect, and Comparison