ELPS

In English there exist different types of adverbials. One type is adverbials of place. Adverbials of place answer the question "Where?". They can indicate a specific location, for example: "in the garden", a direction: "over the bridge", or even a relative position: "behind the building".

Examples

Here are a few basic clauses with an adverbial of place in them:

Sarah took her children to school.

We lost our suitcase at the airport.

Andy snubbed his fans in Tokyo.

Optional adverbials

Not every clause requires and adverbial to be grammatically correct, or even to make sense.

John hid the wallet. (No adverbial is necessary.)

John hid the wallet in his pocket. (Adverbial of place included.)

Adverbial-first clauses

Adverbials, including adverbials of place, usually occur after the object in a clause, but can also precede the subject in it.

Behind the fireplace John discovered an old painting.

Under the carpet Sarah found a £20 note.

More examples of place adverbials

Here are several more typical answers to the question "Where?": at the park, in the kitchen, on the rooftop, under the table, in the garden, by the river, near the station, behind the building, across the street, on the hill, in the attic, at home, on the beach, around the corner, in the city, outside the house, in the office, over the bridge, under the bed, at the airport.