adverbs - What are the differences between "go to school happily", "go happily to school" and "happily go to school"?


There are three similar phrases which I would like to know the differences between:




  1. go to school happily

  2. go happily to school

  3. happily go to school



I have long been confused by the placement of adverbs. From my personal view, there are definitely tiny differences, but I'm not sure what exactly they are. Please explain in detail!



Answer



These three phrases all mean the same thing: though the connotation might be slightly different. Let me expand them into sentences:


Happily he went to school. This prioritizes happily's attachment to he; as he goes to school he is happy. This may or may not be due to his going to school.


He happily went to school. Here happily is less focused on he. It could mean that he was happy to go to school.


He went to school happily. Like the latter, this does not emphasize the he and more describes the action of going to school. He was happy to go to school.


All three mean that the boy was happy as he went to school; just the first might mean that he wasn't happy to go to school.


But I believe your question is more about adverbs in general. Other adverbs are more specific in what they attach to. The best example that I can currently think of is only.


Only he went to school. Without larger context this would mean that no one else went to school. He is the only person to go to school.


He only went to school. Here the only refers to the verb went. He did not learn at school, wasn't very engaged there, etc. He only went to school.


He went to school only. Here only refers to the object. He went to school and nowhere else.


Add a comment if you think of a similarly location precise adverb!


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