List of Adverbs of Place: Definition, Types, & Exercises

In English grammar, adverbs are used to modify verbs by describing actions, such as how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. Among these, adverbs of place are important because they tell us the exact location where an action takes place. In this article, you will learn what adverbs of place are, their types, examples, and how to use them. 

Table of content

• What Are Adverbs of Place?
• Types of Adverbs of Place
• List of Common Adverbs of Place
• Difference Between Adverbs of Place and Prepositions
• Examples of Adverbs of Place in Sentences
• Adverbs of Place Exercises
• Common Mistakes in Using Adverbs of Place

What Are Adverbs of Place?

Adverbs of place are words that tell us where an action happens. They give information about the location, direction, or distance of an action in a sentence. These adverbs answer the question “Where?” and help make sentences clearer and more specific. Some common adverbs of place examples are here, there, everywhere, nowhere, outside, and upstairs.

For example:

• The children are playing outside.

• She looked everywhere for her keys.

• He is waiting here.

In these sentences, ‘outside’, ‘everywhere’, and ‘here’ function as adverbs of place.

Types of Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place are classified into different types based on the kind of locations or directions they describe.   

1. Adverbs of position: Adverbs of position tell the exact place where something happens. Such as here, there, everywhere, somewhere, nowhere.
   Examples: She is sitting here.
   I looked everywhere for my bag.

2. Adverbs of direction: Adverbs of direction indicate movement or direction. Such as up, down, inside, outside, forward, backward
   Examples: The cat ran outside.
   He looked up at the sky. 

3. Adverbs of distance: The adverb of distance describes how far something is. Such as nearby, far, everywhere, nowhere
   Examples: The school is nearby.
   He lives far from the city.
   
   

List of Common Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place describe where an action happens, such as location, direction, or distance. The following is a list of commonly used adverbs of place in everyday English.

• Here

• There

• Everywhere

• Nowhere

• Somewhere

• Anywhere

• Nearby

• Far

• Far away

• Away

• Home

• Homeward

• Abroad

• Inside

• Outside

• Indoors

• Outdoors

• Upstairs

• Downstairs

• Up

• Down

•  

• Forward

• Backward

• Towards

• Around

• Above

• Below

• Behind

• Under

• Over

• North

• South

• East

• West

• Northeast

• Northwest

• Southeast

• Southwest

• Northwards

• Southwards

• Eastwards

• Westwards

• Ahead

• Ashore

• Aboard

• Alongside

• Off

• Onward

• Along

Difference Between Adverbs of Place and Prepositions

Adverbs of place and prepositions both talk about location, but they are used in different ways in a sentence. The differences between adverbs of place and prepositions are as follows: 

Examples of Adverbs of Place in Sentences

Here are clear examples showing how adverbs of place are used in sentences:

• She is standing here.

• The children are playing outside.

• I looked everywhere for my keys.

• He is waiting there.

• The cat is hiding under the table.

• They moved away from the crowd.

• We will meet nearby.

• She went upstairs to her room.

• The books are kept inside the cupboard.

• He looked around but found nothing.

• The birds are flying above the trees.

• The ball rolled down the hill.

• She lives abroad now.

• The dog is sleeping indoors.

• We decided to eat outdoors today.

• He stepped forward to answer.

• She walked backward slowly.

• The car moved towards the city.

• They are playing out in the field.

• I will stay home today

Adverbs of Place Exercises 

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

Fill in the blanks with suitable adverbs of place:

1. The children are playing ______. (outside / quickly)

2. She looked ______ for her lost ring. (everywhere / carefully)

3. Please come ______. (here / yesterday)

4. The cat is hiding ______ the table. (under / slowly)

5. He lives ______ in another country. (abroad / happily)

6. The books are kept ______ the shelves. (inside / brightly)

7. We searched ______ but found nothing. (everywhere / loudly)

8. The birds are flying ______ the trees. (above / beautifully)

9. I will wait for you ______. (there / tomorrow)

10. They moved ______ from the crowd. (away / quickly)

Answers: 

1. The children are playing outside.

2. She looked everywhere for her lost ring.

3. Please come here.

4. The cat is hiding under the table.

5. He lives abroad in another country.

6. The books are kept inside the shelves.

7. We searched everywhere but found nothing.

8. The birds are flying above the trees.

9. I will wait for you there.

10. They moved away from the crowd.

Exercise 2: Identify the adverb of place

Underline the adverb of place in each sentence:

1. The children are playing outside.

2. She looked everywhere for her bag.

3. He is waiting here.

4. The ball rolled down the hill.

5. They live abroad.

Answers: 

1. outside

2. everywhere

3. here

4. down

5. abroad

Common Mistakes in Using Adverbs of Place

1. Using prepositions with adverbs of place
   Incorrect: She is waiting in outside.
   Correct: She is waiting outside.

2. Adding unnecessary words
   Incorrect: He went to upstairs.
   Correct: He went upstairs.

3. Confusing adverbs with adjectives
   Incorrect: The outside weather is nice.
   Correct: The weather is nice outside.

4. Incorrect word order in sentences
   Incorrect: She everywhere looked for her bag.
   Correct: She looked everywhere for her bag.

1. Using the wrong directional form
   Incorrect: He moved east.
   Correct: He moved eastwards.

2. Using double place markers.
   Incorrect: She is going to abroad.
   Correct: She is going abroad.