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temporal adverbial

temporal adverbial

8.2
A word or phrase that shows when something happens
  • noun
  • /ˈtɛmpərəl ˌædvɜrˈbiəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : adverbial temporal
  • In the sentence 'She left yesterday,' the word yesterday is a temporal adverbial.

Examples

  • Teachers often ask students to identify the temporal adverbial in a sentence.

  • A temporal adverbial can clarify the timing of an action.

  • Adding a temporal adverbial helps clarify when the event takes place.

  • In the sentence, the temporal adverbial indicates when the event happened.

  • In the sentence 'She left yesterday,' the word yesterday is a temporal adverbial.

  • Adding a temporal adverbial helps clarify when the event takes place.

  • In the sentence, the temporal adverbial indicates when the event happened.

Synonyms

adverb
vstemporal adverbial
9 1.2

A word that tells how, when, where, or how much something happens

is narrower, referring specifically to words or phrases that state when actions happen
in tempore
vstemporal adverbial
  • Archaic
9.9

During the time when a named ruler or period was in power

is the general term for words or phrases that show when actions occur

How Specific

Tuesday
1.0
yesterday
1.0
temporal adverbial
  • Specialized
8.2
recently
1.0
sometime
791 2.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

temporal + adverbial

The meaning 'an adverbial that indicates time' is directly and transparently derived from 'temporal' (relating to time) combined with 'adverbial' (a modifier functioning like an adverb). This modifier + noun composition is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern (e.g. Spanish 'adverbio temporal'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The term temporal adverbial combines temporal (about 'time') and adverbial (a word or phrase that gives extra information). Together it names words or phrases like 'yesterday' or 'next week' that tell 'when' something happens.