What are relative adverbs? The three most common relative adverbs in English

Relative adverbs are one of the most important grammar items in English. How many common relative adverbs are there? What is their structure like and how are they used? In this article, PREP will help you better understand this grammatical aspect!

I. What are relative adverbs?

Relative adverbs in English express the relationship or connection between different parts of a sentence. They help establish relationships regarding time, space, quantity, reason, manner, condition, purpose, and comparison within a sentence. 

There are three common relative adverbs, which are When, Where, and Why. Below are some relative adverb examples: 

• I always remember the time when I lived with my grandparents.
• Do you know the street where a famous restaurant is located? 
• I really don’t know the reason why you chose that option. 

II. The usage and formula of relative adverbs

Below is PREP’s analysis on the usage and formula of the list of relative adverbs for your most accurate application.

1. “When”

"when" is used to express time within a sentence. It indicates the timing of when an event occurred or was established. Below is an explanation of how to use and apply "when", which PREP would like to introduce to you:

For example:

• Gone are the days when I could stay up all night to study. 
• I always remember the time when I lived with my grandparents 

2. “Where”

"where" is used to indicate a place, location, or position within a sentence. It helps specify the location or place where an event took place. Below are some examples of how to use and apply "where" - please read carefully:

For example: 

• I will meet you at the park where we usually go for walks. 
• I love living in a city where there are so many cultural events. 

The usage of “where” in relative clauses. The structure is as follows:

Relative clause + where + main clause 

• You can go to that supermarket where you can buy vegetables 
• Do you remember the restaurant where we had our first date? 

3. “Why”

"why" is used to express reasons or causes within a sentence. It helps explain the reason why an event occurred. Below are some examples of using and applying "why":

• She missed the train, and that’s why she arrived late. 
• Her mass of library of books is the reason why she’s so well-spoken. 

III. Notes on relative adverbs in English

Here are some important points to pay attention to when learning relative adverbs to avoid mistakes in usage and losing marks on tests:

In addition to the structures and usages explained above, we can also use prepositions/phrases + "which" to create sentences with equivalent meanings to when using the relative adverbs "when", "where", and "why".

IV. Exercises on relative adverbs with detailed answers

Exercise 1: Choose the correct answer

1. ___ did you arrive at the airport last night?
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
2. Do you remember the restaurant ___  we had our first date?
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
3.  ___  did you choose that restaurant for dinner?
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
4.  ___  you finish your homework, we can go out with your friends
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
5.  ___  I was a child, I used to play soccer every day.
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
6. I will meet you at the park  ___  we usually go for walks.
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
7. I was in high school  ___  I first met my best friend
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
8. Can you tell me  ___  you made that decision?
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
9. I will meet you at the café  ___  we had our first date.
   1. When
   2. Where
   3. Why
10.  ___  is she upset? What happened?
    1. When
    2. Where
    3. Why

Keys:

• A
• B
• C
• A
• A
• B
• A
• C
• B
• C

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate relative adverb (where, when, why).

1. This is the restaurant __________ we had our first date.
2. Do you remember the day __________ we went to the beach?
3. Can you tell me the reason __________ she resigned from her job?

Keys:

1. This is the restaurant where we had our first date. ➡ "Where" is used to refer to a place or location. In this sentence, it introduces the location of the restaurant where the first date took place.
2. Do you remember the day when we went to the beach? ➡ "When" is used to refer to a specific point in time or an occasion. In this sentence, it introduces the time when the speaker and the listener went to the beach.
3. Can you tell me the reason why she resigned from her job? ➡ "Why" is used to introduce a reason or explanation. In this sentence, it introduces the reason for her resignation from her job.

In this article, PREP has introduced to you all the information about relative adverbs. Hopefully, Preppies can gain a lot of new knowledge from this article. Don't forget to follow PREP regularly for many new and interesting updates!