adv before/after adj

[Joe]

We say "directly face somebody" instead of "face directly somebody"; I've heard "walk slowly" a lot, but I seldom hear people saying "slowly walk". I am not sure if there is a certain rule as to when advs comes after or before adjs. I suspect there is not, that we decide it on our sense of the language. What do you think? Thanks. :)

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Joe

We say "directly face somebody" instead of "face directly somebody"; I've heard "walk slowly" a lot, but I seldom hear people saying "slowly walk". I am not sure if there is a certain rule as to when advs comes after or before adjs. I suspect there is not, that we decide it on our sense of the language. What do you think? Thanks. :)

1. Slowly walk to the door. (OK)
2. Walk slowly to the door. (OK)

The difference between the placement of 'slowly' in 1. and 2. has to do with what's called adverb binding. Click Here :D

3. She directly faced him. (OK)
4. She faced directly him. (Odd)

In 3. the adverb 'directly' modifies the entire verb phrase 'faced him'. It sound OK in that position because it's modifying a verb, specifically the verb and its object. In 4. 'directly' sounds Odd because it's modifying the verb's object, 'him', which is a pronoun.

Adverbs cannot modify nouns. They modify adverbs and adjectives. :D