Fronted adverbials: marshmallow frog
The Grammar Bit!
Read the three scintillating sentences opposite. They each begin with a fronted adverbial (bold).
A fronted adverbial can be a single word, a phrase or a clause. It appears at the front of a sentence and can describe the following:
- when the action took place
- where the action took place
- how the action took place
Notice how a comma is normally placed after a fronted adverbial to separate it from the rest of the sentence.
With your talk partner, take turns saying each sentence aloud with the adverbial at the end. Does this alter the meaning of the sentence?
Scintillating Sentences
1) In the cool of the night, the marshmallow frog creeps out of her sunless, sandy dwelling.
2) Found in the coastal deserts of Namibia and South Africa, these little, round creatures are only as long as your thumb.
3) Shuffling slowly across the sand dunes, she finally reaches her termite platter.
Did you know?
When it feels threatened, the marshmallow frog lets out a formidable roar that sounds like a squeaky toy!