Fronted Adverbials - Worksheets, Questions and Revision

17 original exam-style questions - 6 pages of questions with a full mark scheme - free printable PDF.

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KS2 · Grammar

Y4.4 Fronted Adverbials

Calculators not allowed · about 40 minutes
Total Marks
Name: _______________________________    Date: ____ / ____ / ______
Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

The School Allotment

Source written for Revision Library (original, copyright-free). Written specifically for this grammar worksheet pack; not derived from or based on any published work, past paper or copyrighted text.

Every Tuesday afternoon, Class 4 walked down to the school allotment behind the sports hall. Yesterday, the whole class had planted rows of carrot seeds in neat lines. Carefully, Mr Hendry showed the children how to water each row without flooding the soil. Behind the greenhouse, a family of hedgehogs had made a cosy nest under some old leaves. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind knocked over three empty plant pots. Without complaining, Priya picked up the pots and stacked them neatly by the shed. Later that morning, the children discovered tiny green shoots poking through the soil at last. In the shed, Mr Hendry kept a box of seed packets, gardening gloves and a rusty old trowel. By the end of the lesson, everyone had muddy hands and enormous smiles.

1
A fronted adverbial is a word or phrase that starts a sentence and is followed by a comma. Tick the fronted adverbial in each sentence below.
(a)Later that day, the parcel finally arrived.(1)
  • A) Later that day
  • B) the parcel
  • C) finally arrived
(b)Under the old oak tree, the children ate their lunch.(1)
  • A) Under the old oak tree
  • B) the children
  • C) ate their lunch
(c)Without hesitating, Sam dived into the pool.(1)
  • A) Without hesitating
  • B) Sam
  • C) dived into the pool
(d)This morning, the postman delivered two large parcels.(1)
  • A) This morning
  • B) the postman
  • C) delivered two large parcels
2
Underline the fronted adverbial in each sentence below. Remember that it always comes before the comma.
(a)Every winter, the pond in the park freezes over completely.(1)
(b)High above the town, a hot air balloon drifted slowly.(1)
(c)With great care, the vet examined the injured owl.(1)
3
Not every sentence opener is a fronted adverbial - some sentences simply begin with their subject. Tick whether the opening words of each sentence are a fronted adverbial or the subject of the sentence.
(a)The old clock tower chimed at noon.(1)
  • Fronted adverbial
  • Subject
(b)At noon, the old clock tower chimed.(1)
  • Fronted adverbial
  • Subject
(c)Quietly, the librarian closed the heavy door.(1)
  • Fronted adverbial
  • Subject
(d)The librarian quietly closed the heavy door.(1)
  • Fronted adverbial
  • Subject
4
Sort the fronted adverbials in the box into the correct column of the table below: Time, Place or Manner. Keep the comma with each phrase.
Word bank: Yesterday, | Behind the shed, | Carefully, | Next weekend, | Underneath the bridge, | Without a sound,
TimePlaceManner
(6)
5
Insert the missing comma after the fronted adverbial in each sentence below.
(a)Last night the wind howled around the chimney.(1)
(b)Beside the river a heron stood perfectly still.(1)
(c)Without warning the fire alarm began to ring.(1)
6
Choose a fronted adverbial from the box to begin each sentence below. Remember to add a comma after the adverbial. Use each phrase once.
Word bank: Every evening, | In the distance, | All of a sudden,
(a)___ Grandad waters his tomato plants.(1)
(b)___ thunder rumbled over the hills.(1)
(c)___ the lights went out.(1)
7
Rewrite each sentence below, moving the adverbial phrase shown at the end of the sentence to the front. Add a comma after it in your new sentence.
(a)The kitten hid under the sofa this afternoon.(2)
(b)Two swans landed on the lake at dawn.(2)
(c)The children built a den after school.(2)
8
Tick the sentence in each pair that punctuates the fronted adverbial correctly.
(a)Which sentence is correct?(1)
  • A) Once again the team lost the match.
  • B) Once again, the team lost the match.
(b)Which sentence is correct?(1)
  • A) Deep in the forest, a woodpecker tapped on a tree.
  • B) Deep, in the forest a woodpecker tapped on a tree.
(c)Which sentence is correct?(1)
  • A) Nervously the actor walked onto the stage.
  • B) Nervously, the actor walked onto the stage.
9
Each sentence below has its comma in the wrong place. Rewrite each sentence with the comma correctly placed after the whole fronted adverbial.
(a)Later, that day the parcel arrived.(1)
(b)Without, warning the alarm rang.(1)
(c)After, the long journey the family finally arrived home.(1)
10
The paragraph below is missing three commas after fronted adverbials. Find and correct the three errors.

Every Saturday morning Deepa helps her uncle at his market stall. Without any warning a sudden shower soaked all the fruit boxes. Quickly Deepa pulled a plastic sheet over the stall before the rain got worse.
(3)
11
The sentence below has a comma that should not be there. Explain why, then rewrite the sentence correctly.

The teacher, entered the room quietly.
(2)
12
Write two sentences of your own about a rainy day. Your first sentence must begin with a fronted adverbial of time. Your second sentence must begin with a fronted adverbial of place. Remember a comma after each adverbial.
(2)
13
Add a fronted adverbial of your own choice to the front of the sentence below. Choose an adverbial that adds an interesting detail of time, place or manner, and punctuate it correctly.

The dog chased the ball across the garden.
(2)
14
Combine the two short sentences below into one sentence. Use the time information from the second sentence to create a fronted adverbial at the start of your new sentence.

The bell rang for break time. This happened at exactly eleven o'clock.
(2)
15
Look again at the passage 'The School Allotment' at the top of this pack. Find and write down three different fronted adverbials used by the writer. Do not use 'Suddenly', 'Behind the greenhouse' or 'Later that morning' - these are used elsewhere in this pack.
(3)
16
In the passage, the writer begins a sentence with the fronted adverbial 'Suddenly' ('Suddenly, a strong gust of wind knocked over three empty plant pots.'). Explain the effect of this choice on the reader.
(2)
17
The writer uses 'Behind the greenhouse' to open one sentence and 'Later that morning' to open another. Explain one difference between the effect of these two fronted adverbials on the reader.
(2)
Mark scheme · Y4.4 Fronted Adverbials

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

Question 9

Question 10

Question 11

Question 12

Question 13

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 17