Adverbes d’opinion et d’énonciation

Il existe un certain nombre d'adverbes qui nous renseignent sur le point de vue ou l'opinion du locuteur sur une action, ou émettent quelques observations sur l'action. Ces adverbes d'opinion et d’énonciation diffèrent d'autres adverbes car ils ne renseignent pas sur comment, où, ou quand l'action s'est déroulé. Les adverbes d'opinion et d’énonciation modifient des propositions entières et non pas des adjectifs, verbes, ou d'autres adverbes. Il n'y a pas réellement de distinction entre les adverbes d'opinion et les adverbes d’énonciation sauf par leur emplacement dans une phrase. La plupart des adverbes qui peuvent être des adverbes d'opinion peuvent également être des adverbes d’énonciation. Cela-dit, parfois un des usages est plus commun que l'autre.

Formation de phrases

Les adverbes d'opinion se placent au début, ou moins souvent à la fin, d'une phrase. Ils sont presque toujours séparés du reste de la phrase par un virgule. Les adverbes d’énonciation sont placés avant le verbe principal de la phrase, sauf si c'est le verbe to be. Dans ce cas l'emplacement peut être avant ou après le verbe avec une différence d'accentuation entre les deux. Parfois, un adverbe d’énonciation est séparé du reste de la phrase par des virgules, mais généralement il ne l'est pas.

Dans les exemples ci-dessous, les adverbes d'opinion et d’énonciation sont utilisés dans des phrases. Quand une phrase est correcte mais trop formelle pour un usage en anglais courant, il a une étoile.

Adverbe d'opinion ou d’énonciation Au début de la phrase Avant le verbe principal A la fin de la phrase
clearly Clearly, he doesn't know what he is doing. He clearly doesn't know what he is doing. He doesn't know what he is doing, clearly.
obviously Obviously, you are acting silly. You are obviously acting silly. / You obviously are acting silly. You are acting silly, obviously.
personally Personally, I'd rather go by train. I'd personally rather go by train. I'd rather go by train, personally.
presumably Presumably, he didn't have time to go to the post office. He presumably didn't have time to go to the post office. He didn't have time to go to the post office, presumably.
seriously Seriously, I can't give this speech. I seriously can't give this speech. I can't give this speech, seriously.
surely Surely you tried to get here on time. You surely tried to get here on time. You tried to get here on time, surely.
technically Technically, we cannot fly to Mars and back. We technically cannot fly to Mars and back. We cannot fly to Mars and back, technically.
undoubtedly Undoubtedly, he has a good reason not to come. He undoubtedly has a good reason not to come. He has a good reason not to come, undoubtedly.
bravely Bravely, I kept on walking. I bravely kept on walking. *I kept on walking, bravely.
carelessly Carelessly, she threw her book into the pond. She carelessly threw her book into the pond. *She threw her book into the pond, carelessly.
certainly Certainly you should be there. You certainly should be there. / You should certainly be there. You should be there, certainly.
cleverly Cleverly, Sally hid the jellybeans. Sally cleverly hid the jellybeans. *Sally hid the jellybeans, cleverly.
definitely *Definitely, you are smart. You defintely are smart. / You are definitely smart. *You are smart, definitely.
foolishly Foolishly, they cried out. They foolishly cried out. They cried out, foolishly.
generously Generously, he donated the money. He generously donated the money. *He donated the money, generously.
stupidly Stupidly, they played in the street. They stupidly played in the street. *They played in the street, stupidly.
obviously Obviously, we are lost. We are obviously lost. / *We obviously are lost. We are lost, obviously.
kindly Kindly, she fed the cat first. She kindly fed the cat first. She fed the cat first, kindly.
luckily Luckily, you got here on time. You luckily got here on time. You got here on time, luckily.
fortunately Fortunately, we found the boat. We fortunately found the boat. We found the boat, fortunately.
naturally Naturally, you cannot be in the circus now. You naturally cannot be in the circus now. You cannot be in the circus now, naturally.
wisely Wisely, she stayed home to take a nap. She wisely stayed home to take a nap. She stayed home to take a nap, wisely.
confidentially Confidentially, I never gave him the envelope.   I never gave him the envelope, confidentially.
theoretically Theoretically, we could send astronauts to Mars. We could theoretically send astronauts to Mars. / We theoretically could send astronauts to Mars. We could send astronauts to Mars, theoretically.
truthfully Truthfully, I don't like chocolate much. I truthfully don't like chocolate much. I don't like chocolate much, truthfully.
disappointingly Disappointingly, she got fourth place. She disappointingly got fourth place. She got fourth place, disappointingly.
thoughtfully Thoughtfully, I turned away. I thoughtfully turned away. I turned away, thoughtfully.
simply *Simply, I don't want to come. I simply don't want to come.  
unbelievably Unbelievably, she showed up late again. She unbelievably showed up late again. She showed up late again, unbelievably.
unfortunately Unfortunately, there is no more room. There is unfortunately no more room. / There unfortunately is no more room. There is no more room, unfortunately.