Position of adverb - 'Bravely'

[Barman]

If I use an evaluative adverb to make a judgement of an action and want to place a strong emphasis on the judgement, what should be the position of the adverb in the following sentences?

1) He told the truth, bravely.

2) Bravely, he told the truth.

3) He bravely told the truth.

 

[GoesStation]

Number three is most natural.

 

[jutfrank]

The position of the adverb doesn't determine how much emphasis you place on the judgement. What you can do instead is use an intensifying adverb to modify the judgement adverb:

very bravely
really bravely
extremely bravely
incredibly bravely

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER

Barman, like you, I am also interested in the placement of adverbs.

Some years ago, a book told me that there's a difference between "They slowly swam" and "They swam slowly." But unfortunately, it did not explain what it was, and I am still searching for an answer that satisfies me.

So I was fascinated by your question to the teachers. I searched the Web and found an interesting result. It consists of dozens of examples of where writers decided to place "bravely." When you get an extra moment, go to Google and type in these words: use bravely in a sentence the best 78 bravely

[MODERATOR EDIT] Or click this link.

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER

Barman, while researching your question on the Web, I was reminded of something that I had long forgotten: The adverb "bravely" is ambiguous. It can mean (a) in a brave manner or (b) with bravery.

Here are two examples.

a. "He bravely tackled the thief." That seems to me to suggest: "He was brave to tackle the thief." (I am judging the man.)

b. "Both teams battled bravely." That seems to me to mean: "Both teams battled in a brave manner." (The adverb modifies the verb.)

I may be wrong, of course, but I feel that in your three sentences, the speaker/writer is judging the subject.

Finally, look at this sentence that I have made up: "Bravely, she told her boss that he was wrong." I think that it clearly means that she was brave to say something like that to her boss. It does not describe "in a brave manner," as in "The soldiers fought bravely to the end."



My main Web sources were the Oxford Dictionary definition for "bravely" and the website entitled "Grammar Review: adverb phrases. December 18, 2014."