compulsory · CSS study notes
Order of Adverbs — MA-PLA-FRE-TI-PU (Grammar Rule)
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Where this fits in CSS: English (Précis & Composition) is a compulsory paper. This rule belongs to its Grammar / Sentence Correction part (Q.4 "Correct the sentences") and also helps in translation and précis writing, where you often have to join several adverbial phrases in one sentence.
The rule: MA-PLA-FRE-TI-PU
When a sentence has several adverbs or adverbial phrases after the verb, put them in this order:
| # | Type | Answers the question | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAnner | How? | in a skilful manner |
| 2 | PLAce | Where? | in the pool |
| 3 | FREquency | How often? | every morning |
| 4 | TIme | When? | at 9 o'clock |
| 5 | PUrpose | Why? | to remain fit |
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Memory trick: MA-PLA-FRE-TI-PU, in that order: Manner → Place → Frequency → Time → Purpose.
Urdu: جب جملے میں ایک سے زیادہ متعلقاتِ فعل ہوں تو پہلے طریقہ (کیسے)، پھر جگہ (کہاں)، پھر تکرار (کتنی بار)، پھر وقت (کب) اور آخر میں مقصد (کیوں) آتا ہے۔
Worked example
Parts: Ali swims + in a skilful manner (manner) + in the pool (place) + every morning (frequency) + at 9 o'clock (time) + to remain fit (purpose)
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Ali swims in a skilful manner in the pool every morning at 9 o'clock to remain fit.
Note: "skilful" is British spelling and "skillful" is American. Both are correct, but use British spelling in CSS.
More examples
- She sang beautifully (manner) at the ceremony (place) last night (time).
- He studies quietly (manner) in the library (place) daily (frequency) after Asr (time) to prepare for CSS (purpose).
- The workers protested peacefully (manner) outside the assembly (place) on Monday (time).
- My father walks briskly (manner) in the park (place) every evening (frequency) to control his sugar (purpose).
⚠️ Exceptions to remember
- Verbs of movement (go, come, walk, drive, travel): Place usually comes before Manner.
- ✅ She went to school by bus. (not "She went by bus to school" in standard usage)
- ✅ He drove home carefully.
- Time can move to the start of the sentence for emphasis. Put a comma after it if the phrase is long.
- ✅ Every morning, Ali swims in the pool.
- Short (one-word) adverbs of frequency (always, usually, often, never) go before the main verb and after "be":
- ✅ He always arrives late. · She is never rude.
- Shorter phrases before longer ones is a general style tip when the order is otherwise flexible.
Practice (with answers)
1. He / to earn money / in Dubai / hard / works
→ He works hard in Dubai to earn money.
2. The children / in the playground / happily / every evening / play
→ The children play happily in the playground every evening.
3. The minister / in Islamabad / yesterday / spoke / confidently
→ The minister spoke confidently in Islamabad yesterday.
4. She / at 6 a.m. / daily / in the garden / to stay healthy / jogs
→ She jogs in the garden daily at 6 a.m. to stay healthy.
5. (Correct the sentence) He came yesterday by train to Lahore.
→ He came to Lahore by train yesterday. (movement verb: place → manner → time)
Source: CSS English Précis & Composition lecture (Prof. Hasnain Jilani, Lecture 3)