Istnieją przysłówki i wyrażenia przysłówkowe informujące o opinii mówiącego o danej czynności lub stanowią pewien komentarz do danej czynności. Przysłówki te różnią się od innych przysłówków, ponieważ nie informują o tym w jaki sposób coś się wydarzyło. Przysłówki opinii i komentarza modyfikują całe zdania składowe, raczej niż pojedyncze czasowniki, przysłówki, czy też przymiotniki. Tak naprawdę, nie ma rozróżnienia między przysłówkami komentarza i przysłówkami opinii, wyjąwszy ich miejsce w zdaniu. Wiele przysłówków, które mogą być użyte jako przysłówki opinii, mogą równie dobrze służyć jako przysłówki komentarza. Jednakże niektóre przysłówki są znacznie częściej używane od innych.
Miejsce w zdaniu
Przysłówki opinii występują na początku zdania lub rzadziej na jego końcu i są zazwyczaj oddzielone od reszty zdania przecinkiem. Przysłówki komentarza poprzedzają czasownik główny, chyba że jest to czasownik „to be”. W takim wypadku, przysłówek może stać przed lub po tym czasowniku. W niektórych przypadkach, przysłówki komentarza stojące przed czasownikiem głównym mogą również być oddzielone od reszty zdania przecinkiem, choć ogólnie nie jest to wymagane. W poniższych przykładach, przysłówki opinii i komentarza występują w odpowiednich miejscach. Zdanie oznaczone jest gwiazdką, jeżeli miejsce przysłówków powoduje, że zdanie nabiera charakteru niestandardowego, nienaturalnego lub zbyt formalnego jak na język mówiony.
| Przysłówek opinii lub komentarza | Na początku zdania | Przed czasownikiem głównym | Na końcu zdania |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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. |