Goal: Brainstorm options for non-finite/reduced adverbial clauses
Note: These are participial or infinitival structures that function adverbially rather than as nominals or modifiers.
Tip: Like adverb clauses, these are non-embedded forms that add to the information without structural incorporation.
Work focus: Learn/Brainstorm/Try
You have already considered and created non-finite structures that function as modifiers and nominals, and today’s goal adds to that repertoire, asking you to explore options for non-finite structures that function as adverbial elements. These structures may syntactically look the same as other non-finite clauses you’ve created—that is, you may not need to create a new structure or non-finite inflectional form for a head verb.
However, you should still consider placement relative to elements of the matrix clause to figure out what feels best for your language and how it works. As non-embedded elements like finite adverb clauses, these structures are often more flexible in terms of placement, yet there will still be preferred and dispreferred placements.
For instance, in English, it is dispreferred to place adverbial elements between a verb and its direct object, whether it is a single word adverb, preposition phrase, or clause structure. That’s why sentences like “I need now the hammer,” “They took on the beach an umbrella,” or “The student read sitting in an alcove a book” sound awkward to English speakers (and may even sound downright ungrammatical or nonsensical to some English speakers).
You may also want to explore not having this feature in your language. You may opt to use non-finite structures in more limited ways.