POSITION OF ADVERBS

This topic appeared in 1 of 4 SIBA papers analyzed and is rated Hard difficulty, making it a low-frequency but high-risk area where a single overlooked shift in word order can cost you the mark.

Where students commonly go wrong:

• Missing how moving “only” one word over entirely changes what it restricts, whether the subject, the verb, the object, or a time expression
• Facing all four answer options as grammatically correct sentences, each carrying a different meaning, with no obvious grammatical error to eliminate
• Confusing which specific element, the doer, the action, or the thing acted upon, a limiting adverb is meant to narrow down

Practical tip: Before choosing an answer, identify the word or phrase that sits immediately after “only” (or “even,” “just,” “almost”), since that adjacent word is always the one being restricted, not the sentence’s overall subject or general topic.

Why this practice set helps:

• Covers every distinct case and variation of this topic identified from real MDCAT papers, not just the obvious ones
• Each correct answer comes with a detailed explanation of the underlying grammar rule, so you learn the principle, not just memorize one instance
• Close, commonly confused options are explained specifically, helping you understand exactly why the tempting wrong answer is wrong

Master how adverb placement shifts meaning across these distinct cases, and questions that look identical on the surface will stop being a guessing game on exam day.ed — you will be able to answer preposition questions in seconds rather than losing time second-guessing yourself under exam conditions.