This question, What exactly is an adverbial phrase, which did not originally show much research, seems to actually be a very useful and helpful question. I've put the text here for your convenience:
What is an adverbial phrase ?
I recently learnt 'to boot' , meaning in addition, as well. And someone was saying it is an adverbial phrase. I think I know what's an adverb, but never learnt of adverbial phrases.
Edit note [16, 08 2015]:
On the Wikipedia page for Adverbials, it says that an adverbial is an adverb or a phrase functioning like an adverb. It also says that an adverbial is a phrase modifying a verb.
But further down the page it says that in the water is an adverbial phrase in:
- John put the flowers in the water
In the sentence above in the water is not a modifier of the verb. It is a complement. If we don't have this type of complement the sentence is badly formed:
- *John put the flowers.
This sentence cannot be grammatical on its own, although it would be ok, perhaps, as a response to the question What did John put in the vase. But that's because this complement has already been supplied by the speaker. In addition to this, we cannot use an adverb in this function. If we use an adverb instead of in the water here the sentence will badly formed:
- *John put the flowers locally.
The sentence above still needs a locative complement like on the table. The adverb locally won't do.
The same kind of confusing facts exist with phrases like in the water in sentences like:
- The flowers are in the water.
This phrase in the water is the complement of the verb BE. Also, it cannot be replaced by an adverb:
- *The flowers are locally.
But people, for example on this site, or on other pages on Wikipedia seem to refer to phrases like this as adverbial phrases.
Lastly, the word almost is an adverb. It is also modifying a verb in the sentence:
- I almost lost the race.
Is this as an adverbial too? There aren't any examples of adverbs in this position like this being described as adverbials on the Wikipedia page.
- What exactly is an adverbial?
As illustration could you also explain:
Why are phrases like in the water an adverbial in sentences like John put the flowers in the water or The flowers are in the water.
If in the water is an adverbial in the sentences above, is regional an adverbial in sentences like The divisions were regional? And how about happy in They made her happy? Why, or why not.
Why is to boot an adverbial?
Adverbial phrases seem to be talked about a lot, but they also seem difficult to understand conceptually.
This does not seem to be a simple "look it up" type of question, but rather one that would help readers a lot, because clear information is difficult to find on this topic. I'm a disbeliever in adverbial phrases and have put my own skeptical answer there. It would be a shame if it was the only answer the Original Poster, or future readers got! Any chance of your re-open vote here? Especially if there is, in fact, a clear and simple answer to the question.