# ready for your test 'tomorrow' [adjective or adverb?]



## u-1

Dear teachers,

Good morning! 

I have a question. 

Yesterday I came across this sentence:

"Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"

I was surprised. Why is *tomorrow* located at the end of the sentence? I don't think *tommorw* in this sentence is an adverb because it modifies the *test*, which is a noun. Do you think this sentence below is more correct?:

"Are you ready for your *tomorrow's* test?"

Or does the word *tomorrow* have a special usage which allows the word to modify a nown from the back?

My dictionary says tomorrow is either a noun or an adverb. 

Maybe in spoken English, it is ok to say "your test *tomorrow*" but when we write, we have to say "your *tomorrow's* test"? 

I really want to know the answer!

Thank you in advance.


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## diminished7th

In my opinion, "tomorrow" has been a part of an adjective clause as:

Are you ready for your test *[which is going to be held] *tomorrow? But the bold words have been omitted.


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## wolfbm1

u-1 said:


> Dear teachers,
> 
> Good morning!
> 
> I have a question.
> 
> Yesterday I came across this sentence:
> 
> "Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"
> 
> I was surprised. Why is *tomorrow* located at the end of the sentence? I don't think *tommorw* in this sentence is an adverb because it modifies the *test*, which is a noun. Do you think this sentence below is more correct?:
> 
> "Are you ready for your *tomorrow's* test?"
> 
> Or does the word *tomorrow* have a special usage which allows the word to modify a nown from the back?
> 
> My dictionary says tomorrow is either a noun or an adverb.
> 
> Maybe in spoken English, it is ok to say "your test *tomorrow*" but when we write, we have to say "your *tomorrow's* test"?
> 
> I really want to know the answer!
> 
> Thank you in advance.



What about this sentence:
_"Are you ready for your test due tomorrow?"_ = "Are you ready for your test (which is) due tomorrow?


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## Forero

_Your test is tomorrow. Are you ready for it? 
Are you ready for your test tomorrow? 

_ I would say _tomorrow_ is an adverbial of time in these sentences.

Because _your _is a determiner, "your tomorrow's test" does not work (unless it means something like "the test you will have on your tomorrow", if that makes any sense):

_Are you ready for tomorrow's test? 
Are you ready for your test? 
__ Are you ready for your tomorrow's test? 
_


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## Forero

wolfbm1 said:


> What about this sentence:
> _"Are you ready for your test due tomorrow?"_ = "Are you ready for your test (which is) due tomorrow?


I am a little uncomfortable with a test being "due", but I take _tomorrow_ here as an adverb telling when the test is "due". You could say the adverb _tomorrow _modifies the adjective _due_, which modifes _test_.


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## Parla

In answer to your original question: It's an adverb.


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## wolfbm1

Parla said:


> In answer to your original question: It's an adverb.



Hello Parla. Could you please tell us why you think it is an adverb.

In my opinion, the word tomorrow describes the word test. So it performs an adjectival function. This is more apparent in the following quotation:
"Shawn: Feeny's *test tomorrow is* gonna be *such a killer*. Cory: Yeah, I don't understand why we have to learn anything about geography. Why do we have to learn where everything is?" Source: http://www.quotesandpoem.com/quotes/showquotes/tv/boy-meets-world/158645

I still think that in u-1's sentence: "Are you ready for your test tomorrow?" the phrase *your test tomorrow *is actually a shortened form of the clause *your test which is (expected) tomorrow*. 
The phrase *your test tomorrow* is similar to e.g. *your entry test online*. (http://directory.edvisors.com/Colleges_and_Universities/Admissions/Entry_Test_Online_75709.html)
This is an example of an attributive adjective after a noun. (http://www.perfectyourenglish.com/grammar/attributive-position.htm and http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv133.shtml  Other examples: mission impossible, poet laureate, time immemorial, students capable of achieving first-class degrees.)


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## owlman5

I sure can't answer for Parla, as she does a very good job of answering for herself, but I'd like to respond.  "Tomorrow" doesn't modify "test" as "impossible" modifies "mission".  English is very flexible in the placement of adverbs, and "tomorrow" is nothing more than an adverb placed at the end of the sentence. We can even move it to the front of the sentence: Tomorrow are you ready for your test? 

That is an unusual placement, but it sure isn't impossible.  You  couldn't do that with an adjective.  M-W certainly accepts "tomorrow" as  an adverb, and it makes much more sense to call it one than it does to  try finding another explanation of its function in this sentence.


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## wolfbm1

owlman5 said:


> I sure can't answer for Parla, as she does a very good job of answering for herself, but I'd like to respond.  "Tomorrow" doesn't modify "test" as "impossible" modifies "mission".  English is very flexible in the placement of adverbs, and "tomorrow" is nothing more than an adverb placed at the end of the sentence. We can even move it to the front of the sentence: Tomorrow are you ready for your test?
> 
> That is an unusual placement, but it sure isn't impossible.  You  couldn't do that with an adjective.  M-W certainly accepts "tomorrow" as  an adverb, and it makes much more sense to call it one than it does to  try finding another explanation of its function in this sentence.



If it is an adverb then I wonder which part of u-1's sentence it modifies. I think that the word *tomorrow*, which is usually used as an adverb, is used as an adjective this time because it is actually a part of an adjectival clause. 

Edit: I was not able to find your sentence (*Tomorrow are you ready for your test?*) online: http://www.bing.com/search?q=%22Tomorrow+are+you%22&go=&form=QBRE&qs=n&sk=
The word *tomorrow* in your interrogative sentence seems to function as a stand-alone word. I think it requires some kind of a punctuation mark.

(By the way, another example of a seemingly strange word arrangement is the sentence: Let's go somewhere new. = Let's go to a place which is new not old.)


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## owlman5

It modifies the verb "are", Wolf.  That's what adverbs do: they modify verbs. 

Thanks for providing the links.  I see where you got your idea, which is exactly like "mission impossible".  Here are a couple of more from that last grammar page in the eighth post: Let us go *somewhere quiet*.  We tried all means (noun) *possible; *time *immemorial

*I can assure you that "tomorrow" isn't modifying "test" like "quiet" modifies "somewhere".  If it were working that way, I wouldn't be able to move it to the front of the sentence.  But I can.  So that freedom in placing it tells me that it's an adverb.  They're very free in English when compared to other types of words.


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## englishjasmin

owlman5 said:


> Tomorrow are you ready for your test?


 
In that case it would be: Tomorrow*,* are you ready for your test? 

You could also say: The test [is] tomorrow, are you ready for it?

Are you ready for the test on Friday? = Are you ready for the test on tomorrow.

It seems tomorrow does not take "on" the way Friday does.


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## wolfbm1

owlman5 said:


> It modifies the verb "are", Wolf.  That's what adverbs do: they modify verbs.



In this sentence: _Are you ready today?_, yes. 
_Are you ready *tomorrow*?_ - I can't think of a context.

Please, don't get me wrong. I genuinely don't understand why I am wrong.


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## owlman5

Well, Wolf, why don't you start by looking up "adverbs" and "adverbial phrases" in your search engine?  Read several good grammar websites, like the ones you've been reading.  Here is one to start with that's very good.  It covers all the main parts of speech. The link will take you directly to the page on adverbs.  Look at these three sentences that I took from this page:


She left early.
   It's starting to get dark now.
   She finished her tea first.

All the underlined words are adverbs.  Notice that they are at the end of the sentence and are separated from the verbs they modify.  This is very common in English. 

[edit] I pulled out sentence using an adverb phrase and replaced it with a simpler one using an adverb.  One of Wolf's later posts will reveal a sentence about that deleted phrase.


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## englishjasmin

owlman5 said:


> Let us go *somewhere quiet*. We tried all means (noun) *possible; *time *immemorial. *I can assure you that "tomorrow" isn't modifying "test" like "quiet" modifies "somewhere". If it were working that way, I wouldn't be able to move it to the front of the sentence. But I can.


 
I think it modifies the test, because it claims that the test is tomorrow. 

Try to move "tomorrow" now: *Today, are you ready for the test tomorrow.*

In my view tomorrow is a noun. Like "I have a test on Friday". "Are you ready for the test [on] Friday?". You would not argue that Friday is an adverb just because you can move it ("Friday, are you ready for the test?")?

(Edit: Indeed, "It is starting to get dark tomorrow". That is an adverb. But you can't say "tomorrow's dark", while you can say "tomorrow's test.")


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## wolfbm1

englishjasmin said:


> In that case it would be: Tomorrow*,* are you ready for your test?
> 
> You could also say: The test [is] tomorrow, are you ready for it?
> 
> Are you ready for the test on Friday? = Are you ready for the test on tomorrow.
> 
> It seems tomorrow does not take "on" the way Friday does.


Hello and Witam Jasmin.
I agree. Can we, then, compare the phrase *test on Friday* to the phrase *test tomorrow*? And this phrase* test tomorrow* does not contain a punctuation mark.
The question is: Why can't you insert a punctuation mark inbetween these two words?


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## owlman5

That one doesn't even make any sense, JM.  You are using two adverbs, one is at the beginning and one is at the end.  Why can't you two believe me when I tell you that "test tomorrow" is not a noun and an adjective?  I have been speaking and writing English for nearly fifty years now, so I ought to have picked up an idea or two.  Right?


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## englishjasmin

wolfbm1 said:


> Hello and Witam Jasmin.
> I agree. Can we, then, compare the phrase *test on Friday* to the phrase *test tomorrow*? And this phrase* test tomorrow* does not contain a punctuation mark.
> The question is: Why can't you insert a punctuation mark inbetween these two words?


 
All I know is that you can say "Friday's test" as well as "tomorrow's test", which equals to "test on Friday" and "test tomorrow". So, as per my post above, I think it is a noun with special usage.


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## owlman5

That's a different thing, EJ.  Friday's test is two nouns -  one is Friday, which is marked with the possessive tense or genitive.  It's another way of saying "the test of Friday".  That has nothing to do with "test tomorrow".  Notice that it doesn't say "test's tomorrow".  "Test's tomorrow" would mean "tomorrow of the test", which doesn't make much sense.  How could a test have a tomorrow?  

Now, Wolf, if you really want to learn something here, you should follow my suggestion.  Go to that link in my post and start reading about adverbs.


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## wolfbm1

owlman5 said:


> That one doesn't even make any sense, JM.  You are using two adverbs, one is at the beginning and one is at the end.  Why can't you two believe me when I tell you that "test tomorrow" is not a noun and an adjective?  I have been speaking and writing English for nearly fifty years now, so I ought to have picked up an idea or two.  Right?



It's not because we are obstinate.  That's for sure.
I really don't know why.


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## englishjasmin

owlman5 said:


> That one doesn't even make any sense, JM. You are using two adverbs, one is at the beginning and one is at the end. Why can't you two believe me when I tell you that "test tomorrow" is not a noun and an adjective? I have been speaking and writing English for nearly fifty years now, so I ought to have picked up an idea or two.  Right?


 
Okay, now I get you. But if "tomorrow" does not modify "test", you would need to agree that this is correct.

*The test is in two weeks. Will you be raedy for the test tomorrow?*

If it was an adverb it would mean "Are you ready by tomorrow for the test which is in two weeks."

But in case that "test tomorrow" means that the test is tomorrow (tomorrow's test): it will not be an adverb, because it modifies test.


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## englishjasmin

*Are you ready today for the test tomorrow.*

*Today* is an adverb! *Tomorrow* could be an adverb too if there was another verb: 

*Are you ready today for the test **[which is]** tomorrow.*

It is adverb, but it modifies a verb that is omitted from the sentence. Now you agree?


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## owlman5

Remember the original question, EJ.  Is tomorrow an adjective or an adverb?  When you say "test which is tomorrow", "tomorrow" is an adverb that's modifying "is".  Wolf had the idea that "tomorrow" is an adjective that is modifying "test".  In none of your examples is the adverb "tomorrow" modifying "test".  It would be modifying an implied verb "is".  That's not what this thread is about.


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## wolfbm1

owlman5 said:


> Well, Wolf, why don't you start by looking up "adverbs" and "adverbial phrases" in your search engine.  Read several good grammar websites, like the ones you've been reading.  Here is one to start with that's very good.  It covers all the main parts of speech. The link will take you directly to the page on adverbs.  Look at these three sentences that I took from this page:
> 
> 
> She left early.
> It's starting to get dark now.
> She finished her tea first.
> 
> All the underlined words are adverbs.  Well, the first one is an adverb phrase, which is just an adverb and some other word(s).  Notice that they are at the end of the sentence and are separated from the verbs they modify.  This is very common in English.



Thank you Owlman for the useful link. I have read the examples attentively. Still, I am not convinced that they apply to u-1's sentence.
Here is what I found about adverbs in another website:
"Adverbs of time answer the question *When?*
Adverbs of time usually occupy either the beginning position or the end position of a clause. In the following examples, the adverbs of time are printed in bold type.
e.g. *Today* I will go to the library.
      I will go to the post office *tomorrow*.
In the first example, *today* occupies the beginning position of a clause. In the second example,* tomorrow* occupies the end position of a clause.
In the end position, adverbs of time usually follow adverbs of manner and adverbs of location."
Source: http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramch24.html

Now, let us have a look at u-1's sentence again:
"Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"

The word *test* is neither an adverb of manner nor an adverb of location. Isn't it interesting?

Maybe the problem is that the word *tomorrow* makes the sentence look ambiguous.


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## Parla

wolfbm1 said:


> Hello Parla. Could you please tell us why you think it is an adverb.



I don't "think" it's an adverb. I _know_ it's an adverb. And I've been speaking and writing English even longer than Owlman has.


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## e2efour

Adverbs sometimes modify nouns as in the original sentence or "the shortage of wheat internationally". However, in such phrases or sentences they come after the noun.


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## owlman5

I think you missed the point, Wolf.  There's nothing ambiguous about this sentence to a native speaker.  They are quite used to placing adverbs freely within a sentence.  Here are some possibilities:
Tomorrow are you ready for your test?
Are you ready tomorrow for your test?
Are you ready for your test tomorrow?

Just so you'll believe me when I tell you that "tomorrow" is not an adjective, let's use another adjective instead.  It won't be nearly as free:

Are you ready for your *difficult* test?  This is an adjective.
Are you ready for your test *difficult*?  No native speaker talks like this unless he or she is trying to be funny.
*Difficult* are you ready for your test?  This one doesn't even make any sense.
Are you ready *difficult* for your test?  Neither does this one.

Once again, "tomorrow" is an adverb.  Adverbs are much freer than other types of words in English.


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## owlman5

e2efour said:


> Adverbs sometimes modify nouns as in the original sentence or "the shortage of wheat internationally". However, in such phrases or sentences they come after the noun.


I hate to disagree with you, E2E Four, but "internationally" doesn't modify "wheat".  You have to have some sort of verb or implied verb to modify.  We really have to say something like: I'm worried about the shortage of wheat (that occurs) internationally.  It's alright to use an ellipsis and not mention the verb "occurs", but "internationally" doesn't modify "wheat".  That was the essence of my epic struggle with EJ, and I'm standing firm.

[edit] I forgot to mention the idea of an adverb also being used to modify an entire sentence.  I'm not entirely comfortable with that idea, as I usually favor the idea of ellipsis rather than trying to call the whole sentence some sort of abstract "object" to be modified by the adverb.


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## Loob

We shouldn't forget that the traditional "parts of speech" classifications don't fit all cases particularly well, and that different grammarians describe things differently.

All I would be happy to say with any certainty is that "tomorrow" here for me modifies "test".


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## e2efour

owlman5 said:


> I hate to disagree with you, E2E Four, but "internationally" doesn't modify "wheat".  You have to have some sort of verb or implied verb to modify.



You are disagreeing not with me but with the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Quote: "There is a construction where we find an adverb modifying a noun, as in _Industrial action resulted in the withdrawal indefinitely of the vehicular ferry service_ or _A shortage of timber internationally led to a steep rise in prices_. ..... Manner adverbs are normally excluded, so that we have _his angry reaction_ but not _his reaction angrily_."


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## owlman5

Where's Panjandrum's ostrich plume hat?  I think it's time to exit stage left here, all agog.  I thought I occupied the same grammatical universe as most of my dear friends, but this turn of events has left me in doubt.


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## e2efour

owlman5 said:


> Where's Panjandrum's ostrich plume hat?  I think it's time to exit stage left here, all agog.  I thought I occupied the same grammatical universe as most of my dear friends, but this turn of events has left me in doubt.


At least you said that it was an adverb in the original sentence, about which there is no doubt.


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## owlman5

I lied. [edit] I wrote this sentence without being aware that E2E Four posted again.  It is not a response to his last remark, but was an attempt at wit upon returning to the discussion.  I hold this position, which I pulled out of Wiki's article on adverbs: An *adverb* is a part of speech. It is any word that modifies any part of speech or other verbs other than a noun. (modifiers of nouns are primarily adjectives and determiners).

I don't want to digress from the topic too far, but that analysis by the gang at Cambridge sounds crazy to me.


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## Loob

e2efour said:


> You are disagreeing not with me but with the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Quote: "There is a construction where we find an adverb modifying a noun, as in _Industrial action resulted in the withdrawal indefinitely of the vehicular ferry service_ or _A shortage of timber internationally led to a steep rise in prices_. ..... Manner adverbs are normally excluded, so that we have _his angry reaction_ but not _his reaction angrily_."





e2efour said:


> At least you said that it was an adverb in the original sentence, about which there is no doubt.


E2efour, the _Cambridge Grammar of the English Languag_e (p564) excludes "tomorrow" from its adverb category.


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## wolfbm1

owlman5 said:


> I think you missed the point, Wolf.  There's nothing ambiguous about this sentence to a native speaker.  They are quite used to placing adverbs freely within a sentence.  Here are some possibilities.  Please note that I'm changing the verb tense to the future so that it fits better with tomorrow:
> Tomorrow are you ready for your test?
> Are you ready tomorrow for your test?
> Are you ready for your test tomorrow?
> 
> Just so you'll believe me when I tell you that "tomorrow" is not an adjective, let's use another adjective instead.  It won't be nearly as free:
> 
> Are you ready for your *difficult* test?  This is an adjective.
> Are you ready for your test *difficult*?  No native speaker talks like this unless he or she is trying to be funny.
> *Difficult* are you ready for your test?  This one doesn't even make any sense.
> Are you ready *difficult* for your test?  Neither does this one.
> 
> Once again, "tomorrow" is an adverb.  Adverbs are much freer than other types of words in English.



Hello Owlman.  Thanks for your explanation. I really appreciate it. It is very interesting.
I guess I must be that *difficult* one.

I would like to clarify *my understanding *of the way in which the word *tomorrow* functions in the sentence:
 "Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"

Of course the word *tomorrow* is usually classified as an adverb of time. 

What I have tried to say so far is that in the above sentence it seems to perform an adjectival function. Because, for me, the word *tomorrow* says what kind of test it is. One can describe the word *test* using the word *tomorrow*. Isn't that true? In fact the word *tomorrow* can function as an adjective when it stands before the word *test*. But it is not an adverb any more. It is a noun. When two nouns stand side by side the first one performs an adjectival function (e.g. tomorrow morning).
The question is: If the word *tomorrow* can perform an adjectival function before a noun then why it can't perform an adjectival function after a noun. After all we have all heard about "Mission Impossible".


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## e2efour

Loob said:


> E2efour, the _Cambridge Grammar of the English Languag_e (p564) excludes "tomorrow" from its adverb category.



I was actually quoting from A Student's Introduction to English Grammar, written by the same authors three years later than the CGEL, presumably as an update or amendment.


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## e2efour

*ADVERBS MODIFYING NOUNS*

 			Adverbs can modify nouns to indicate time or place.
 			EG: The concert tomorrow
 			EG: The room upstairs


http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/adverb.html


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## Loob

wolfbm1 said:


> Hello Owlman.  Thanks for your explanation. I really appreciate it. It is very interesting.
> I guess I must be that *difficult* one.
> 
> I would like to clarify *my understanding *of the way in which the word *tomorrow* functions in the sentence:
> "Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"
> 
> Of course the word *tomorrow* is usually classified as an adverb of time.
> 
> What I have tried to say so far is that in the above sentence it seems to perform an adjectival function. Because, for me, the word *tomorrow* says what kind of test it is. One can describe the word *test* using the word *tomorrow*. Isn't that true? In fact the word *tomorrow* can function as an adjective when it stands before the word *test*. But it is not an adverb any more. It is a noun. When two nouns stand side by side the first one performs an adjectival function (e.g. tomorrow morning).
> The question is: If the word *tomorrow* can perform an adjectival function before a noun then why it can't perform an adjectival function after a noun. After all we have all heard about "Mission Impossible".


I think there's a good deal to be said for your analysis, wolfbm.

But in the end whether we describe "tomorrow" here as a noun or an adverb  (or something else) is just a matter or viewpoint and terminology.


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## owlman5

wolfbm1 said:


> Hello Owlman.  Thanks for your explanation. I really appreciate it. It is very interesting.
> I guess I must be that *difficult* one.
> 
> I would like to clarify *my understanding *of the way in which the word *tomorrow* functions in the sentence:
> "Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"
> 
> Of course the word *tomorrow* is usually classified as an adverb of time.
> 
> What I have tried to say so far is that in the above sentence it seems to perform an adjectival function. Because, for me, the word *tomorrow* says what kind of test it is. One can describe the word *test* using the word *tomorrow*. Isn't that true? In fact the word *tomorrow* can function as an adjective when it stands before the word *test*. But it is not an adverb any more. It is a noun. When two nouns stand side by side the first one performs an adjectival function (e.g. tomorrow morning).
> The question is: If the word *tomorrow* can perform an adjectival function before a noun then why it can't perform an adjectival function after a noun. After all we have all heard about "Mission Impossible".


I don't think it can, Wolf.  At least not in any normal sense of the word.  I guess you could call something a "tomorrow room" or a "tomorrow doorknob", but I'd interpret those to mean "the room of tomorrow" or "the doorknob of tomorrow".  That would be ordinarily expressed as "tomorrow's room" and "tomorrow's doorknob".  In cases like those, "tomorrow" is a actually a noun.  I have no idea what a "tomorrow test" would be.  Saying "tomorrow's test is going to be hard" sounds fine.

Is that what you mean by calling "tomorrow" an adjective?


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## wolfbm1

Parla said:


> I don't "think" it's an adverb. I _know_ it's an adverb. And I've been speaking and writing English even longer than Owlman has.



Hello Parla.  I understand your viewpoint. My students would not buy it, though. They want to know why this, why that.


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## wolfbm1

owlman5 said:


> I don't think it can, Wolf.  At least not in any normal sense of the word.  I guess you could call something a "tomorrow room" or a "tomorrow doorknob", but I'd interpret those to mean "the room of tomorrow" or "the doorknob of tomorrow".  That would be ordinarily expressed as "tomorrow's room" and "tomorrow's doorknob".  In cases like those, "tomorrow" is a actually a noun.  I have no idea what a "tomorrow test" would be.  Saying "tomorrow's test is going to be hard" sounds fine.
> 
> Is that what you mean by calling "tomorrow" an adjective?



You got it.
And as for: "I have no idea what a "tomorrow test" would be." I found this: "Chasers, Toyotas, Cars of Tomorrow test at HMS". Source: http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/cup/10/17/homestead_test/index.html 
I'm not sure if it is a good example.


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## owlman5

Interesting, Wolf.  Cars of Tomorrow = Tomorrow's Cars = noun.


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## Loob

wolfbm1 said:


> You got it.
> And as for: "I have no idea what a "tomorrow test" would be." I found this: "Chasers, Toyotas, Cars of Tomorrow test at HMS". Source: http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/cup/10/17/homestead_test/index.html


Ah, that's different, wolfbm.  It concerns a test of 'Cars of Tomorrow'.

EDIT: As owlman has just said.


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## wolfbm1

Loob said:


> Ah, that's different, wolfbm.  It concerns a test of 'Cars of Tomorrow'.
> 
> EDIT: As owlman has just said.



I think I found a better example: "Today we focused on reviewing for *tomorrow test*.  The CRCT warm-up exercise involved concepts maps ... HOMEWORK ALERT:  Study for *tomorrow test* on machines and energy.  Use the study guide distributed on Monday to help you study. " Source: http://cooperms.typepad.com/goldsberry/2011/02/thursday-february-3-2011.html


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## owlman5

That one looks like an error to me.  Typos are common when so many people are typing all the time.  Yeah.  That one should read: ...for tomorrow's test...


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## timpeac

Interesting thread.

For me, "are you ready for your test tomorrow?" is short for "are you ready for your test which takes place tomorrow?"

This seems like an archetypal use of an adverb of time to me. Adverbs usually end "ly" and mean "in a xyz way" and that's how indeed I understand this use here. "Are you ready in a tomorrow way for the test?" (just to be clear, you can't actually say that, but this is the meaning to my mind).

I think that wolf was getting close to this understanding earlier with the question



> Okay, now I get you. But if "tomorrow" does not modify "test", you would need to agree that this is correct. *The test is in two weeks. Will you be raedy for the test tomorrow?*


My answer to that is yes I do agree that is correct, almost. In fact, because the test isn't tomorrow it is in two weeks this is hypothetical so you need to use "would" not "will", but in that case it is fine

The test is in two weeks. Would you be ready for the test tomorrow if it were then? (although it's not).

It's easy to get caught up in terminology in grammar. We have to remember that these are man-made terms to try to cut up a language to make it easier to analyse. There is no fundamental truth in using these terms - and indeed the grammars of different languages sometimes analyse things differently. It's all about what you're trying to achieve, and in general what makes the most sense and causes fewest exceptions. Traditionally "tomorrow" is certainly considered an adverb as far as I've ever seen. I take the point that its reference to "test" is very close but if you want to analyse it as an adjective a whole new set of rules needs to be formulated as it certainly functions very differently from what is normally considered an adjective, as owlman demonstrated above with "difficult".


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## panjandrum

I reckon I've been speaking and writing English professionally for longer than either Parla or owlman, and I haven't a clue what _tomorrow_ is in that sentence.  Grammar ain't my strong point.

_Are you ready for your test tomorrow._

Reading somewhat superficially through the thread, it seems to me that a great deal depends on what you believe is implicit in this sentence.

My view is that the word _tomorrow _is a residue of a non-essential relative clause, and the answer to the topic question depends on the role of _tomorrow _in that clause.

_Are you ready for your test?_
..............
_Are you ready for your test, which happens (will happen) tomorrow?_

That looks very much like an adverb.

_Edit1. Timpeac's post wasn't there when I began writing this post.  The last thing I did before clicking submit was to change my verb from "take place" to "happen".
Edit2. See also Englishjasmin's post - #21.
_


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## englishjasmin

First of all, the sentence is ambiguous. Because it could mean two things:

(1) you are ready tomorrow for a test that maybe tomorrow maybe or not
(2) you are ready now for a test that is tomorrow

In case (1) tomorrow would be an adverb, because it modifies the verb, but it would be correctly written as *"Are you ready tomorrow for the test."* or even better *"Will you be ready tomorrow for the test?"*

In case (2) tomorrow does not modify the verb in the sentence, and there are two options:

2a) it is an adverb and it modifies a verb that is omitted from the sentence *Are you ready for the test [due] tomorrow.*

2b) it is a noun and it modifies tomorrow. in this case "test tomorrow" is the same as "tomorrow's test". It could mean *Are you ready for the test [on/of] tomorrow. *In this case what is omitted is "on/of" and tomorrow is a noun.

Can each of you tell me, if you argue for option 1), 2a), or 2b)?


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## panjandrum

englishjasmin said:


> First of all, the sentence is ambiguous. Because it could mean two things:
> 
> (1) you are ready tomorrow for a test that maybe tomorrow maybe or not
> (2) you are ready now for a test that is tomorrow.
> ...


It cannot be (1).  That would be illogical. "Are you ready..." is asking about your current readiness.

(2b) is not sensible for me.  That would require me to conceive of "... your tomorrow's test" as an entity distinct from various other tests you may have in your schedule.  I would have to think of the word "tomorrow" as essential to the sentence, identifying which of many tests I was asking about.

(2a) gets my vote.  The word "tomorrow" represents a non-essential clause.

The alternatives to (2a) are so bizarre that I cannot consider the sentence to be truly ambiguous.


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## timpeac

panjandrum said:


> It cannot be (1).  That would be illogical. "Are you ready..." is asking about your current readiness.


Indeed. For this sense you would need to say "will you be ready for the test tomorrow?" if you are asking about your readiness tomorrow for a test taking place tomorrow or "would you be ready for the test tomorrow" if you are asking about your readiness tomorrow for the test which is not taking place tomorrow.
For the other comments I have nothing to add.


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## englishjasmin

In my view:

(1) Is not correct. Therefore, tomorrow does not modify the verb in the sentence.

(2a) Could be if 2b is wrong.

(2b) *Are you ready for the test on Friday?* I think you agree with me that Friday not an adverb but a noun. But *tomorrow* has the same role in the sentence "*Are you ready for the test tomorrow" *as Friday has in the sentence *"Are you ready for the test on Friday"?* 

Therefore, if Friday is a noun, then tomorrow is a noun too. If Friday is an adverb then tomorrow is an adverb too. You can check that Friday and tomorrow have the same role in the sentence, because both you could transform to Friday's test or tomorrow's test. With an adverb you could not do it (associate it to a noun with an 's).


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## timpeac

englishjasmin said:


> In my view:
> 
> (1) Is not correct. Therefore, tomorrow does not modify the verb in the sentence.
> 
> (2a) Could be if 2b is wrong.
> 
> (2b) *Are you ready for the test on Friday?* I think you agree with me that Friday not an adverb but a noun. But *tomorrow* has the same role in the sentence "*Are you ready for the test tomorrow" *as Friday has in the sentence *"Are you ready for the test on Friday"?*
> 
> Therefore, if Friday is a noun, then tomorrow is a noun too. If Friday is an adverb then tomorrow is an adverb too. You can check that Friday and tomorrow have the same role in the sentence, because both you could transform to Friday's test or tomorrow's test. With an adverb you could not do it (associate it to a noun with an 's).


In your sentence "Friday" is a noun but "on Friday" is an adverbial phrase, so if you are equating "on Friday" with "tomorrow" you should conclude that "tomorrow" is an adverb as traditional grammars hold it.


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## wolfbm1

> (2a) gets my vote. The word "tomorrow" represents a non-essential clause.


A non-essential clause - this is the term I was looking for. If you look at the sentence this way then* "tomorrow"* is certainly an adverb. But for the meantime I will have to hang on till tomorrow as in the famous musical << Annie >>.


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## englishjasmin

timpeac said:


> In your sentence "Friday" is a noun but "on Friday" is an adverbial phrase, so if you are equating "on Friday" with "tomorrow" you should conclude that "tomorrow" is an adverb as traditional grammars hold it.



If "on Friday" is an adverb, then "tomorrow" is an adverb too. The reason why we do not need to say "test on tomorrow" is because tomorrow is an adverb already so we don't need to "adverbise" it with on.

*Conclusion: It's an adverb *

It modifies an omitted verb [e.g. to take]: Are you ready *to take* the test *tomorrow*.


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## Forero

I am mostly with Wolfbm1 on the proper analysis of the original sentence, and with his students on the quest to know why.

_Tomorrow_ can be a noun, but here it is not being used as a noun except inasmuch as a noun can be used as an adverb. It works just like the prepositional phrase _on Tuesday_, except that the "on" is implicit.

As I see it, in "Are you ready for your test tomorrow?", _tomorrow_ is more closely related to _test_ than to any other word in the sentence. I would even say it modifies _test_. There is some room for ambiguity, but I think the most likely intent of the sentence is with the meaning "Are you ready now for your test that will be tomorrow?", not "Will you be ready tomorrow for your test (coming up whenever)?".

But I would not say _tomorrow_ describes _test_. It qualifies _test_ in that it distinguishes this particular test from any others by specifying when. This makes the implicit subordinate clause an essential one.

Whether we call _tomorrow_ here an adjective or an adverb depends on how we define the terms. It localizes the test in time, so if it is an adverb, it is an adverb of time. It is assuredly not an adverb of manner (like most _-ly_ adverbs).

If an adverb is defined as never modifying a noun, then _tomorrow_ here must be an adjective. But if a time localizer is always an adverb, then _tomorrow _here must be an adverb.

Does _tomorrow_ sneakily change from adverb to adjective in such sentences as:

_We are to take the test tomorrow._
_The test will be given tomorrow.
__The test is tomorrow. _[This does not mean "The test exists tomorrow."]
_The test tomorrow will be about adverbs of time._

If so, which role does it play in which sentence?

How about "on the hill" in the following sentences?

_My house is on the hill.
__I live on the hill.
__I run on the hill.
I eat on the hill.
I sleep on the hill.
__I love the house on the hill._ [This does not mean "On the hill, I love the house."]

It seems to make life easier to call all these "tomorrow"s and "on the hill"s adverbs (of time, and of place, respectively), but ....


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## Loob

Nice analysis, Forero!

Thinking of wolfbm and his students, I think the simplest solution is that given by e2efour earlier: 


e2efour said:


> Adverbs can modify nouns to indicate time or place.
> EG: The concert tomorrow
> EG: The room upstairs


In other words *(a) "tomorrow" is an adverb (b) it modifies the noun "test"*.


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## englishjasmin

*Re: The room upstairs *
 
I do not think it modifies the room; it modifies the location of the room, but not the room. Correctly the sense would be written as *The room is upstairs*. In this case upstairs is an adverb that modifies the verb "is".
 
Question: I am on the 1st floor, you are on the 2nd floor and John is on the 3rd floor. I would say "You are in the room upstairs". John would say "You are in the room downstairs". How does this modify the room?


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## Forero

englishjasmin said:


> *Re: The room upstairs *
> 
> I do not think it modifies the room; it modifies the location of the room, but not the room. Correctly the sense would be written as *The room is upstairs*. In this case upstairs is an adverb that modifies the verb "is".
> 
> Question: I am on the 1st floor, you are on the 2nd floor and John is on the 3rd floor. I would say "You are in the room upstairs". John would say "You are in the room downstairs". How does this modify the room?


It does not modify the room, it modifies the noun _room_.

Actually _upstairs_ and _downstairs_ can be adjectives. If one room is upstairs and another downstairs, they can be distinguished as "the upstairs room" and "the downstairs room", respectively. In other words, _upstairs_ in front of the noun is analogous to _tomorrow's_, but _upstairs_ after the noun is analogous to _tomorrow_:

_You've brought the upstairs broom downstairs.
I will take yesterday's test tomorrow.

The upstairs broom is now downstairs.
Because of the blizzard, yesterday's test is now tomorrow.
_
Time adverbs are tricky in terms of cause-and-effect and verb tense, but I still see a bit of an analogy:

_ Please take the upstairs broom, now downstairs, back upstairs.
If you plan to attend the conference, please arrange to take yesterday's test, now rescheduled for tomorrow, today.

Please take the broom downstairs back upstairs.
I'm afraid we need to have the test tomorrow moved back to today.

  Please take the broom downstairs, upstairs.

_ Here_ downstairs_ modifies _broom_, and _upstairs_ is a complement for _take_  that represents a change in the broom's location. Before the change, the broom is downstairs; after the change, the broom is upstairs. I'm still calling both _downstairs_ and _upstairs_ "adverbs as noun modifiers".

_I'm snowed in, so I'll have to take tomorrow's test next week. _
_I'm snowed in, so I'll have to take the test tomorrow next week. _

This last "sentence" fails because the verb _will_ latches on to the first available time anchor and leave _next week_ out in the cold.
_
The test was tomorrow, but it has been cancelled._ [I think it is clear that _tomorrow_ cannot modify _was_. Here _tomorrow_ serves as complement, not modifier, of _was_, localizing the test in the time dimension.]

_The test is still tomorrow. _[This _tomorrow _localizes the test in time.]

_Are you ready for your test tomorrow?_ [Ditto.]


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## owlman5

Hello, Forero.  Here is my response to your earlier questions from post 54, which I consider good.  It's getting hard to keep up with all the new posts in this lively thread. 

_We are to take the test tomorrow._ This means “We are to take the test that will be given tomorrow”.
_The test will be given tomorrow.
The test is tomorrow. _[This does not mean "The test exists tomorrow."]  I agree.
_The test tomorrow will be about adverbs of time.  The test that will be given tomorrow will be about adverbs of time. _

If so, which role does it play in which sentence?  It still plays the role of adverb as far as I can see.

How about "on the hill" in the following sentences?

_My house is on the hill. Here “on the hill” should modify the “isness” of the house. No?
I live on the hill. _Where do I live?  I live “on the hill”.  “On the hill” should modify live._
I run on the hill.  Where do I run? _“On the hill” modifies “run”._
I eat on the hill._  Where do I eat? “On the hill” modifies “eat”._
I sleep on the hill. _Where do I sleep? “On the hill” modifies “sleep”._
I love the house on the hill._ [This does not mean "On the hill, I love the house."] I agree. “On the hill *is* the house that I love”.


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## changwecanbelievein

As far as I know, "tomorrow" has only two forms. One is as noun and another is as adverb. 

"Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"

In this example, "tomorrow" is on the last position in a sentence. I think it must be the adverb. Because "tomorrow" doesn't modify the word "test" but the whole sentence.


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## abenr

u-1 said:


> Dear teachers,
> 
> Good morning!
> 
> I have a question.
> 
> Yesterday I came across this sentence:
> 
> "Are you ready for your test *tomorrow*?"
> 
> I was surprised. Why is *tomorrow* located at the end of the sentence? I don't think *tommorw* in this sentence is an adverb because it modifies the *test*, which is a noun. Do you think this sentence below is more correct?:
> 
> "Are you ready for your *tomorrow's* test?"
> 
> Or does the word *tomorrow* have a special usage which allows the word to modify a nown from the back?
> 
> My dictionary says tomorrow is either a noun or an adverb.
> 
> Maybe in spoken English, it is ok to say "your test *tomorrow*" but when we write, we have to say "your *tomorrow's* test"?
> 
> I really want to know the answer!
> 
> Thank you in advance.



Tomorrow is an adverb modifying "ready."  It answers the question "when."


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## Cagey

abenr said:


> Tomorrow is an adverb modifying "ready."  It answers the question "when."


This is true of the following sentence:
_Will you be ready tomorrow for your test? _​It's not true of the sentence under discussion, in which the readiness is today and the test is tomorrow.


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## abenr

Cagey said:


> This is true of the following sentence:
> _Will you be ready tomorrow for your test? _​It's not true of the sentence under discussion, in which the readiness is today and the test is tomorrow.



That may be logical, but it's not grammatical.  "Tomorrow" is an adverb.


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## Loob

abenr said:


> "Tomorrow" is an adverb.


Well, it's either an adverb or a noun in "traditional" grammar. Today's grammarians treat it in a variety of ways.

Whatever it is, it definitely - for me - modifies "test".

At the risk of taking the thread round in yet another circle, I'd like to point again to e2efour's post 36, which deals with the 'problem' rather neatly.


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## Cagey

abenr said:


> That may be logical, but it's not grammatical.  "Tomorrow" is an adverb.


We agree that _tomorrow_ is an adverb.  

We don't seem to agree about what it describes.


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## Matching Mole

Loob said:


> At the risk of taking the thread round in yet  another circle, I'd like to point again to e2efour's post 36, which  deals with the 'problem' rather neatly.





Cagey said:


> We agree that _tomorrow_ is an adverb.
> 
> We don't seem to agree about what it describes.



I think we can only go around in further circles without reaching any  agreement. I therefore think it would not be unkind to bring this thread  to a close.


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