Stacking adverbials before the verb: 昨天在教室里认真地写
【五33】多项状语 / sentence components
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
When several adverbials stand before the verb, they pile up from the outer circumstances to the one closest to the verb: (purpose or attitude) → time → 都 / 也 / 就 → place → manner or degree (…地) → a 对 / 把 / 给 phrase → verb. Example: 他 昨天 在教室里 认真地 写作业. All of them stay before the verb.
This simply combines time and place before the verb (HSK 1) with the manner adverbial in 地 (HSK 2). English moves its adverbials around freely ("yesterday he worked hard in class", "in class he worked hard yesterday"); in Chinese the order is a strong tendency, and the manner prefers to sit right in front of the verb.
It isn't a rigid law: a 对 or 把 phrase may come before the manner adverbial (他把书小心地放好), and in speech four elements is about the limit. Neutral register, equally at home in speech and writing; reports, detailed accounts and instructions are full of it.
Examples
他昨天在教室里认真地写作业。
Tā zuótiān zài jiàoshì lǐ rènzhēn de xiě zuòyè.Yesterday, in the classroom, he did his homework carefully.
周末我们都在公园里开心地散步。
Zhōumò wǒmen dōu zài gōngyuán lǐ kāixīn de sànbù.At the weekend we all stroll happily in the park.
为了安全，我们昨晚都在旅馆里认真地把背包检查了一遍。
Wèile ānquán, wǒmen zuówǎn dōu zài lǚguǎn lǐ rènzhēn de bǎ bēibāo jiǎnchá le yí biàn.For safety's sake, last night we all went carefully through our packs at the inn.
我们下午都在教室里非常认真地对昨天的报告进行了讨论。
Wǒmen xiàwǔ dōu zài jiàoshì lǐ fēicháng rènzhēn de duì zuótiān de bàogào jìnxíng le tǎolùn.In the afternoon we all discussed yesterday's report very seriously in the classroom.
老师今天上午在办公室里非常耐心地给我讲了这次考试的要求。
Lǎoshī jīntiān shàngwǔ zài bàngōngshì lǐ fēicháng nàixīn de gěi wǒ jiǎng le zhè cì kǎoshì de yāoqiú.This morning, in his office, the teacher patiently explained to me what this exam requires.
Common mistakes
✗ 他认真地昨天在教室里写作业 → ✓ 他昨天在教室里认真地写作业 (the manner sits near the verb, after time and place).
✗ 我写了作业在教室里 → ✓ 我在教室里写了作业 (place goes before the verb).
✗ 他对我昨天说了 → ✓ 他昨天对我说了 (time comes before the 对 phrase).