Adverbs

What Is An Adverb? 

An adverb is a word that can modify a verb, an adjective, an adverb, or even a sentence. Adverbs describe how, where, when, in what manner and to what extent something is done. Adverbs are often formed by adding “-ly” to adjectives.

For example

Lora drives carefully. She will arrive soon.

The words "carefully" and "soon" are adverbs.

Kinds of adverbs

There exist eight kinds of adverbs:

1. Adverbs of certainty
2. Adverbs of degree
3. Adverbs of frequency
4. Adverbs of manner
5. Adverbs of place
6. Adverbs of time
7. Interrogative adverbs
8. Relative adverbs

Adverbs of certainty

Adverbs of certainty indicate how certain we feel about an action. Adverbs of certainty can go:

• Before main verbs
• After verb “to be”
• At the beginning/ at the end of a sentence or clause.

Common adverbs of certainty:

Certainly, surely, evidently, definitely, obviously, undoubtedly, apparently, clearly.

Examples

They have certainly arrived.

He surely won't forget them.

They are certainly wonderful people.

Probably, I will meet them again.

Adverbs of degree

Adverbs of degree modify adjectives, adverbs and verbs. Adverbs of degree show us to what extent something is done. They are placed before the adjective, adverb or verb which they modify. The words "too", "so", and "extremely" are examples of adverbs of degree.

Adverb of degree modifying an adjective

For example

The task looks too difficult.

Adverb of degree modifying an adverb

For example

They work extremely motivationally !

Adverb of degree modifying a verb

For example

They nearly follow all his instructions!

Adverbs of frequency

 Adverbs of frequency are used to describe how frequent we do something. Adverbs of frequency are placed before the simple tenses of verbs except for verb to be.

For example

She always watches TV.

She is always optimistic.

Examples of adverbs of frequency.

Always, frequently, occasionally, often, once, periodically, usually, never, regularly, seldom, sometimes, etc.

Common adverbs of frequency

Frequency percentage	Adverb of Frequency
100%	Always
90%	Usually
80%	Generally/normally
70%	Frequently/often
50%	Sometimes
30%	Occasionally
10%	Seldom
5%	Rarely/ hardly ever
0%	Never

Common adverbs of frequency | Infographic

Examples

John always goes to school.

He usually arrives on time.

He seldom misses a class.

John has never failed a test.

Adverbs of manner

Adverbs of manner show how something happens. They are usually placed either after the main verb or after the object. The words "happily”, “quickly”, “well” are examples of adverbs of manner.

Examples

She speaks fluently.

I read quickly.

They behave gently.

She waited him patiently.

Adverbs of place

Adverbs of place show us where something takes place. Adverbs of place are usually placed after the main verb or after the clause which they modify. The words “here”, “above”, “behind” are called adverbs of place.

For example

She is in Italy, now.

Common adverbs of place

Common adverbs of place
Abroad Across Ahead Away Back Backwards Beyond Down Downwards Eastwards	Everywhere Here In Indoors Inside nearby Outside Overseas There West

Common adverbs of place| Infographic

Examples

She’s going back home.

Her parents live nearby.

You can go there.

Adverbs of time

Adverbs of time show us when an action occurred. The words “now”, “today”, “then” are adverbs of time.

For example

She gets paid hourly.

Common adverbs of time

Common adverbs of time
annually daily early eventually hourly immediately just late lately monthly	nightly quarterly recently soon still then today weekly yearly yet

 Common adverbs of time | Infographic

Interrogative adverbs

Interrogative adverbs are "why," "where," "when," and "how." The interrogative adverbs are used to form questions.

Examples

Why are you upset?

Where does she work?

When did you visit Madrid?

How did you go there?

Relative adverbs

Relative adverbs are “when”, “where” and “why”. Relative adverbs introduce relative clauses.

• The relative adverb "when" is used to indicate time

For example

2002 is the year when she visited us.

• The relative adverb "where" is used to indicate a place

For example

I know the company where you work.

• The relative adverb "why" is used to indicate a reason

For example

• This is the reason why you should study English.

Forming adverbs

Regular adverbs 

• Most adverbs are formed by adding “-ly” to the end of the adjective.

Examples

Adjective	Adverb
Smart Harsh Great	smartly harshly greatly

• Adjectives that end in “-y” change to “-I”

Examples

Adjective	Adverb
Greedy Heavy Happy	greedily heavily happily

• Adjectives that end in -able/-ible drop the -e and add “-ly”.

Examples

Adjective	Adverb
Readable Capable  Flexible  Incredible	readably capably flexibly incredibly

Examples of adjectives ending in -able

Adaptable Adorable Amiable Believable Capable Changeable Comfortable Debatable Desirable

Disposable Durable Excitable Operable Payable Peaceable Pleasurable Preferable Reliable

Excusable Fashionable Impressionable Inimitable Justifiable Knowledgeable Laughable Likeable Lovable

Manageable Measurable Noticeable Serviceable Sizeable Suitable Tolerable transferable

Adjectives ending in -able | Infographic

Examples of adjectives ending in -ible

Contemptible  Convertible  Eligible Eligible Illegible

Ostensible Plausible Responsible Responsible Reversible

Suggestible  Susceptible   Tangible  Terrible

Adjectives ending in -ible | Infographic

Irregular Adverb

What is an irregular adverb?

Irregular adverbs are adverbs that do not follow the rules that control the regular adverbs. Therefore, practice is key to use these irregular forms correctly.

Common irregular adverbs and their adjectival equivalents

Adjective	Irregular Adverb
Fast Hard Straight Lively Late Daily Early Friendly Timely good	Fast Hard Straight Lively Late Daily Early ____ ____ well

List of Irregular Adverbs | Infographic

Examples of irregular adverbs

Tom acted very well today.

He reacted fast.

He always works hard

He usually wakes up early and goes to bed late.

His studio is open daily.

Comparison of adverbs

Levels of Comparison

Comparative and superlative.

Adverbs of one syllable:

Comparative:  add –er to the adverb

For example

He is older than her.

Superlative: add –est to the adverb

For example

He is the oldest student in the class.

Adverbs of two or more syllables:

Comparative:  put more before the adverb.

For example

He speaks more loudly than you.

Superlative: put most before the adverb.

For example

He speaks the most loudly in the office.

Irregular comparisons

Some adverbs form the comparative and the superlative forms irregularly.

Adverb	Comparative	Superlative
Badly	Worse	Worst
far	Farther/further	Farthest/furthest
little	Less	Least
Much	More	Most
Well	Better	Best

Examples

Mariahworks better than her friend Lucy.

She studies in the farthest school in town. 

Maria is the best driver I have ever seen.