Adverbs
1. What is an Adverb?
An adverb is a word that changes the meaning of an adjective, a verb, an other adverb, or any other type of word or phrase. It tells us more about the way, place, time or degree (e.g. gently, here, now, very ) something is or happens.
2. Use of Adverbs
To modify verbs
- The man walked slowly.
To modify adjectives
- She looks absolutely fantastic!
To modify adverbs
- She played the piano extremely well.
To modify quantities
- That is quite a lot of money.
To modify sentences
Unfortunately, the train has been cancelled.
3. Forming Adverbs
We normally form an adverb by adding -ly to the end of an adjective.
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| late | lately |
| careful | carefully |
| right | rightly |
Irregular forms:
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| good | well |
| fast | fast |
| hard | hard |
3.1 Spelling Rules
If the adjective ends in -y, change -y to -i. Then add -ly:
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| easy | easily |
| happy | happily |
but:
- shy – shyly
If the adjective ends in -le, the adverb ends in -ly:
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| horrible | horribly |
| terrible | terribly |
If the adjective ends in -e, then add -ly:
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| safe | safely |
| rude | rudely |
but:
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| true | truly |
| due | duly |
| whole | wholly |
If the adjective ends in -ic, then add -ally
| adjective | adverb |
|---|---|
| tragic | tragically |
| basic | basically |
| enthusiastic | enthusiastically |
► Some adjectives end in -ly :
- friendly, lonely, lovely, silly, ugly
There is no adverb for an adjective ending in -ly. ( friendlily etc.,)
4. Types of adverbs
4.1. Adverbs of degree
- very
- rather
For more information click here
4.2. Adverbs of frequency
- often
- sometimes
For more information click here
4.3. Adverbs of manner
- quickly
- kindly
For more information click here
4.4 Adverbs of place
- here
- nowhere
For more information click here
4.5. Adverbs of time
- now
- today
For more information click here