Adverbs
Definition
• Adverb: a word that describes a verb, an
adjective, or another adverb.
Example:
• She drives carefully.
• She’s a very good driver.
• She drives really well.
Place of adverbs
• An adverb usually goes right after the verb it describes.
Examples: The apartment rented quickly.
verb + adverb
• An adverb usually goes right before the adjective or
adverb it describes.
Examples: It’s an extremely interesting book.
adverb + adjective
They ran very fast.
adverb + adverb
Kinds of adverbs
• Adverbs of manner
Use adverbs of manner to describe or give information about action
verbs. These adverbs often answer “How?” questions.
Examples:
A: How did they decorate the apartment?
B: They decorated it beautifully!
• BE CAREFUL! Do not put an adverbs of manner between the verb
and the object.
Example: She decorated the house beautifully.
verb
NOT
object
adverb
She decorated X beautifully the house. X
Adverbs of manner
•
Adverbs of manner are often formed by adding –ly to adjectives: adjective
+ -ly = adverb
Example: We need a quick decision.
adjective
You should decide quickly.
•
•
adverb
>>BE CAREFUL! Some adjectives also end in –ly, for example: friendly, lonely,
lovely, and silly.
Example: It’s a lovely apartment.
adjective
Some adverbs of manner have two forms: one with –ly and one without –ly. The
form without –ly is the same as the adjective.
Examples: slowly OR slow
quickly OR quick
loudly OR loud  Don’t speak so loudly. OR Don’t speak so loud.
clearly OR clear
USAGE NOTE: The form without –ly is common in informal speech.
Some exceptions
• Some common adverbs of manner are not formed by adding –ly to
adjectives:
A. The adverb form of good is well.
He’s a good driver. He drives well.
adjective
adverb
B. A few adjectives and adverbs have the same form, for example:
early, fast, hard, late, and wrong.
She is a hard worker. She works hard.
adjective
• The visitor was late.
adjective
adverb
He woke up late.
adverb
ATTENTION
BE CAREFUL!
• Hardly is not the adverb form of hard.
• Hardly means “almost not”
>There’s hardly enough room for a bed.
(There’s almost not enough room for a bed.)
• Lately is not the adverb form of late.
• Lately means “recently.”
> We haven’t seen any nice houses lately. We’re
getting discouraged.
Adverbs of frequency
• Use adverbs of frequency to say how often
something happens.
Example: She usually rents to students.
• Adverbs of frequency usually go before the main
verb. They usually go after a form of be.
Examples: They always share a house with
friends.
• My neighbors are always home on Sunday.