YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT
oTHE DEFINITION OF ADVERBS
oTYPES OF ADVERBS
oCOMPARISON OF ADVERBS
oORDER OF ADVERBS
THE DEFINITION
Adverbs are words that modify:
• a verb
( He drives slowly )
• an adjective
( David is extremely clever)
• another adverb
( She moved very slowly down the aisle )
• a whole sentence
( Luckily, the car stopped in time )
Adverbs often tell when , where , why , how or how much
something happens or happened.
Type
Example
Answer the
question
Other adverbs
Adverb of manner She sings
beautifully
How ?!
Slowly , clearly ,
easily
Adverb of place
The concert was
held outdoors
Where ?
Away , here , up ,
there
Adverb of time
I’ll see you
tomorrow
When ?
Later , now , soon
Adverb of
frequency
I never arrive late How often?!
Always , usually ,
forever
Adverb of degree
It was too hot!
Extremely, so ,
very , almost
How?
Many adverbs are formed by adding –ly to an adjective
Adjective
slow
beautiful
quiet
Adverb
slowly
beautifully quietly
easy
specific
easily
specifically
Note :
There are some adjectives also end in –ly, including costly,
manly, deadly, friendly, lively, and timely.
These are not
adverbs
Forming comparative and superlative adverbs
Ly adverbs:
Adjective
Adverb
Comparative adverb
Superlative adverb
quiet
quietly
Less/more quietly than
the most quietly
careful
carefully
More/less carefully
than
the least carefully
happy
happily
More/less happily than
the most happily
I speak English more fluently now than last year.
Jack works the most quietly
He drives less carefully than his brother.
Other adverbs :
Adjective
Adverb
Comparative
adverb
Superlative adverb
hard
hard
harder than
the hardest
fast
fast
faster than
the fastest
late
late
Later than
The lastest
early
early
earlier than
the earliest
He worked harder than ever before.
He is the fastest runner on the competition.
He came earlier than always.
Con you tell me where is the adjective and where is the adverb?!
I’ll catch the early train.
I woke up early this morning.
This is the adj. because it comes before the n.
This is the adv. because it comes after the v.
Irregular adverbs :
Adjective
Adverb
Comparative
adverb
Superlative
adverb
good
well
better than
the best
bad
badly
worse than
the worst
far
far
farther than
the farthest
Her house is farther than mine.
Our team played worst of all.
Her hand writing is better than her friend.
Position of adverbs :
Adverb of manner :
it comes after the verb or at the end of the sentence.
She sneaks quietly out of the house.
Their teacher speaks quietly.
Adverb of time :
-It usually come at the end of the sentence.
I will tell you the story tomorrow.
-But if you want to emphasis on the time you should put it at the
beginning of the sentence.
Tomorrow, I will tell you the story .
Adverb of place :
-It comes after the direct object.
I didn’t see him here.
-If there is no object it comes after the main verb
He stayed behind.
Adverb of degree :
- It comes before what it modifies.
The exam was so difficult that I didn´t finish it.
It was too hot to wear a coat.
Adverb of frequency :
-It comes before the main verb.
I always get up at 6:00.
-Or between the auxiliary and the main verb.
He doesn’t always play tennis.
Mandy can usually play football on Sundays.
-Or after the verb to be.
Susan is never late.
-The adverbs often, usually, sometimes and occasionally can go at the
beginning of the sentence.
Sometimes, I go swimming.
-The adverbs rarely and seldom can go at the end of a sentence.
He eats fish very seldom .
Order of adverbs:
There is a basic order in which adverbs will
appear when there is more than one
verb
manner
place
frequency
Dad walks
impatiently
into town every
afternoon
time
before
supper
to get a
newspaper
Exercise:
1- Find the adjective in the first sentence and fill the gap with the adverb:
•Joanne is happy. She smiles……………..
•The boy is loud. He shouts…………….
•Her English is fluent. She speaks English……………..
•Our mum was angry. She spoke to us…………..
•My neighbor is a careless driver. He drives…………….
•The painter is awful. He paints ………….
•Jim is a wonderful piano player. He plays the piano……………..
•This girl is very quiet. She often sneaks out of the house……………
•She is a good dancer. She dances really………….
•This exercise is simple. You……….. have to put one word in each space.
2- Rewrite each sentence with the adverb in brackets in its correct position:
1) Our friends must write a test. (also)
2) I was joking. (only)
3) Did you enjoy the flight? (both)
4) Mary watches TV. (hardly) (ever)
5) He drives his car. (carefully)
6) The children play football. (in the garden)
7) We went to the cinema. (yesterday)
8) John fell off the bike. (almost)
9) Her boyfriend will buy her some flowers. (probably)
10) My uncle is moving to Stockholm soon. (definitely)
REFERENCES:
Interactions2 Grammar book
www.grammar.ccc.comment.edu
www.learnenglish.ed
www.englisch-hilfen.de