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12b.
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Just as an adjective makes the meaning of a noun or a pronoun more definite, an adverb makes the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb more definite.
EXAMPLES Reporters quickly gather the news. [The adverb quickly modifies the verb gather.
]
The route is too long. [The adverb too modifies the adjective long.
]
Our newspaper carrier delivers the paper very early.
[The adverb very modifies another adverb, early. The adverb early modifies the verb delivers.
]
Adverbs answer the following questions:
Where?
When?
How?
How often?
or
How long?
To what extent?
or
How much?
H E L P
Often, adverbs can be recognized by the suffix –ly.
Remember, however, that not all adverbs end in –ly and not all words that end in –ly are adverbs.
ADVERBS swam left
ADJECTIVES only early quickly later friend flight
12 b
EXAMPLES Please put the package there. [ There modifies the verb put and tells where.
]
I will call you later.
[ Later modifies the verb phrase will call and tells when.
]
Softly, I shut my door. [ Softly modifies the verb shut and tells how.
]
Alannah always reads science fiction novels. [ Always modifies the verb reads and tells how often.
]
Would you please briefly explain what you mean?
[ Briefly modifies the verb phrase Would explain and tells how long.
]
An owl hooted very late last night. [The adverb very modifies the adverb late and tells to what extent.
]
The lemonade was too sour. [ Too modifies the adjective sour and tells how much.
]
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S T Y L E T I P
In your own writing, try not to overuse the adverb very. Replace it with a less common adverb, or revise the sentence so that other words carry more of the descriptive meaning.
EXAMPLE
The runt of the litter is still very small.
REVISED
The runt of the litter is still quite small.
or
The runt of the litter weighs just one pound and is only six inches long.
H E L P
The word not and its contraction,
–n’t, are adverbs.
Where?
Words Often Used as Adverbs here, there, away, up, outside
When?
How?
How often?
or How long?
To what extent?
or How much?
now, then, later, soon, ago clearly, easily, quietly, slowly never, always, often, seldom frequently, usually, forever very, hardly, almost, so, really most, nearly, quite, less, only
Adverbs may come before, after, or between the words they modify.
EXAMPLES Quietly, she will tiptoe from the stage. [ Quietly comes before will tiptoe, the verb phrase it modifies.]
She will quietly tiptoe from the stage. [ Quietly comes between will and tiptoe, the verb phrase it modifies.]
She will tiptoe quietly from the stage. [ Quietly comes after will tiptoe, the verb phrase it modifies.]
Exercise 8 Identifying Adverbs
Identify the adverb in each of the following sentences. Then, give the word or words each adverb modifies.
EXAMPLE 1.
Williamsburg is a very interesting place.
1. very—interesting
1.
Visitors to Williamsburg can truly imagine what life must have been like in the 1700s.
2.
As you can see in the photo on the opposite page, Williamsburg was carefully built to resemble a small town of the past.
3.
On one street a wigmaker slowly makes old-fashioned powdered wigs.
4.
Nearby, a silversmith designs beautiful candlesticks, platters, and jewelry.
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5.
Down the block the bookbinder skillfully crafts book covers out of leather.
6.
His neighbor, the blacksmith, is certainly important because he makes shoes for horses.
7.
In colonial times people could seldom afford new shoes for themselves.
8.
Nowadays, many curious tourists visit the bootmaker’s shop.
9.
Another very popular craftsman makes lovely musical instruments.
10.
Williamsburg definitely gives tourists the feeling that they have visited the past.
Exercise 9 Identifying Adverbs and the
Words They Modify
Each of the following sentences contains at least one adverb. Identify each adverb. Then, give the word each adverb modifies. Be prepared to tell whether the word modified is a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.
EXAMPLE 1.
If you look closely at a world map, you can quite easily find Brazil.
1. closely—look; quite—easily; easily—can find
1.
The nation of Brazil actually covers almost half of the continent of South America.
2.
A large portion of the Amazon rain forest grows there.
3.
Many people have become more active in the preservation of the rain forest.
4.
The loss of the rain forest may seriously affect the planet’s climate.
5.
Very early in the sixteenth century, Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese.
6.
The country later became an independent republic.
7.
Brazilians often say Bom día, which means “good day” in
Portuguese.
8.
In Brazil, sports fans can almost always find a soccer game in progress.
9.
Brasília, the capital of Brazil, is an extremely modern city.
10.
My aunt travels frequently, but she hasn’t been to Brasília.
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H E L P
In the example sentence in Exercise 9, look is a verb, easily is an adverb, and can find is a verb.
The Adverb 359

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Exercise 10 Writing Appropriate Adverbs
Write the following sentences. Then, fill in each blank with an appropriate adverb. Use a different adverb in each sentence.
EXAMPLE 1.
I learned some Spanish words.
1. Quickly, I learned some Spanish words.
1.
I watch TV after school.
2.
You will bait a hook yourself.
3.
My little sister crept down the stairs
4.
Do you think that you can
.
find the answer to the math problem?
5.
She is eager for lunch.
6.
7.
In the evening, the African drums beat
People in the highest balcony could
.
hear the speakers
8.
onstage.
Does thunder for miles.
follow lightning?
9.
Would you dim the light
10.
The sky over Honolulu was for me?
clear that I could see
T I P S
T R I C K S
Many prepositions can be remembered as “anywhere a cat can go.”
EXAMPLES up the tree behind the sofa under the bed through the door
12c.
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and another word in the sentence.
EXAMPLES Your math book is underneath your coat, Allen. [The preposition underneath shows the relationship of coat to book.
]
The one behind us honked his horn. [The preposition behind shows the relationship of us to one.
]
Notice how changing the preposition in the following sentences changes the relationship between hit and net.
I hit the ball over the net.
I hit the ball into the net.
I hit the ball under the net.
I hit the ball against the net.
I hit the ball across the net.
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