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Adverb

An adverb is a word that modifies (gives more information about) a verb, an adjective, or any other adverb in a sentence.
 
Example 1.

  • Sara is laughing.
  • Sara is laughing loudly.

In above example, the verb ‘laugh’ expresses an action. In the second sentence, the word ‘loudly’ is an adverb because it gives more information about the verb ‘laugh’. In the first sentence, we know only about the action (laugh). But in the second sentence, the adverb ‘loudly’ gives more information about the action (laugh) that the voice of laughing is loud. Such a word that modifies a verb is called an adverb.

Example 2.

  • David is driving the car.
  • David is driving the car carelessly.

In above example, the verb ‘drive’ expresses an action. In the first sentence, we only know that David is driving the car. In the second sentence, the adverb ‘carelessly’ tells more about the way David is driving the car. The adverb gives information that driving is being done carelessly. It means the adverb ‘carelessly’ modifies (tells more about) the verb ‘drive’.

  Most adverbs are formed simply by adding “-ly” at the end of an adjective. e.g., fluently, quickly, happily, immediately, easily, loudly, proudly, interestingly, etc.

  A few adverbs exist without having “-ly” at their end. e.g., too, very, late, here, close, straight, well, pretty, low, right, fast, deep, hard, far, high, hard, etc.

  An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective or any other adverb in a sentence.

  Adverb modifying a verb

See the following examples, where the red word is an adverb, whereas the blue word is a verb.
  • He answered the question quickly.
  • She can speak Chinese fluently.
  • He treats his kids harshly.
  • She talks nicely.
  • The officer behaved decently.
  • She goes to school daily.
  • He sometimes needs my help.
  • I will go to London tomorrow.
  • He may come here.
  • She watches movies on holidays.

  An adverb modifying an adjective

See the following examples, where the red word is an adverb, whereas the blue word is an adjective.

  • They were joyously happy.
  • She was seriously ill.
  • The joke was truly funny.
  • This shirt is extremely nice.
  • We saw a badly damaged car on the road.
  • The movie was really interesting.
  • The duration of the class is exceedingly long.

  An adverb modifying another adverb

See the following examples, where the red word is an adverb that modifies another adverb shown as a blue word.

  • They were laughing too loudly.
  • They started their journey very happily.
  • He drives his car very carelessly.
  • She responded too quickly.
  • He walked fast enough to reach the school in time.
  • She painted the wall pretty beautifully.

  Formation of adverbs

  Most adverbs are formed simply by adding “-ly” at the end of an adjective.

Examples: fluently, quickly, happily, immediately, easily, loudly, proudly, interestingly, etc.

 A few adverbs exist without having “-ly” at their end.

Examples: too, very, late, here, close, straight, well, pretty, low, right, fast, deep, hard, far, high, hard, etc.

  Types of Adverbs

An adverb modifies (gives more information about) a verb in various aspects. Based on this, adverbs are divided into the following types.

  • Adverb of manner: Happily, sadly, easily, rudely, loudly, fluently, rapidly, angrily, greedily, wildly, etc.
  • Adverb of Place: Here, there, near, somewhere, outside, inside, ahead, high, top, bottom, etc.
  • Adverb of time: Now, then, yesterday, today, tomorrow, late, early, again, tonight, soon, etc.
  • Adverb of frequency: Sometimes, often, usually, seldom, frequently, daily, generally, occasionally, again and again, never, etc.

  Click to read "Types of Adjective" in detail.