What is an adverb?
A verb is a doing word, like run or eat. An adverb adds more detail to it. It tells us how, where or when something happens.
Example: She sings sweetly. The word sweetly tells how she sings. An adverb can also describe an adjective (very tall) or another adverb (quite slowly).
Kinds of adverbs by meaning
- Manner (how): slowly, quickly, carefully, well, loudly.
- Place (where): here, there, inside, outside, nearby, everywhere.
- Time (when): now, today, yesterday, tomorrow, soon, already.
- Frequency (how often): always, never, often, sometimes, daily.
- Degree (how much): very, quite, too, almost, a little.
Tip: adverbs of manner usually stand after the verb. Adverbs of degree stand before the word they describe.
Making adverbs: the -ly rule
Many adverbs come from an adjective plus -ly: slow becomes slowly, quick becomes quickly.
- If the word ends in y, change y to i: happy, happily; easy, easily.
- If it ends in -le, drop e: gentle, gently.
- Some do not change: fast, hard, late, early are both adjective and adverb (a fast car, he runs fast).
- Odd one: good (adjective) becomes well (adverb).
Comparing adverbs
Adverbs can be compared like adjectives. Short ones take -er and -est: fast, faster, fastest. Long ones, especially those ending in -ly, take more and most: carefully, more carefully, most carefully. Odd ones: well, better, best; badly, worse, worst.
Example: Ria runs faster than Sam. Tara runs the fastest. See also the lesson Comparing with adjectives and adverbs.
Key formulas and definitions
- Adverb = a word that answers HOW, WHERE, WHEN or HOW MUCH
- adjective + -ly = adverb (slow, slowly)
- -y becomes -ily (happy, happily); -le becomes -ly (gentle, gently)
- good (adjective), well (adverb)
- fast, faster, fastest; carefully, more carefully, most carefully
Worked examples
1. Find the adverb: The baby slept peacefully.
peacefully. It tells how the baby slept (manner).
2. Name the kind of adverb in: We will meet tomorrow.
tomorrow tells when, so it is an adverb of time.
3. Make an adverb from the adjective "angry".
Angry ends in y, so change y to i and add -ly: angrily.
Common mistakes
- Using the adjective after a verb: "She sings sweet." Write "She sings sweetly."
- Saying "He plays good." Use well: "He plays well."
- Thinking every word ending in -ly is an adverb. Friendly, lovely and lonely are adjectives.
- Writing "more faster". Use only one: "faster".