The adverbs in English

Adverbs tell us in what way someone does something. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Adjectives tell us something about a person or a thing. Adjectives can modify nouns or pronouns. Adjective Adverb Mandy is a careful girl. Mandy drives carefully. Mandy is very careful. Mandy is a careful driver. This sentence is about Mandy, the driver, so use the adjective. Mandy drives carefully. This sentence is about her way of driving, so use the adverb.

Form
Adjective + -ly Adjective Adverb dangerous dangerously careful carefully nice nicely easy easily horrible horribly electronic electronically irregular forms good well fast fast hard hard If the adjective ends in -le, the adverb ends in -ly. Example: terrible - terribly If the adjective ends in -e, then add -ly. Example: safe - safely Tip: Not all words ending in -ly are adverbs. adjectives ending in -ly: friendly, silly, lonely, ugly nouns, ending in -ly: ally, bully, Italy, melancholy verbs, ending in -ly: apply, rely, supply

There is no adverb for an andjective ending in -ly.

Types of adverbs
1) Adverbs of manner quickly kindly 2) Adverbs of degree very rather 3) Adverbs of frequency often sometimes 4) Adverbs of time now today 5) Adverbs of place here nowhere

The comparison of adverbs in English

There are three forms: - positive - comparative - superlative

A - Comparison with -er/-est

hard - harder - (the) hardest We use -er/-est with the following adverbs:
1) all adverbs with one syllable fast high faster fastest higher highest

2) The adverb: early

B - Comparison with more - most

carefully - more carefully - (the) most carefully adverbs ending on -ly (not: early)

C - Irregular adverbs
well badly much little late far better worse more less later farther further best worst most least last

farthest furthest

ATTENTION! In informal English some adverbs are used without -ly (e.g. cheap, loud, quick). There are two forms of comparison possible, depending on the form af the adverb: cheaply - more cheaply - most cheaply cheap - cheaper - cheapest

The position of adverbs in sentences

We can put adverbs in different positions in sentences. There are three main positions but also a lot of exceptions. In English we never put an adverb between the verb and the object. We often play handball. - CORRECT We play often handball. - WRONG

The three main positions of adverbs in English sentences

1) Adverb at the beginning of a sentence Unfortunately, we could not see Mount Snowdon. 2) Adverb in the middle of a sentence The children often ride their bikes. 3) Adverb at the end of a sentence Andy reads a comic every afternoon.

More than one adverb at the end of a sentence

If there are more adverbs at the end of a sentence, the word order is normally: Manner - Place - Time Peter sang the song happily in the bathroom yesterday evening.

Adverbs and adjectives have the same form

The following adjectives and adverbs have the same form:
Adjective Adverb close daily early fair far fast free close daily early fair far fast free

hard high late lively long lovely low right wide wrong

hard high late lively long lovely low right wide wrong

EXERCISE 1

Fill in the words in brackets as adjective or adverb like in the example. Example: Peter works ______ (slow). Answer: Peter works slowly.

1) He 2) Mandy is a 3) The class is 4) Max is a 5) You can 6) It's a

reads a book. (quick) girl. (pretty) loud today. (terrible) singer. (good) open this tin. (easy) day today. (terrible) . (good)

7) She sings the song 8) He is a 9) He drives the car 10) The dog barks

driver. (careful) . (careful) . (loud

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Put them papers in the stove. He spoke blunter than usual. Drive slow! The situation has improved considerable since last week. The sun sure is hot today. The work is going easier today than yesterday. He did right well in answering as he did.