ENGLISH ADVERBS
An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a preposition.
E.g The boy played well ( well modifies more about the verb 'played').
He ran fast
She will return early.
Mr. David is a very popular teacher. ( very modifies the adjective popular. Popular is an adjective qualifying the noun teacher).
The bucket is almost full. ( almost modifies the adjective full).
The hall was nearly empty.
The rains were quite heavy.
She sang most beautifully.
They went straight into the battle. ( straight modifies the preposition into).
The plane came exactly at five.
Sometimes, adverbs standing at the beginning of the sentence qualify the whole sentence.
E.g
Unfortunately, a bomb exploded and the house came down.( it is unfortunate that a bomb exploded)
Unfortunately here modifies the whole sentence.
KINDS OF ADVERBS
1. Simple adverbs
There are: adverb of manner, adverb of time, adverb of place, adverb of frequency, adverb of duration and adverb of affirmation and negation.
(a) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases) of manner and state. These adverbs they answer the question how or in what manner something happened.
Examples
1. The soldiers fought bravely.( how did they fight?)
2. Ali writes clearly.
3. Wilson behaved foolishly.
4. A good student works very hard.
5. The girl acted well.
6. The traveller walked fast.
7. She walks Like her mother.
Some other adverbs of manner and state are:
Quickly, badly, slowly, safely, loudly, suddenly, secretly, openly quietly, frankly, honestly etc.
(b) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases) of place: these adverbs answer the question where.
Examples
1. Come and meet me here.
2. We find Chinses everywhere.
3. I could find him nowhere.
4. The doctor is in.
5. The balloon went up.
6. Don't go in one is inside.
7. I can't hear you . Come near.
Some other adverbs of place: Backward, forward, across, below, outside, within etc.
(c) Adverbs (and adverbial phrases)of time.
These adverbs the question when.
(c) Adverbs (and adverbial phrases) of time. These adverbs answer the question when.
Examples
1. The train is coming late
2. The school children get up early.
3. I have read this book before.
4. She will be here soon.
5. Osman has just came in.
6. Are they still sleeping.
7. He reads for an hour daily.
Some other adverbs of time are:
Immediately, lately, formerly, ago, after, presently, instantly, afterwards, yesterday.
(d) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases ) of frequency.
These adverbs answer the question how often.
(d) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases) of frequency. These adverbs answer the question how often.
Examples
1. Our teacher is always punctual.
2. William is seldom late for the class.
3. The committee will meet twice a month.
4. The doctor visits this ward sometimes.
5. He often goes out of the country.
6. I have seen her only once.
7. She tried again and again.
Some other adverbs: rarely, thrice, twice, every Monday, usually, ever, regularly.
(e) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases ) of duration. These adverbs answer the question how long , since, when, or what time.
(e) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases) of duration. These adverbs answer the question how long, since, when, or what time.
Examples
1. We didn't stay at the meeting.
2. There was no news of him for till now
3. It has been raining since since morning.
4. The examination will be held from March 10 to March 20.
5. There was no light in the whole city till today
(f) Adverbs of degree, quantity, extent.
1. Freda is very intelligent
2. The fox proved too clever for the crow.
3. The milk is hot enough . Drink it.
4. Is much stronger than you are.
5. This story is extremely funny.
6. He is doubtful about his hard work.
7. I have only two oranges.
Some other adverbs of degree, quantity, and extent:
Somehow, partly, half, fully, largely, more, hardly, a lot.
Note adverbs like very, too, enough, rather, etc. Are also called pre-adjectives, when they qualify other adjectives.
(g) Adverbs (adverbial phrases) of affirmation and negation:
(g) Adverbs ( and adverbial phrases) of affirmation and negation.
1. He no longer takes interest in his work.
2. The brothers hardly ever meet each other.
3. He is not very active.
4. I have never seen him before.
5. He will surely give you money.
6. The soldier should certainly get an award for bravery.
7. We are definitely leaving tomorrow.
In this second category we have
Interrogative adverbs and relative adverbs
(a) Interrogative Adverbs. Adverbs that are used to ask questions are called Interrogative adverbs. The answers to these questions will require the use of simple adverbs.
Why for what reason.
When at what time.
Where at what place.
How in what way.
1. How does he speak? ( he speaks clearly).
2. How is he now?
3. Where is your brother?
4. When is he going to tour?
5. How often do you meet him?
6. How long did stay in Nigeria?
7. Why were you absent yesterday?
(b) Relative Adverbs. These are "where , when, why.
Like the relative pronouns they are joining words. They connect the subordinate clauseto the main part of the sentence. They are called relative adverbs because they relate or , refer to an antecedent ( that is , something that has gone before). The antecedent may be clearly stated or understood.
Where
This is the restaurant where I have my dinner.
When
I remember the day when (on which) I first saw her.
Why
The reason why this man comes here is not clear.
Note: the use of where, when and why as relative adverbs has nothing to do with their use in forming adverbial clauses.
(c) FORMATION OF ADVERBS
1. Some original adverbs
Seldom, always, yesterday, today, tomorrow, here, there, never, well etc.
2. Adverbs from adjectives
(a) with the suffix -ly
Humbly
Slowly
Silently
Kindly
Slavishly
Rightly
Wonderfully
Dully
Smartly
Madly
Dryly
Bravely
Normally
Harshly
Beautifully
Frequently
Formerly
Proudly
Generally
Thinkly
Loudly
Gladly
Sincerely
Honestly
Mercifully
Immediately
Hatefully
Sadly etc.
(b) by changing the final -y into-i and adding -ly, e.g. easy easily
Lazy Lazily
Happy Happily
Ready readily
Angry angrily
Hungry hungrily
Busy busily
Heavy heavily
(c) from adjectives ending in -able, -ible by dropping the final -e and adding -y. E.g. capable capably
Reason reasonably
Desire desirably
Tolerate tolerably
Honour honourably
Suitable suitably
(d) Some other adverbs from adjectives
Adjective adverb
True truly
Due dully
Whole wholly
3. Adverbs from participles
(a) surprisingly
Increasingly
Knowingly
Hesitatingly
Strikingly
Willingly
Daringly
Amazingly
Lovingly
Exceedingly
Displeasing
Warningly
(b) brokenly
Admittedly
Hurriedly
Doddegly
Unexpectedly
Drunkenly
Deservedly
Fixedly
(c) some words can be used both as adjectives and adverbs
High
low
near
fast
half
deep
far
late
much
long
leisurely
hourly
nightly
only
a little
enough etc.
(d) Degrees of comparison: Like adjectives, some adverbs also have comparative and superlative forms.
(a) Adverbs of one syllable form comparatives by adding-er and superlative by adding -est.
Hard harder hardest
High Higher highest
Low lower lowest
Deep deeper deepest
Near nearer nearest
Fast faster fastest
Late later latest
Soon sooner soonest
Early earlier earliest
Note:
Early is a word of two syllables but it form its degrees of comparison by using -i instead of -y and adding -er in comparative degree and -est in superlative degree.
(b) Adverbs of two or more syllables form comparatives by using more and superlative by using most before the adverb.
Foolishly more foolishly most foolishly
Slowly more slowly most slowly
Clear more clearly most clearly
Wisely more wisely most wisely
Quickly more quickly most quickly
Beautifully more beautifully most beautifully
Harshly more harshly most harshly
Gladly more gladly most gladly
Sincerely more sincerely most sincerely
Helpful more helpful most helpful
Faithfully more faithfully most faithfully
(c) Some adverbs having irregular forms
Well better best
ill, badly worse worst
Little less least
Late later last
Much more most
Far farther farthest
Further furthest
(d) for negative meaning, less is used before comparative and least before superlative.
(e) Degree of comparison - usage
1. Positive degree. In affirmative sentences, we use as......as and in negative sentences as/so.......as.
He drove as carefully as he could.
You didn't work so hard as he did.
2. Comparative degree. We use more than here.
We reached the station earlier than they did.
Our new teacher speaks more clearly than our previous teacher.
(c) superlative degree. Here we use the superlative degree+noun or pronoun.
George fought best of all soldiers.
I like football most of all (games).
Where the comparison is clear, of all can be dropped.
Kamil fought best.
I like football most.
(h) POSITION OF ADVERBS IN A SENTENCE
(h) Position Of Adverbs In a Sentence
(a) Adverbs of manner are usually placed after the intransitive verb and after the direct object in case of a transitive verb.
The old man walked slowly.
She sang beautifully.
She copied the answer correctly.
He slapped her hard.
But in exclamatory sentences with how, the adverb is put after how.
How well she look?
How beautifully is she dressed?
How badly he plays!
Sometimes when we wish to emphasis the action we place the adverb of manner not after but before the adverb.
All of them quickly came out of the burning house.
The thief hurriedly put the necklace in his pocket.
The guest suddenly disappeared.
But the adverb badly never comes before the verb except passives.
He acted badly.
He hurt himself badly,.
He was badly hurt.
(b) Adverb of place. These adverbs are usually placed after verb if it is transitive and after direct object if the verb is intransitive.
We live here.
Poor people sleep everywhere.
I met her there.
My father is in his library.
If the sentence has an adverb of manner, state, etc, also, the adverb of place comes after it.
She sang beautifully at the function.
( beautifully: adverb of place).
At the function ( adverb of place).
She drove slowly on the main road.
(Adv, of manner) ( adv. Of place )
When there two or more adverbs of place, the smaller place is mentioned first.
I live in a small village near London.
We have a cottage near the lake.
(c) Adverb of time. These adverbs are usually placed at the of a clause or a sentence.
She wrote to me yesterday.
The train arrives at 4 p.m.
We reached the theatre just on time.
But, for emphasis, these adverbs can occupy the front position.
Yesterday we celebrated our marriage anniversary.
Today he is in Mogadishu. Tomorrow he will be flying to Hargeysa.
Use Of yet:
It is chiefly used in negative constructions.
The normal position is at the end.
The office is not open yet.
Is he still standing yet.
Use of still:
She is married but she still takes dancing lessons.
I still love her.
Sometimes still comes after the verb to be.
He is still a clerk.
They are still unhappy.
The road is still closed.
(d) ORDER OF ADVERBS OF TIME
(d) Order Of Adjective Of Time
When two or more adverbs of times are used, the adverb denoting particular time comes before the more general expression of time.
She was born at 5 am on 20th of July, 1900.
When a sentence contains adverbs of more than one kind, the normal order is adverb of manner, place and time.
She danced happily at the party yesterday.
(Manner) (place) (time
ADVERBS AND ADVERBIAL PHRASES OF TIME
I will see him tomorrow
the day after tomorrow
now
this morning/evening etc.
Sunday.
Week/month etc.
March/ April etc.
Winter etc.
next Tuesday/ Wednesday.
Week/ month/ year etc.
March/ April etc.
Winter etc.
The following day/ morning / evening / night.
Week/ month/ year etc.
August/ September/etc.
Winter etc.
tomorrow morning/ evening/ afternoon
I saw him today/ yesterday.
The day before yesterday.
this morning/ evening.
Week/month/ year.
August/ September.
Winter etc.
Last night.
Wednesday/ Thursday etc.
Week/ month/ year etc.
March/ April etc.
Winter etc.
Yesterday morning/ evening/afternoon
Some Adverbial Phrases of time with ago
He came to see me long ago.
a moment
a minute
an hour
a fortnight
a month
a year
a few
a few
two/ three etc. Minutes
Several moments
hours
weeks
months
years
Adverbs of Frequency: These adverbs usually come after the verb to be.
She is always late for the class.
He is usually unwell.
In simple tense-forms of all other verbs the adverbs of frequency come before the verbs.
Boys always make more noise than girls.
My grandfather hardly ever falls ill.
She sometimes goes to her home town.
We occasionally meet on Sundays.
I never have dinner before 9 o'clock.
He seldom smoked before his father.
My brother rarely goes to the cinema.
I often saw him in the evenings.
But if there is an auxiliary verb in the sentence, the adverb is placed between the auxiliary verb (or the modal) and the main verb.
In interrogative sentences adverbs of frequency are placed immediately after the subject.
Examples
He has generally kept his word.
She can always make such a stupid mistake.
ou must regularly take exercise.
Have you ever visited a museum?
I shall never forget your kindness.
He has often helped me with money.
I will sometimes come and see you.
You should occasionally go to your doctor for a checkup.
They have seldom paid back the money in time.
My brother doesn't usually came home late.
Alice has rarely failed to win a medal in school games.
Will he ever learn to behave better?
Mast you always talk so loudly?
Does he often get so angry?
If the sentence contains two auxiliaries, the adverb of frequency is placed after the first auxiliary.
Examples
I could never have passed without your help.
Floods have sometimes been caused by carelessness.
He has seldom been beaten in tennis.
You have often been told to dress properly.
The poor have always been exploited by the rich.
Haven't you ever been taught to write your own answers?
Have your paintings ever been shown outside the country?
Adverbs of frequency with have to, used to:
My father sometimes had to work in the night-shift.
I often have to cook my own lunch.
Air passengers often have to carry their own luggage. Mother always used to prepare something sweet on Sundays.
My brother frequently used to help me in my home work.
Adverbs of frequency like now and then, now and again, again and again, everyday, twice a month, once, twice etc. are usually placed at the end of a sentence.
Examples
The bus to Lawrence Road runs every twenty minutes.
Spring comes only once a year.
Youth comes but once.
We have French lessons every other day.
I saw a light in the forest now and then.
They go to theatre now and then.
She failed again and again.
Madame Curie won the Nobel Prize twice.
George goes for boxing practice three times a week.
But for emphasis some of these adverbs can be shifted to the front.
But you haven't cared.
Twice he tried and twice he failed.
In interrogative sentences adverbs of frequency are placed immediately after the subject.
Examples
He has generally kept his word.
She can always make such a stupid mistake.
ou must regularly take exercise.
Have you ever visited a museum?
I shall never forget your kindness.
He has often helped me with money.
I will sometimes come and see you.
You should occasionally go to your doctor for a checkup.
They have seldom paid back the money in time.
My brother doesn't usually came home late.
Alice has rarely failed to win a medal in school games.
and again you have been told not to be late.
Adverbs of Duration:
These adverbs normally come at the end.
The plane has been flying non-stop for twenty hours The war has been going on since 1967.
The new course will continue till June next year.
Adverbs of Degree, Extent, Quantity:
These adverbs com before the adjectives or the adverbs they qualify.
The tea is too hot to drink.
The hall is nearly full.
He danced very badly.
Dinner is almost ready.
Enough comes after the adjective or the adverb it qualifies. You aren't good enough for the job.
The house isn't large enough for all of us.
He didn't work hard enough.
He didn't run fast enough
The man is strong enough to carry this load.
Some adverbs of degree qualify verbs also.
In such cases they are put before the main verb.
I rather like it.
The patient could hardly stand.
I quite realize your difficulties.
He has just left.
She almost fell down.
The prisoners nearly escaped.
Father little understands my problem.
USE OF CERTAIN ADVERBS
Only: Note the different uses of only.
I only saw her yesterday.
(= I saw her but I didn't talk to her)
I saw her only yesterday. (-I saw her as recently as yesterday.)
I saw her yesterday only. (-I saw her yesterday and not before that)
I saw only her yesterday. (I saw only her and no one else.)
Only I saw her yesterday. (-1 and no one else, saw her...........).
Fairly, Rather: Fairly is used before adverbs and adjectives
when the persons or things referred to are considered desirable.
It is a fairly easy question.
The sky is fairly clear.
His speech was fairly well received.
Rather is used when the persons or things are considered
undesirable.
The question paper was rather difficult.
It is rather a silly answer.
You have damaged the book rather badly.
Often the use of fairly and rather depends on the speaker's attitude.
She is fairly slim.
You could marry her. (favourable).
She is rather slim.
I don't think I could marry her. (unfavourable).
Sometimes rather is used for a positive or a pleasant idea also.
It's rather a good film. You should go and see it. (rather is almost equal to very)
Rather is also used with comparatives.
The patient is rather better today. (= a little, slightly)
Ago, Before
Ago is used for the period of time before the present moment.
I returned from London a month ago. (ie. a month from the day the speaker talks about it)
Before is used to refer to time in the past or in the future.
Today is 20th March. I saw her only a week ago. I hadn't met her before.
Here before refers to the time earlier than 13th of March. 4.
Confusion between Adverbs and Adjectives
There are a large number of adjectives which are used as adverbs also without change of form.
long:
It was a long journey. (Adjective)
The doctor didn't stay long with the patient (Adverb).
Other such words are: high, low, near, fast, half, deep, far, hard, early, late, much, leisurely, kindly, daily, weekly, fast, straight, nightly, yearly, homely, only, enough, near, hard.
There is an hourly bus service from here to the beach.
The news is broadcast hourly.
I have sent my yearly subscription to the magazine.
The magazine is published yearly fast: I will travel by a fast train. (adjective)
Don't move fast. (adverb)
half:
We will reach there in half an hour. (adjective) The meat is only half cooked. (adverb)
far:
There is a boat on the far bank of the river. (adjective)
They didn't go far. (adverb). Did you go far? (adverb).
early:
He came by an early train. (adjective)
Mother gets up early (adverb).
much:
There isn't much food in the kitchen. (adjective) He hasn't eaten much. (adverb)
leisurely:
The women walked at a leisurely pace. (adjective)
There is no hurry. Let's work leisurely. (adverb).
kindly:
The old gentleman spoke to us in a kindly manner. (adjective)
Speak kindly to the poor (adverb).
Straight:
Draw a straight line. (adjective)
Look straight. (adverb)
only: He is the only son of his parents. (adjective) I have met him only once (adverb).
enough:
There isn't enough space here for all. (adjective)
He is rich enough to be able to help you (adverb).
Some of these words can also be used as adverbs with -ly but with more or less change of meaning.
These words are highly, deeply, nearly, hardly, lately, etc.
high:
The temperature today is very high (adjective).