7/21/2019 Adverbs Part 2

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Adverbs are used to modify verbs. They tell us when, where, how, in what manner, or to what extent an action isperformed. Some examples:

• When: He ran yesterday .

• Where: He ran here.

• How: He ran quickly .

• In what manner: He ran barefoot .

•  To what extent: He ran fastest .!ote: In these examples, the adverbs are all "ust one word, but they can be made up of more than one word. See:adverbial phrases and clauses.#

AdverbsAn adverb can be added to a verb to modify its meanin$. %sually, an adverb tells you when, where, how, in whatmanner or to what extent an action is performed.

&any adverbs end in ...ly ' particularly those that are used to express how an action is performed. Althou$h manyadverbs end ly, lots do not, e.$., fast, never, well, very, most, least, more, less, now, far, and there.(xamples:

• Anita placed the vase carefully on the shelf.The word carefully  is an adverb. It shows how the vase was placed.#

•  Tara wal)s $racefully.The word gracefully  is an adverb. It modi*es the verb to walk .#

• He runs fast.The word fast  is an adverb. It modi*es the verb to run.#

•  +ou can set your watch by him. He always leaves at o-cloc).

The word always is an adverb. It modi*es the verb to leave.#

•  The dinner $uests arrived early.early   adverb/ modi*es to arrive#

• She sometimes helps us.sometimes  adverb/ modi*es to help#

• I am the only person in the world I should li)e to )now thorou$hly. 0scar Wilde#thoroughly   adverb/ modi*es to know#

  Types of Adverbs

Althou$h there are thousands of adverbs, each adverb can usually be cate$orised in one of the followin$ $roupin$s:Adverbs of Time

• 1ress the button now.now  adverb of time#

• I have never been.

never   adverb of time#

• I tell him daily.daily   adverb of time#Adverbs of 1lace

• 2aisies $row everywhere.everywhere  adverb of place#

• I did not put it there.there  adverb of place#Adverbs of &anner

• He passed the resit easily.easily   adverb of manner#

•  The lion crawled stealthily.stealthily   adverb of manner#Adverbs of 2e$ree

•  That is the farthest I have ever "umped.farthest   adverb of de$ree#

• He boxed more cleverly.more cleverly   adverb of de$ree and manner.#This is covered more in the lesson 3omparatives.#

Adverbs 3an &odify Ad"ectives and 0ther AdverbsAlthou$h the term adverb implies that they are only used with verbs, adverbs can also modify ad"ectives and otheradverbs:

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(xamples:

•  The horridly $rotes4ue $ar$oyle was undama$ed by the debris.The adverb horridly  modi*es the ad"ective grotesque .#

• 1eter had an extremely ashen face.The adverb extremely  modi*es the ad"ective ashen.#

• 5adly trained do$s that fail the test will become pets.The adverb badly  modi*es the ad"ective trained.#Trained is an ad"ective formed from the verb to train  see 1articiples.#

• She wore a beautifully desi$ned dress.

The adverb beautifully  modi*es the ad"ective designed.#• 1eter 6ac)son *nished his assi$nment remar)ably 4uic)ly.

The adverb quickly  modi*es the verb to nish. The adverb remarkably modi*es the adverb quickly .#

 The rules for formin$ comparatives e.$., better , more quickly , less eciently # and superlatives e.$., best , mostquickly , least eciently # from adverbs are explained below. As they are 4uite complicated, some people form doublecomparatives e.$., more better , more quicklier # or double superlatives e.$., bestest , most quickliest #. These doubleforms are serious $rammar errors.

 The rules for formin$ comparatives and superlatives from adverbs are varied.3omparatives of Adverbs(xamples: The $oat can see better than you thin).

better : comparative of well# Try to paint the ed$es more carefully/ it will save time later.more carefully : comparative of carefully #He tries harder than most, but he has no aptitude for lan$ua$es.harder : comparative of hard# The en$ine operates less e7ciently with alcohol.less eciently : comparative of eciently #Superlatives of AdverbsI have found that the o7ce runs best with the radio on and the heatin$ down.best : superlative of well# The $ift is most $ratefully received.most gratefully : superlative of gratefully #It was obvious that they were not used to hi$h heels, but 8aren moved least $racefully of all.least gracefully : superlative of gracefully #She answered most abruptly.

most abruptly : superlative of abruptly #

In $eneral, comparatives and superlatives of adverbs do not cause di7culties for native (n$lish spea)ers. However,the mista)e of usin$ a double comparative or a double superlative is fairly common in speech. This error is morecommon with the comparatives and superlatives of ad"ectives, but is occasionally seen with adverbs too.

9ormin$ 3omparatives and Superlatives from Adverbs The table below shows the rules for formin$ comparatives and superlatives from adverbs:

 Type of Adverb (xample of Type of Adverb How to 9orm the 3omparative How to 9orm the Superlative

0ne Syllable fasthard

add er fasterharder

add est fastesthardest

&ore Than 0ne Syllable carefullyadd less or moremore carefully

add most  or least most carefully

Irre$ular badlywell

no rulesworsebetter

no rulesworstbest

What Are 1articiplesA participle is a word formed from a verb which can be used as an ad"ective.

 The two types of participles are the present participle endin$ ing# and the past participle usually endin$ -ed, -d, -t , -en, or -n#.

Here are some participles bein$ used as ad"ectives:

 The ;erb The 1ast 1articiple The 1resent 1articiple

 To rise the risen sun the risin$ sun

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 To boil the boiled water the boilin$ water

 To brea) the bro)en news the brea)in$ news

 To coo) the coo)ed ham the coo)in$ ham

1articiple 1hrasesIt is really common to see participles in participle phrases. A participle phrase also acts li)e an ad"ective. In theexamples below, the participle phrases are shaded and the participles are in bold:

•  The man carryin$ the bric)s is my father.The participle phrase carrying the bricks describes the the man.#

• She showed us a plate of scones crammed with cream.The participle phrase crammed with cream describes the scones.#

• Whistlin$ the same tune as always, Ted touched the front of his cap with his fore*n$er as she dismounted.The participle phrase Whistling the same tune as always describes Ted.#

• Stunned by the blow, &i)e 4uic)ly $athered his senses and searched frantically for the pepper spray.The participle phrase Stunned by the blow describes ike.#

1resent 1articiples1resent participles end in -ing. (xamples:

• boilin$ water

• carin$ nature

• deservin$ recipientSome more examples of present participles shaded#:

•A lau$hin$ man is stron$er than a su<erin$ man. =ustave 9laubert, >?@>>??#

• If you pic) up a starvin$ do$ and ma)e him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal di<erencebetween a do$ and a man. &ar) Twain, >?B>C>#

•  The only thin$ that comes to a sleepin$ man is dreams. Tupac Sha)ur#1resent participles are not "ust used as ad"ectives. They are also used to form verb tenses. Here are the verb tensespresent participles shaded#:

 The D 1ast Tenses (xample

simple past tense I went

past pro$ressive tense I was $oin$

past perfect tense I had $one

past perfect pro$ressive tense I had been $oin$

 The D 1resent Tenses (xamplesimple present tense I $o

present pro$ressive tense I am $oin$

present perfect tense I have $one

present perfect pro$ressive tense I have been $oin$

 The D 9uture Tenses (xample

simple future tense I will $o

future pro$ressive tense I will be $oin$

future perfect tense I will have $one

future perfect pro$ressive tense I will have been $oin$

1ast 1articiples1ast participles have various endin$s, usually -ed, -d, -t , -en, or -n. (xamples:

• bro)en window

• painted frame

• destroyed brid$eSome more examples of past participles shaded#:

• A swollen eye is =od-s way of tellin$ you to improve your interpersonal s)ills.

• 2o not waste time starin$ at a closed door.

• I li)e children...if they-re properly coo)ed. W.3. 9ields#Eemember, an ad"ective can also appear after the noun it is modifyin$. See predicate ad"ectives.#

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1ast participles are also used to form verb tenses. Foo) at these verb tenses past participles shaded#:

 The D 1ast Tenses (xample

simple past tense I went

past pro$ressive tense I was $oin$

past perfect tense I had $one

past perfect pro$ressive tense I had been $oin$

 The D 1resent Tenses (xample

simple present tense I $o

present pro$ressive tense I am $oin$

present perfect tense I have $onepresent perfect pro$ressive tense I have been $oin$

 The D 9uture Tenses (xample

simple future tense I will $o

future pro$ressive tense I will be $oin$

future perfect tense I will have $one

future perfect pro$ressive tense I will have been $oin$

Eead more about past participles.

1erfect 1articiples1erfect participles are formed li)e this:

GHavin$G past participleJ

(xamples:

• Havin$ ta)en

• Havin$ eaten

• Havin$ playedSome more examples of present participles shaded#:

• Havin$ heard the news, he 4uic)ly sold his brother-s record collection.

• Havin$ been promised a stea) dinner, she loo)ed less than impressed with her Happy &eal.

We )now that adverbs modify verbs, e.$., He ran quickly . !uickly  is the adverb.# When an adverb consists ofmore than one word, it is )nown as an adverbial phrase, e.$., He ran like the wind. If this phrase contains itsown verb, it-s called an adverbial clause, e.$., He ran like his life depended on it .

Adverbial 3lauses and 1hrasesKuite often, an adverb in a sentence comprises several words. These types of adverbs are called adverbial phrases oradverbial clauses. Adverbial phrases and clauses shaded below# can usually be cate$orised as one of the followin$:Adverbs of Time

• A crow attac)ed your cat while I was waitin$ for the bus.

• (very time he crac)ed a "o)e, the punters roared with lau$hter.!ote the comma. This is explained in the hot tip to the ri$ht.#

Adverbs of 1lace

• It is colder and wetter in the north of =ermany.• 1ut the si$n where the students can read it.

Adverbs of &anner

•  That do$ is wal)in$ around li)e he owns the place.

• She is actin$ as if she has stolen somethin$.

Adverbs of 2e$ree

•  +ou are not as clever as you thin) you are.

• He is as modest as he is brilliant.Adverbs of 3ondition

• If I have the time, I will show you the cellar after the shift.

• I will come with you provided my suit is bac) from the dry cleaners.

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Adverbs of 3oncession

• Althou$h only four years old, 0liver can do lon$ multiplication.

• I will cover for you althou$h I may lose my "ob.Adverbs of Eeason

• We were forced to abandon the match because the s)ies opened up.

• Since it is your birthday, you can sit in the front.