Adverbs

Examples

The man spoke quietly.

They started the race slowly.

Fortunately nothing was stolen.

Use

Adverbs describe a verb, anadjective, another adverb, or a whole

situation.

Use

A verbExamples:The race started slowly. (Slowly describes how the race started.)They talked quietly about the match. (Quietly describes how they talked.)

Use

An adjectiveExamples:The plate was really hot. (Really describes how hot the plate was.)The food tasted surprisingly good. (Surprisingly describes how good the food tasted.)

Use

An adverbExamples:The race started really slowly. (Really describes how slowly the race started.)They talked very quietly about the match. (Very describes how quietly they talked.)

Use

Whole situationsExamples:Fortunately nothing was stolen. (Fortunately describes how fortunate it was that nothing was stolen.)Perhaps Sarah is working late. (Perhaps describes how likely it is that Sarah is working late.)

Placement of Adverbs• Adverbs modifying verbs can usually be moved around in a

sentence without changing the meaning.• Before verb

– Ex: The car immediately stopped.• After verb

– Ex: The car stopped immediately.• Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs belong

right in the front of the words they modify.• Before adjective

– Ex: That’s an extremely dangerous corner for bicycle riders.

• Before adverb– Ex: The car turned the corner really quickly.

Use

The -ly ending.We often form an adverb from an adjective + ly.Examples:polite -> politelyquick -> quicklysafe -> safely

Use: Special Spelling Rules

• We do not leave out e Example: nice -> nicely

• y -> ily after a consonantExample: easy -> easily

• le -> lyExample: possible -> possibly

• ic -> icallyExample: dramatic -> dramatically

Note: There are some exceptions to these rules.

UseExceptions (1)

Some adjective already end in -ly. • Examples: lovely, lonely, ghastly, and

worldly• These examples do not answer the

question HOW?• These examples are really adjectives

UseExceptions (1)

In those cases we use way or manner to make an adverb.Example:Friendly -> He spoke to us in a friendly manner.Silly-> They looked at us in a silly way.

Use

Exceptions (2)Some words can be used as an adjective and an adverb.Example:We did some hard work. (adjective)We worked hard. (adverb)

Use

Exceptions (3)There a some pairs of adverbs that have different meanings.Examples:I tied hard, but didn’t succeed.I have got hardly any money left. (Hardly means almost none.)

Use

Exceptions (4)Sometimes adjectives have an adverb that is a completely different word.Example:Natasha is a good pianist. (adjective)She plays the piano very well. (adverb)

UseExceptions (5)

There are some adverbs that don’t end in ly.Example:Perhaps Sarah is working lateMaybe he is not going to show up at all

Identifying Adverbs

• Some adverbs describe the way people do things. (Adverbs of Manner)

• Answer the question “How?”– The plane landed safely.– Ramu plays guitar skillfully.– Tortoise walks slowly.

Identifying Adverbs

• Some adverbs answer the question “where?”. (Adverbs of Place)– It’s very sunny but cold outside.– His children go everywhere with him.– I’ve lived here for about two years.

Identifying Adverbs

• Some adverbs answer the question “when?”.(Adverbs of Time)– We moved into our new house last week. – I’m going to my new school tomorrow.– I spoke to him yesterday.

Identifying Adverbs

• Some adverbs answer the question “how much?” or “to what extent?”.(Adverbs of Quantity/Degree)– I am fully prepared.– These mangos are almost ripe.

Activity• Before introducing the topic, the teacher can ask

the students to pair up. She can give out adverbs on chits, example loudly. Then from the pair, ask one of students to perform that, so for loudly the student could talk loudly. Then ask the other student to form his partner's act in a sentence (He was talking LOUDLY).

• Then she could ask "What were all these words doing?“. These words were describing verbs/adjectives, and then go on with the explanation of Adverbs.