What is Adverb?
An adverb is one of the parts of speech that is used to add more information about time, place, manner, degree, circumstance, etc., In more simple words it is used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Most students get confused about the different usages of adverbs and adjectives. In this article, I will clarify the usage of adverbs with examples.
Examples:
- The competition was pretty difficult.
In the above sentence, “pretty” is used to modify the word “difficult” which is used as an adverb, not an adjective. Though pretty is an adjective too.
For example:
- She is so pretty.
In this sentence pretty is used as an adjective, not an adverb.
Pretty can be used as an adverb, as an adjective, and as a noun as a verb too. It means in 4 different methods we can use this word but it depends upon the usage.
Examples.
- She is so pretty. As an adjective.
- The competition was pretty hard. As an adverb.
- Her prettiness was surprising as a noun.
- John prettied up the room nicely. As verb.
Kinds of adverbs:
- Adverbs of manner………………Suspiciously, happily, well, etc…
- Adverbs of place…………………..By, down, near, here, up, etc…
- Adverbs of time……………………Now, then, soon, still, yet, etc…
- Adverbs of frequency……………..Always, often, twice, never, etc…
- Adverbs of sentence………………Luckily, surely, definitely, etc…
- Adverbs of degree…………………fairly, hardly, rather, very, etc…
- Interrogative adverbs…………….. When?, Where? why?
- Relative adverbs………………….when, where, why.
Adverbs of Manner:
Adverbs of manner are used to indicate how or in what manner (way) action has been done.
- They gave him the paper willingly.
- They secretly decided to leave the town.
Note: Be careful not to mix adjectives (most common of these adjectives are kindly, lovely, friendly, silly, etc..…) that end in (ly) with adverbs.
2. Adverbs of Place:
Adverbs of place are those adverbs that are used to indicate a place of action.
- They lived abroad.
- Bill went upstairs.
3. Adverbs of Time:
The adverb time is used to show the time of an action.
- She has not understood yet.
- He still could not complete the task.
4. Adverbs of Frequency:
The adverb of frequency shows how often an action takes place.
- I have told her twice about the situation.
- We always try to do our best.
Some common frequency adverbs and their percentage of occurrence:
| Adverbs | % Occurrence |
| Always Usually Often Sometimes Rarely Never | 100% 75-90% 60-80% 30-75% 10-30% 0% |
Adverbs of frequency are normally placed:
- After the simple tenses of to be: Bill is always on time for work.
- Before the simple tenses of all other verbs: They sometimes study all night.
- With compound tenses, they are placed after the first auxiliary, or, with auxiliary verbs, after the auxiliary + subject.
- She can never finish.
- You have often been told not to do that.
- Have you ever gone to the gym?
5. Adverbs of Sentence:
Adverbs of Sentences are used to modify the whole sentence and clause and normally express the speaker’s opinion.
- They have surely found her house.
- Honestly, she could not pass the test.
- Truly, I am ill today.
6. Adverbs of Degree:
Adverbs of degree or quantity are used to show how much, in what degree, or to what extent an action occurred.
- The sea seems very deep.
- I thought it was much the best.
7. Interrogative Adverbs:
When adverbs are used in asking questions they are called interrogative adverbs.
- How many boys are in your class?
- When did he arrive?
8. Relative Adverbs:
The adverbs that modify verbs and refer back to a noun as their antecedent are called relative adverbs.
- This is the reason why I left.
- Do you know the time when the teacher arrives?