What are Adverbs in Grammar? A Complete Guide

In English, some words modify other words to provide more information in the sentence. Adverbs are among such words. They modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs to add more detail to the sentence and tell us a bit more about the things that happened in the sentence. 

In this useful guide, you will learn the definition of adverbs, use and purpose of adverbs in English grammar, and how to properly use adverbs in your English communication. 

What is an Adverb?

An adverb in English is a word that is used to describe or modify verb, another adverb, adjective or even the whole sentence. Take a look at the following examples to see how adverb modifies verb, adverb, adjective, and the whole sentence.

Example of sentences using adverbs

• He ran immediately. 
• He is very honest with his work. 
• They finished their work too quickly. 
• Accordingly, he finished his work. 
• Suddenly, the door was closed.

You can quickly identify adverbs in the above sentence and see how they modify the meaning of the sentence by modifying the verb, adjective, another adverb, or even the whole sentence.

Adverb Examples

Most of the adverbs are easy to recognize in the sentence because they usually end in -ly. However, some adverbs do not end in -ly. Take a look at the following examples:

• rarely, often, frequently
• suddenly, immediately, instantly, quickly
• really, interestingly, surprisingly,
• very, quite, almost, rather, 
• here, there, everywhere, anywhere
• well, bad, worst, 
• early, abruptly, similarly
• today, yesterday, every day, someday
• exactly, absolutely, completely, totally

Types of Adverbs

Adverbs can be divided in to different categories and types. These types include;

• Adverbs of Frequency
• Adverbs of Time 
• Adverbs of Place
• Adverbs of Manner
• Adverbs of Degree
• Conjunctive Adverbs

Adverbs and Verbs

Adverbs often modify verbs. This means that they describe the way an action is happening.

For example;

• I will definitely read the book. 
• She waits impatiently for us. 
• They quickly finished their work and went home. 
• They suddenly left us in the rain. 

In the above sentences, you might have noticed that adverbs modify the meaning of a verb by adding more detail and information for the reader or listener. The reader or listener will understand how the actions are happening in the sentence.

Exception of the rule – Linking Verbs

Adverbs do not mix well with linking verbs. Linking verbs are verbs that precede adjectives, not adverbs. The most common examples of linking verbs are;

• feel
• smell
• sound 
• seem 
• appear

Let’s take a look at the following example;

• It smells terrible.
• It appears delicious.
• He sounds fluent in English. 
• It seems better to work together. 
• He feels good while recovering from his ailment. 

Adverbs and Adjectives

Adverbs also modify adjectives in the sentence. When they modify adjectives, they provide more details in the sentence by describing the adjectives in their intensity and qualification.

Examples

• Your story is more interesting than others.
• He speaks very fast.
• He is a really honest person.
• She is very happy with her job.
• The art gallery is quite impressive.

Adverbs and Other Adverbs

You can use an adverb to describe another adverb. In the following sentence, the adverb almost is modifying the adverb always (and they’re both modifying the adjective right).

• He answered the question almost completely. 
• He started his story very interestingly.
• He is almost always late for work.
• They would rather quietly leave.
• He opens the door quite suddenly. 

In fact, if you wanted to, you could use several adverbs to modify another adverb.

However, that often produces weak and clunky sentences like the one above, so be careful not to overdo it.

Sentence Adverbs

Some adverbs modify the meaning of the entire sentence, known as sentence adverbs. Most commonly, sentence adverbs are used at the beginning and provide us with more detail about the meaning of the entire sentence. Examples of sentences adverbs are:

• Generally
• Interestingly
• Accordingly
• Luckily
• Fortunately

See the examples below to learn how sentence adverbs are used.

• Fortunately, we arrived there in time.
• Interestingly, we look at the whole collection.
• Accordingly, she prepared for the exam.
• Luckily, he submitted his application before the deadline.

Degrees of Comparision

Adverbs can also be used in their comparative and superlative degrees, like adjectives. Some adverbs look similar to adjectives, and they share the same degrees. Let’s take a look at the degrees of adverbs in more detail.

A positive or absolute adverb describes something in its own right.

• He welcomes us warmly.
• He presents the gift beautifully.
• He works at the store happily.

To make the comparative form of an adverb that ends in -ly, add the word more:

• He worked more happily.
• He wrote his assignment more hastily.
• She told the story more surprisingly.

Add the word most to make the superlative form of an adverb that ends in -ly.

• The painting is most beautifully created.
• He hugged me most warmly.
• He welcomed his class most warmly.

How to Use Adverbs in Sentences

Placement of Adverbs

The general rule is that an adverb must be placed close to the verb that it is modifying in the sentence. If you place the adverb too far away from the verb, the sentence will look awkward and may create a different meaning than you are supposed to convey.

Examples:

• He almost finished all his work assignment
• He finished almost all his work assignments. 
• He suddenly approached the door. 
• He approached suddenly the door. 

If an adverb is used to modify a verb phrase in the sentence, place the adverb in the middle of the phrase that it intends to modify.

• She will definitely learn rules from the book. 
• He has often told us to work hard for the exam. 
• They would certainly help us.

Conclusion

An adverb is a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, and other adverb in the sentence. The use of adverbs in the sentence provides more information to help understand the sentence’s meaning better.

Learning how to use adverbs in a sentence is extremely important for improving communication skills. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions.

What is an adverb?

An adverb is a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, another adverb, or the whole sentence. 

What are some examples of adverbs in Engish?

Some examples of adverbs include generally, suddenly, happily, quickly, surprisingly, and effectively.

How to use adverbs in the sentence?

Generally, an adverb is placed close to the verb, adjective, or other adverb that it intends to modify. Placing an adverb too far away from the verb, adjective, or another adverb may create an awkward sentence and completely produce a different meaning.

I hope this article helped you learn what adverbs are, their types, and usage in English grammar with examples. If you liked it, then please share it and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates and blog posts.

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