1. What are adverbs?
Adverbs are words that modify, set the tone for, or describe a verb, an adjective, another adverb or an entire sentence. They add more detail to the action or state expressed by the verbs, or to the quality or degree expressed by the adjectives or adverbs. Adverbs can describe how, when, where, why, or to what extent something happens or is done. In the sentence “He opened the door quietly”, the adverb quietly modifies the verb open, indicating how he opened the door.
2. Adverbs in sentences
An adverb can be placed in various positions in a sentence to convey different meanings or emphasis. However, It’s important to note that there are many variations and exceptions to adverb placement depending on the context and intended meaning of a sentence. Study the examples below.
- She only gave me two dollars. Here the emphasis is on the verb give. In other words, the adverb "only" modifies the verb "give". In this sentence, the adverb "only" emphasises the limitation or restriction of what was given. The sentence could mean that the speaker expected:
- two dollars and something else,
- an amount of money more than two dollars,
- or something other than the two dollars given. The donor might have wanted to give something more but couldn’t do so due to some constraints.
- She gave me only two dollars. Here the focus is on the amount given, which is two dollars. The adverb "only" emphasises how insignificant the amount is. The sentence suggests that the donor intentionally chose to give only two dollars, and may not have intended or wanted to give more.
- quickly move
- slowly walk
- clearly explain
- confidently present
- fiercely defend
- honestly admit
Examples
A careless driver nearly knocked me over this morning.
I absolutely love spending time with my family.
I usually go to bed around 11 PM.
I definitely need more training before my next competition.
He honestly admitted his mistake and apologised.
She confidently defended her thesis at the University of Cambridge last week.
She intentionally ignored his calls.
I quickly rushed to the hospital as soon as I heard that my friend was involved in a car accident.
- very good
- quite delicious
- incredibly painful
- extremely hot
- fairly difficult
- somewhat disappointed
Examples
She was very happy to hear the good news.
The food was quite delicious.
The weather was extremely hot.
I am really excited to start my new job.
The test was fairly difficult.
The coffee was slightly bitter.
The experiment went terribly wrong.
That was pretty cool.
The movie was somewhat boring.
The news was utterly shocking.
- Very slowly
- Almost always
- Too loudly
- Really easily
- Rather quickly
Examples
The traffic is moving very slowly today
I'm almost always on time for work.
He finished the project rather quickly.
I was able to fix the computer surprisingly easily.
Your hair is so nicely combed.
My phone is almost fully charged.
She did her exam exceptionally well.
Examples
Surprisingly, she finished the marathon in less than three hours.
Regrettably, I won't be able to join you for dinner tonight.
Interestingly, the study found no correlation between diet and cancer risk.
Obviously, the driver didn't see the stop sign.
Eventually, we reached our destination on time.
Honestly, I don't think she is ready for her exam.
She will pass her exam, undoubtedly.
My father won't be at my wedding day, unfortunately.
3. How to distinguish between adverbs and prepositions?
There are several words in English that can function both as prepositions and adverbs depending on how they are used in a sentence. Study the following examples:
- Up:
- Preposition: She walked up the stairs. (Up shows the relationship between “walked” and “stairs”.)
- Adverb: She looked up at the sky. (Up modifies the verb "looked" by describing the direction of her gaze.)
- Over:
- Preposition: The plane flew over the mountains. (Over shows the relationship between “flew” and “mountains”.)
- Adverb: An aeroplane flew over while we were playing in the garden. (Over modifies the verb “flew” by describing the movement of the airplane.)
- Around:
- Preposition: We walked around the city. (Around shows the relationship between “walked” and “city”.)
- Adverb: She looked around nervously. (Around modifies the verb “looked” by describing the manner in which she looked.)
- Through:
- Preposition: He walked through the park. (Through shows the relationship between “walked” and “park”.)
- Adverb: I read the entire book through in one sitting. (Through modifies the verb “read” by describing the manner in which I read the book.)
- Across:
- Preposition: The cat walked across the street. (Across shows the relationship between “walked” and “street”.)
- Adverb: He “threw” the ball across, and it landed perfectly in his friend’s hands. (Across modifies the verb “threw” to show the direction in which the ball was thrown.)
- Opposite:
- Preposition: The Chinese restaurant is opposite the train station. (Opposite shows the location of the Chinese restaurant with respect to the train station.)
- Adverb: The Chinese restaurant is over there, just opposite. (Opposite provides additional information about the location of the Chinese restaurant.)
Distinguishing between a preposition and an adverb can sometimes be tricky, but there are some clues to look for in a sentence that can help you identify which one is being used:
- Prepositions usually come before a noun or pronoun and show the relationship between that noun or pronoun and other words in the sentence.
- Adverbs, on the other hand, typically modify sentences, verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, and can provide information about how, when, where, why, or to what extent an action is performed.
4. What is the difference between adverbs and adjectives?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns. They provide details about an object’s characteristics, such as size, shape, age, colour, or origin.
- It’s a beautiful day.
- He’s a tall man.
- They live in a big house.
- He is always calm and relaxed.
Adverbs, on the other hand, are words that describe or modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide information about how, when, where, why, or to what degree something happens.
- He runs quickly. (how)
- I went to the dentist yesterday. (when)
- He lives nearby. (where)
- She totally agrees with you. (to what degree)
5. Lists of adverbs
Some adverbs may belong to multiple categories depending on their usage and context. Study the examples below.
- Well as an adverb of degree:
- That was well worth the effort. (Indicating a high degree of value or worth.)
- Well as an adverb of manner:
- She sings well. (Describing how the action is performed.)
- Certainly as an adverb of emphasis:
- I certainly did not expect to see you here! (Emphasising surprise.)
- Certainly as an adverb of affirmation:
- I certainly agree with you on that point. (Affirming your level of agreement.)
It’s not necessary to try to memorise all the adverbs below at once. Here are some tips to help you become familiar with them:
- Pay attention to adverbs while reading or listening. This will expose you to a variety of adverbs and help you understand how they’re used in context.
- Take note of new adverbs you come across and try to understand their meaning and usage.
Click each box to see the definition of the adverb and an example sentence.
Adverbs of time
Now
Today
Tonight
Yesterday
Tomorrow
Later
Early
Earlier
Late
Soon
Presently
Currently
Previously
Subsequently
Afterwards
Then
Before
After
During
Meanwhile
Since
Already
Yet
Just
Recently
Lately
Long ago
Eventually
First
Still
Next
Finally
Adverbs of frequency
Always
Usually
Often
Frequently
Sometimes
Occasionally
Seldom
Rarely
Hardly ever
Almost never
Never
Ever
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Annually
Biannually
Hourly
Regularly
Consistently
Intermittently
Sporadically
Periodically
Infrequently
Constantly
Continuously
Habitually
Routinely
Once in a while
From time to time
Adverbs of manner
abruptly
carefully
cheerfully
clearly
closely
deliberately
eagerly
elegantly
enthusiastically
fiercely
firmly
gently
gracefully
happily
hastily
honestly
hungrily
intensely
joyfully
kindly
loudly
lovingly
madly
mechanically
nervously
patiently
politely
powerfully
quickly
quietly
rapidly
regularly
reluctantly
roughly
rudely
safely
secretly
seriously
sharply
silently
slowly
smoothly
softly
solemnly
steadily
strongly
sweetly
tensely
tightly
violently
warmly
wearily
willingly
zealously
Adverbs of place
Most of the following adverbs can also function as prepositions.
Above
Abroad
Across
Ahead
Along
Around
Away
Back
Behind
Below
Beneath
In between
Beyond
Close
Downstairs
Everywhere
Far
Here
In
Inside
Near
Nearby
Off
On
Out
,
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