To express in which way someone does something. They refer to the action and not to the performer.
Adverbs can modify a verb, an Adjective or another Adverb. We explain the different types, rules and uses.
They are used to express in which way something is done or happens. Most of these adverbs end with -Ly...
- Carefully
- Quickly
- Cleverly
- Happily
- Slowly
Examples
She kissed the baby carefully.
They smiled happily.
The car was quickly fixed.
They are used to express when something is done or happens.
- Always
- Soon
- Never
- Sometimes
- Yesterday
- Immediately
- Last week
Examples
He sometimes goes to school by bus.
They arrived home yesterday.
Come back soon!
Last week, I visited the doctor.
They have never been to New York.
They are used to express in which place something is done or happens.
- Here
- There
- Under
- Above
- Behind
- Outside
- Inside
Examples
He was waiting outside the house.
The cat is under the table.
Sam is standing over there.
The child is behind the door.
They are used to express the level in which something is done or happens. Generally they help to emphasize an action...
- Really
- So
- Too
- Very
- Almost
- Much
Examples
They had a really big accident.
She earns too much money.
I can run very fast.
I love you so much!
They are used to express how frequently something is done or happens.
- Again
- Always
- Never
- Occasionally
- Often
- Rarely
- Once
- Sometimes
Examples
It is raining again.
I often go to bed early.
Susan failed an exam once in her life.
It occasionally snows in winter here.
To transform an adjective into an adverb, generally we add -Ly to the adjective.
If the adjective ends with –Y, it is replaced by – I and we add –Ly in the end.
If the adjective ends with –Le, it is replaced by –Ly.
If it ends with -E, we add -Ly in the end.
Nice > Nicely
Safe > Safely
Noisy > Noisily
Horrible > Horribly
Happy > Happily
Easy > Easily
Slow > Slowly
Careful > Carefully
Near > Nearly
Lazy > Lazily
Famous > Famously
Some adjectives are irregular, it means that, instead of adding -Ly in the end, they change its form to become an Adverb...
- Good - Well (irregular).
- Fast - Fast (irregular).
- Hard - Hard (irregular).
Take into account that not all the words ending with -Ly are adverbs.
Modify Verbs
The team played "badly" yesterday.
I have been studying "continually" for hours.
He drives "carefully" when he is with his baby.
She shouted "angrily".
They are waiting "anxiously".
Modify Adjectives
It was an "extremely" interesting show.
She is "absolutely" worried.
They are "constantly" angry.
Modify Other Adverbs
He lost "too" much money.
She loves you "so" much!
They are behaving "extremely" badly.
Modify Quantities
They are "quite" a lot of animals.
There are "just" many tables.
Modify Whole Sentences
"Unfortunately", they didn't win.
"Naturally", the teacher asked them to sit down.
"Happily", the children were found.
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