Week 2

Lesson 4-
Adverbs

( 4) ADVERBS

1. Types of Adverbs
2. Comparison of Adverbs
3. Forming Adverbs from Adjectives


An adverb is a word that adds more to the meaning of a verb, an adjective or
another adverb.
I dreamt about you last night. (dreamt=verb; last night=adverb)
The monster was incredibly ugly. (ugly=adjective; incredibly=adverb)
The heart patient collapsed quite suddenly. (suddenly=adverb; quite=adverb)

An adverb is usually placed after the verb when it is used in a sentence as follow:
He called yesterday.
The train will arrive soon.
They struggled hard to reach the top.
The patient is sleeping soundly.
Unlike adjectives, adverbs do not modify nouns.
CORRECT: The woman has a beautiful daughter. (Adjective)
INCORRECT: The woman has a beautifully daughter. (Adverb)
CORRECT: She was still sad about it. (Adjective)
INCORRECT: She was still sadly about it. (Adverb)

Some words can be both adverbs and adjectives as follow: far, hard, and long.
It is important to distinguish how they are used.
I don't live far away from here. (Adverb)
Where I live isn't far from here. (Adjective)
She worked quite hard. (Adverb)
She found the work quite hard. (Adjective)
If we exercise regularly, we may live longer. (Adverb)
If we exercise regularly, we may live longer lives. (Adjective)


TYPES OF ADVERBS
Adverb of Time This shows when an action or something is done or happens. It
answers the question "When?" It is either placed at the beginning or at the end of a
sentence. When they are at the beginning, they are often emphasized.
Example: I phoned you yesterday.
Example: I saw her a few months ago.
Example: Last week I saw them walking together.
Adverb of Place This shows where an action or something is done or happens. It
answers the question "Where?" Such adverbs are placed after the verb.
Example: I live here. / He fell down. / They are talking outside. / He walked in.
Example: We met her in the zoo.
Example: They like to walk along the river.
Adverb of Manner This shows how an action or something is done. It answers the
question "How?" The adverb is placed just after the verb when it is used in a
sentence.
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Example: She cried loudly. / He drives quickly. / She speaks softly.
Adverb of Degree or Quantity This answers the questions, "To what degree?" or
"How much?" It is usually placed before the adjective and the adverb.
Example: It is too dark for us to see anything. (Before adjective)
Example: Last night it rained very heavily. (Before adverb)
Adverb of Frequency This answers the question "How often?" Adverbs of
frequency are very important because we often use them. Examples of these adverbs
include: never, rarely, seldom, hardly ever, occasionally, sometimes, generally,
usually, frequently, nearly always, often and ever. Also included are: quite, just,
already, almost and nearly.
Example: He will never have finished in time.
Example: Jane is rarely late for work.
Example: Peter seldom reads the Bible.
Example: Sue hardly ever wore lipstick.
Example: We only write to each other very occasionally.
Example: Sometimes he stays late in the office to complete his work.
Example: The proposal is not generally acceptable to the public.
Example: It is usually the man who proposes marriage.
Example: While overseas, he frequently phoned home.
Example: She's not nearly always right although she thinks she's always right.
Example: We always go to school by bus.
Example: Sharon has often forgotten her books.
Example: Does he ever come to play chess?
Affirmative Adverb (yes) and Adverb of negation (No) - examples of this adverb
includes: yes, surely, certainly, indeed, by all means, no, not at all, by no means.
Example: I hope my parent just for once will say yes to my latest idea.
Example: You must have heard about the haunted house surely?
Example: Certainly we'll try to rid this place of the foul odour.
Example: It would indeed help if I had a bodyguard.
Example: By all means eat whatever you want, but I think you will not be able to
finish all the food.
Example: Oh no, not another breakdown at the traffic lights?
Example: It is not at all certain that the match will take place.
Example: It is by no means easy that we will finish it soon.
Interrogative Adverb (Question): When? Where? How? Why? How much/often?
Example: When was the last time you saw the accused?
Example: Where have you been all the while?
Example: How could you have overlooked all these mistakes?
Example: Why do you have to do such a stupid thing?
Relative Adverb: when, where, how, why
These words are the same in form as Interrogative Adverbs; but they are not
questions.
Example: The time when he arrived is still unknown.
Example: The scene where the accident occurred is close to the hospital.
Example: He is the only one who knows how to do it.
Example: Nobody knows why he left in such a hurry.


2. COMPARISON OF ADVERBS
Similar to the comparison of adjectives, adverbs have three degrees of comparison
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the Positive, the Comparative and the Superlative. Most adverbs which end in '-
ly' form the Comparative with 'more' and the Superlative with 'most'.

Positive Comparative Superlative
comfortably more comfortably most comfortably
happily more happily most happily
kindly more kindly most kindly
loudly more loudly most loudly
noisily more noisily most noisily

3. FORMING ADVERBS FROM ADJECTIVES

Adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding ly. However, not all words ending
in ly are adverbs. The following words are good examples of adjectives ending in
ly: costly, deadly, friendly, kindly, likely, lively, lowly, manly, sickly, and timely


Adverbs can be formed from nouns, adjectives and verbs. They end in '-ly' as follow:
Nouns Adjectives Verbs Adverbs
beauty beautifully
success successfully
angry angrily
foolish foolishly
continue continually
know knowingly