Adverb and its Types

 Adverb and its types

 

An adverb is a word/a set of words that modifies verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. It tells when, where, and how an action is performed or indicates the quality or degree of the action.

Many adverbs end in -ly but some words which end in -ly (such as friendly) are not adverbs. Many words can be both adverbs and adjectives according to their activity in the sentence.

Example:

o    Robin is always hungry for success.

o    I love her very much.

o    He is running fast.

o    Alex works hard.

o    He wrote that willingly.

 

Types of Adverbs

Adverbs love to dress up verbs or other adverbs. For example, we might progress from, "He sat down," to, "He hurriedly sat down." Now, we know the manner in which he sat. Since verbs are such integral parts of our everyday language, their modifiers are also multi-faceted.

To start, there are five types of adverbs you should familiarize yourself with: adverbs of degree, frequency, manner, place, and time. With these categories under your belt, you'll be well-positioned to identify several different parts of a sentence.

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of Degree (How Much?)

Adverbs that express the importance/degree/level of the action in the sentence are called adverbs of degree. They answer the question ‘how much is the action performed?’.

Completely, nearly, entirely, less, mildly, most, thoroughly, somewhat, excessively, much, etc. are common adverbs of degree.

Example:

o    She completely forgot about her anniversary.

o    I read the newspaper thoroughly.

o    I am so excited about the new job.

o    Robin hardly studies

 

Adverbs of degree tell us more about the intensity of the verb in the sentence, in other words, they describe how much, or to what degree. They can be categorized as low degree (e.g. somewhat), medium degree (e.g. fairly), and high degree (e.g. extremely). Adverbs of degree can also modify adjectives and other adverbs and are placed before the word they modify. Popular adverbs of degree include:

• almost

• enough

• hardly

• just

• nearly

• quite

• simply

• so

• too

Let's look at some sample sentences:

• This short essay is hardly sufficient.

• It's simply not enough.

• I'm so excited to move to Ireland.

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency let us know how often the verb occurs. Therefore they mostly modify verbs. These adverbs tend to appear right before the main verb in the sentence. Popular adverbs in this category include:

• again

• always

• never

• normally

• rarely

• seldom

• sometimes

• usually

Here they are in action:

• I always read a book before bed.

• Does he normally walk his dog at this time?

• She usually shops at the Korean market in town.

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of Manner (How?)

Adverbs that express the manner/approach/process of the action in the sentence are called adverbs of manner. They answer the question ‘how is the action performed?’.

Beautifully, equally, thankfully, carefully, handily, quickly, coldly, hotly, resentfully, earnestly, nicely, tirelessly, etc. are common adverbs of manner. These adverbs usually end in ly.

Example:

o    Let's divide the prizes equally.

o    Please, handle the camera carefully.

o    Mike is walking slowly.

o    He is running fast.

Adverbs of manner tell us how, or in what manner, something was carried out. They mostly modify verbs and can often be found at the end of a clause. This category comprises the most common adverbs - the ones that end in -ly. Here are some examples of adverbs of manner:

• beautifully

• generously

• happily

• neatly

• patiently

• softly

• quickly

• well

And here are some example sentences:

• He trimmed the white roses neatly.

• I combed my dog's fur carefully because it had lots of tangles.

• There's no reason why you can't discuss the topic with me calmly.

Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of Place/Direction (Where?)

Adverbs of place/direction that indicate place/direction of the action in the sentence. They answer the question ‘ where is the action performed?’.

Across, over, under, in, out, through, backward, there, around, here, sideways, upstairs, in the park, in the field, in that place, etc. are some common adverbs of place/direction.

Example:

o    I went through the jungle.

o    He plays in the field.

o    Alex is going to school.

o    He is staying at my home.

 

Adverbs of place tell us more about where the verb took place. These tend to pop up after the main verb or direct object of the sentence. Here are some common adverbs of place:

• above

• below

• everywhere

• here

• in

• inside

• into

• nowhere

• out

• outside

• there

Let's take a look at them in action:

• In Ireland, there are thatched-roof cottages everywhere.

• Clearly, there aren't any leprechauns here.

• I was so beguiled, I drove into a ditch.

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time/frequency indicate time or frequency of the action in the sentence. They answer the question ‘when/how frequently is the action performed?’.

Always, never, often, eventually, now, frequently, occasionally, once, forever, seldom, before, Sunday, Monday, 10 AM, 12 PM, etc. are common adverbs of time/frequency.

Example:

o    I went to school a little late yesterday.

o    He always gets a good result.

o    I will leave Monday.

o    He smokes occasionally.

 

Adverbs of time detail when the verb took place. We usually see these kinds of adverbs placed at the beginning or end of a sentence. Adverbs of time include:

• annually

• daily

• monthly

• recently

• tomorrow

• weekly

• yearly

• yesterday

Here they are at work:

• Lately, you've been rude to everyone around.

• They recently relocated to Santa Fe.

• The morning newspaper arrives daily.