What: Adverbs describe verbs or add information to a verb. They make the English sentence
richer.
Example:
English text sent to us: "The business manager wrote his email in English
easy."
English grammar correction: "The business manager wrote his email in
English easily."
Use: Adverbs may be used as follows:
- How: e.g. The students wrote slowly.
- When: e.g. She will learn English tomorrow.
- How often: e.g. He practises his spelling weekly.
- Degree (weaker or stronger meaning): e.g. He speaks louder than the others.
Making them: Adverbs can often be made from adjectives by adding 'ly'
to the end of the adjective. Examples are:
- quickly
- rapidly
- fastidiously (adjective is fastidious, noun is fastidiousness) [means wanting everything to be perfect like
a perfectionist who has perfectionism.]
- conscientiously (adjective is conscientious, noun is conscientiousness) [putting a lot of effort into the
activity.]
- hideously (adjective is hideous, noun is hideousness) [extremely ugly/ bad.]
Adverbs may also be made from adjectives by changing the 'y' at the end of the adjective to an 'i'
and adding 'ly'. Example is:
- Happily (adjective is happy)
Position (in a sentence). This can be as follows:
- Beginning: Suddenly I was ill.
- Middle: I suddenly was ill. (Also: I was suddenly ill.)
- End: I was ill suddenly.
The meaning and emphasis are arguably changed but it is usual to put the adverb where it sounds best and this
is often in the middle position.
Degree
Positive degree (simple form)
- One syllable: e.g. soft
- Two syllable: e.g. quick
Example:
English text sent to us: "She wrote English easy."
English grammar correction: "She wrote English easily."
Comparative (compare two actions)
- One syllable: [add 'er' usually] e.g. softer
- Two syllable: [add 'more' usually] e.g. more quickly
Example:
English text sent to us: "The lady wrote English neat than her
husband."
English grammar correction: "The lady wrote English neater than
her husband."
Superlative (compare several actions)
- One syllable: [add 'est' usually] e.g. softest
- Two syllable: [add 'most' usually] e.g. most quickly
Example:
English text sent to us: "They took time writing in English, but she
was the slowly."
English grammar correction: They took time writing in English, but
she was the slowest."
Exceptions: Warning!
Positive.....Comparative......Superlative
badly....worse....worst
well....better....best
