Adverbs in English
In this post we will look at how we use adverbs in English. We also have a post on adverb suffixes.In English, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to provide extra details about an action or a quality. We often think about
- how
- when
- where
- how much
Let’s see how these different forms of adverbs are used.
Types of adverbs
We can talk about adverbs according to the kind of information they provide:
- Manner (how we do something): quickly, slowly, carefully, well
– Example: She sang beautifully. - Place (where something happens): here, there, everywhere, nowhere, upstairs, outside
– Example: They looked everywhere for the missing keys. - Time (when something happens): now, later, yesterday, soon
– Example: I will call you later. - Frequency (how often something happens): often, rarely, sometimes, usually, frequently
– Example: They rarely go out for dinner. - Degree (how much): very, too, quite, almost, enough
– Example: The soup is very hot.
Adverbs with different forms
As you know the way to create adverbs is by adding -ly to the end of an adjective. One familiar exception to this is well from the adjective good.
However, we also have a group of adverbs with the same form as adjectives. Here are some common examples.
Adjective & adverb form
- daily
- early
- fast
- hard
- late
- straight
There is another group of adverbs which have more than one form or more than one meaning to the adverb.
free/freely
Free means at no cost
Children are admitted free
Freelymeans without restriction or control
People with European passports can travel freely in the EU
hard/hardly
Hard means difficult or make a lot of effort.
I work hard every day
It’s a hard problem to solve
Hardly means very little
I have hardly any money left after my shopping
late/lately
late means not on time
I arrived late
Lately means recently
Have you seen Alice lately?
Comparing adverbs
We commonly use more and most to make the comparative and superlative forms.
Here are some examples
- easily
- quickly
- more easily
- more quickly
- most easily
- most quickly
Finally, we also have a group of adverbs that have different comparative and superlative forms.
Adverb
Comparative
Superlative
- well
- badly
- little
- much
- better
- worse
- less
- more
- best
- worst
- least
- most