Adverbs

Do you want to practice using adverbs in English?

Adverbs

An Adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb, expressing manner, place, time or degree; a word that can modify a phrase, clause or sentence. An adverb is a word that is used to change, modify or qualify several types of words including an adjective, a verb, a clause, another adverb, or any other type of word or phrase, with the exception of determiners and adjectives, that directly modify nouns. A good way to understand adverbs is to think about them as the words that provide context. Specifically, adverbs provide a description of how, where, when, in what manner and to what extent something is done or happens.

Mary lives nearby.
John speaks loudly.
He is really handsome.

How to use them

Normally, we can spot an adverb by the fact that it often ends in –ly, but there are lots of adverbs that don’t end in this way. Moreover, adverbs can be used in many combinations with each other.However, spotting an adverb, especially one that ends in -ly is easy. Adverbs normally help paint a fuller picture by describing how something happens, such as

She always arrives early. (When?)
He drives carefully. (How?)
They go everywhere together. (Where?)
She eats slowly. (In what way?)
It is terribly hot. (to what extent)

Some adverbs don't have -ly.

I don't write Italian well.
My mum drives fast.
Do you work hard?