5.1 What Is an Adverb?

Adverbs are words that modify verbs. They often answer how things get done.

Examples:

Adverbs are often formed by adding -ly to an adjective, look.

Adjective: Quick
Adverb: Quickly.

Adverbs are also used to modify adjectives, to give information about adjectives.

Examples:

How do you feel?
I feel extremely happy.

How sad was she?
She was terribly sad.

        Exercise 1

Underline the correct word, either the adjective or adverb fit in the sentences.

1. George is a Select careless carelessly writer. He writes Select careless carelessly .
2. Frank asked me an Select easy easily question. I answered it Select easy easily .
3. Sally speaks Select soft softly . She has a Select soft softly . voice.
4. I entered the classroom Select quiet quietly . because I was late.
5. Alice speaks English very Select good well . She has a very Select good well pronunciation.

The word well can be either an adverb or an adjective.

Examples:

Donald writes well. (Adverb, means in a good manner).
Mary was sick but now she is well. (Adjective, means healthy, not sick).

5.2 Types of Adverbs

5.2.1 Adverbs of Manner

They tell us how something happens. Adverbs of manner modify or give more information about verbs by indicating in what manner an action is done.

Quickly	Fast	Loudly
Angrily	Slowly	Beautifully
Happily	Sharply

Examples:

They walked slowly and talked quietly because the baby was sleeping.

5.2.2 Adverbs of time

They tell us when an action happened.

Yesterday	Now	Last Night
Night	Currently	Next
Tomorrow	Today	Morning
Recently	Tonight

My uncle is . currently working.
It's starting to rain now.
The children finished their homework this morning
My grandparents will come to visit us tomorrow.

        Exercise 2

• 1. I have to go to the supermarket
• 2. I have a meeting.
• 3. I am working on my project.
• 4. I went to the dentist then I arrived home at 12:00 to prepare lunch.
• 5. I will watch that movie .

Some more Adverbs of Time are ago, already, anymore, just, yet, still. These adverbs give additional information about when something happens or happened. Let's check them out.

Ago: means in the past.

Examples:

I started to work in this company 5 years ago.
She had her baby 5 months ago.

Already: means in the past is used when something happens before it is expected.

Examples:

The man is only 25, but he is already tired of life.
Did you do your exercises? Yes, I already finished them.

Anymore: is used when something is different from what it was before.

Examples:

I bought this computer last month but I don't like it anymore because it
it is too slow. (It was fast before but not now) I lived in Texas but I don't anymore.
I don't love my husband anymore. (I loved him before but not now.)

Just: is used for something that happened very recently.

Examples:

I just ran into Joshua. They just arrived from school.

You can also use just about for something that will happen very soon.

Examples:

-Did you finish the essay that the teacher asked you to make?
-No, but I'm just aboutjust about to finish.
I have been calling you all morning. Sorry, I just walked in.

Still: is used when something happens for longer than expected.

Examples:

You haven't graduated! No, I am still in school.
The mail was supposed to arrive this morning but I am still waiting!

Still is also used to confirm that an activity or situation is continuing and that nothing has changed.

Example:

Are you still living in your mother's house?
Yes, I am still there.

Still in negative sentences and questions often shows impatience or that something is unexpected.

Yet: is used when something that is expected hasn't happened. It is used in negative sentences and questions.

Examples:

Have you graduated? No, I haven't graduated yet
Has Thomas arrived yet? No, He is not here yet

Still can be used with a similar meaning as yet.

Examples:

My husband hasn't arrived yet.
My husband still hasn't arrived.

Notice that yet is usually at the end of the sentence and still comes before t he negative form.

        Exercise 3

Use ago, already, anymore, just, yet, still:

• 1. I am in the hair salon. I have been here since 10:00.
• 2. I haven't left the hair salon .
• 3. I arrived at the hair salon 3 hours .
• 4. I arrived to the hair salon. I think that I will be here for about 3 hours.
• 5. I spoke to George and told him that I just arrived at the salon.
• 6. I don't want to be here I am bored!

5.2.3 Adverbs of Frequency

They indicate approximately how many times something happens. Adverbs of f requency modify or give more information about verbs by informing the times an action happens.

Frequently	Ever	Always
Seldom	Generally	Not ever
Rarely	Usually	Sometimes
Hardly	Finally	Often
Never	Probably

Examples:

She takes the boat to the mainland every day.
She often goes by herself.

Some adverbs may occur in the middle of a sentence. Mid-sentence adverbs as they are called, have usual positions. Adverbs come in front of simple present and simple past verbs (except be).

Examples:

Ann always
arrives on time.

Adverbs follow (or are after) the verb to be (simple present and simple past).

Examples:

Ann is always on time.
Ann was always on time before.

In a question, a mid-sentence adverb comes directly after the subject.

Examples:

Does she always come on time?
Do they usually eat dinner late?

These adverbs can go at the end of the sentence or clause.

Ever: The basic meaning of ever is "at any time". It is used in questions or negative statements. It is often used with the present perfect with this meaning and with imaginary statements about the future.

Examples:

Have you ever been to Canada?
I don't think he has ever been to Canada.
Nobody ever visits that lady.
I hardly ever go out with my friends.
I don't want to ever see you again.

But it is not used in affirmative statements:

Incorrect: I have been there ever.

Before “Since”: She has been like that ever since her boyfriend left her.

In affirmative clauses with superlatives or expressions like “the only”, or “the first”, ever is used (especially followed by to + infinitive verb) to emphasize the uniqueness of something or someone:

Examples:

Neil Armstrong was the first man ever to walk on the moon.
This is the best joke I've ever heard.

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Use	Example
Present question	Do you ever eat?
Future	wonder if he will ever change.
Negative	I don't want to speak to you ever again. (I never want to speak to you) Negative + ever =never.
questions	Have you ever ever seen snow?
Before since	I have known him ever since I remember.
Whit to infinitive	Yuri Gagarin was the first man ever to travel in space.

Ever means “at any time” and never means “at no time.”

Examples:

Have you ever (at any time) seen a sloth?
No, I have never (at no time/not at any time) seen a sloth.

        Exercise 4

Use ever in each case you have above.

• Present question: .
• Future: .
• Negative: .
• Question: .
• Before since: .
• With to+infinitive: .

        Exercise 5

Use an Adverb of Frequency to complete the following sentences.

• 1. I brush my teeth.
• 2. We arrive early to grammar class.
• 3. Tina drinks a beer before sleeping.
• 4. She calls me on my birthday.
• 5. I visit my grandmother.
• 6. We follow the teacher's instructions.
• 7. The receptionist is nice.
• 8. I think that children should play with fire.
• 9. Students ask questions about their doubts.
• 10. It hails in April.

        Exercise 6

Write something you do next to the adverbs.

Example:

• Frequently:      I frequently help clean the house.
  
• Seldom:  
• Just:  
• Always:  
• Generally:  
• Rarely:  
• Already:  
• Usually:  
• Sometimes:  
• Finally:  
• Often:  
• Occasionally:  
• Never:  
• Probably:  

        Exercise 7

Write an adverb on the blank spaces.

• 1. We go hunting on Saturdays at 2:45.
• 2. They take a shower on Fridays at 6:40.
• 3. He watches television every day at 3:10.
• 4. We do our homework from 4:50 to 5:30.
• 5. The doctor goes to work at 1:15.
• 6. The children have breakfast at 6:20.
• 7. Our parents arrive home at 7:55.
• 8. Their dog eats at 1:25.
• 9. My mother goes to the supermarket on Saturdays at 12:05.
• 10. We go swimming on Sundays at 9:35.

5.2.4 Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of Place tell us where an incident happens or takes place. They are u sually placed after the main verb or after the object.

Southwards	Anywhere	Northwards
Downstairs	Nowhere	Home
There	Here	Elsewhere
Upstairs

Adverbs of Place can also be placed at the beginning, middle, and at the final position of a clause.

Examples:

You get off the bus and walk southwards.
The nanny is upstairs.
They could be anywhere!
Everywhere I look. I see you.

Most common Adverbs of Place also function as prepositions:

Across	Over	Under
Up	Off	In
Next	By	Behind
Around	About	Along
Aside	Beside	Through
Up

        Exercise 8

Use the adverb that sounds best to you.

• 1. Go to play that game. You are bothering me.
• 2. Turn like going before the entrance of the bridge.
• 3. My mother is not downstairs. She is .
• 4. I don't want to go , you come .
• 5. I don't want to go .

5.2.5 Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of Degree tell us about the intensity or the degree of a quality (adjectives), or even an adverb itself, normally adverbs of manner.

Very	Quite	Almost
Spectacularly	So	Just
Enough	Too	Extremely
Really

Unlike other adverbs, Adverbs of Degree are usually placed before the adjective or the adverb they are modifying, after the auxiliary verb, before the main verb or between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.

Examples:

My son is a really good boy. (before the adjective)
The almost crashed. (before main verb)
He doesn't really care. (between auxiliary verb and main verb)
She is just a little too excited about the trip. (after the auxiliary verb)

Enough as an adverb of degree (which means to the necessary degree) comes a fter adjectives or adverbs.

Examples:

She is tall enough to be a fashion model. (after adjectives)
They didn't run hard enough to win the race. (after adverb)

        Exercise 9

Use the adverb that sounds best to you:

Southwards

quite

almost

spectacularly

so

very

enough

too

extremely

really