Learn English Adverbs: An Introduction for English Language Learners
This course is designed to be simple to learn English for Chinese students.
In this article we move to adverbs, with examples, types of adverbs and also how adverbs compare with adjectives.
Listening Exercise: Ruth B. Lost Boy
Adverbs
An adverb modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb
- adverbs often end in -ly.
- now, always, never, sometimes
- very, often, here, too, well, quickly
- the girl ran quickly
- the cake is very tasty
- it always rains
What do Adverbs do?
Modify Verbs
- He runs fast
- Ian quickly left the room
- She spoke slowly
Modify Adjectives
- She’s really excited
- He’s happily married
- The elegantly designed dress is mine
Modify Other Adverbs
- He runs exceptionally fast
- Ian very quickly left the room
- She spoke extremely slowly
- She spoke softly in the library – ‘softly’ describes how she spoke (verb)
- The flower smell sweetly. – ‘sweetly’ describes how the flower smells (adjective)
- They sang loudly during the concert. – ‘loudly’ describes how they sang (verb)
- The children look happily at the puppy. – ‘happily’ describes how the children look (verb) at the puppy
- The cake tastes deliciously. – ‘deliciously’ describes how the cake tastes (adjective)
Types of Adverbs
WHEN
- now
soon
always
sometimes
previously
early
later
afterward
never
recently
WHERE
- here
there
everywhere
nowhere
across
away
inside
far
upstairs
outside
HOW
- gently
smoothly
carefully
loudly
safely
quickly
slowly
easily
fast
well
HOW OFTEN
- always
usually
often
sometimes
rarely
seldom
never
frequently
occasionally
normally
HOW MUCH
- very
too
quite
almost
nearly
absolutely
totally
completely
partially
barely
Adverb of Manner– refers to how something happens or is done.
- Mary carefully sat down.
Adverb of Time- this states “when” something happens or done.
- Time for an early bath.
Adverb of Place– this tells something about “where” something happens or is done.
- Wow! They are everywhere!
Adverb of Degree– this states the degree to which a specific thing happens or done.
- Today is very cold
adapted from https://onlymyenglish.com/types-of-adverb/
Adverbs of Degree
Interesting , more interesting
- A really interesting topic
- A very interesting topic
- An extremely interesting topic
- The extremely tasty food
- The very tasty food
- The somewhat tasty food
- The mildly tasty food
- The barely tasty food
- The almost tasty food
- The nearly tasty food
Adverbs of Time
- daily
- weekly
- annually
- nightly
- then
- now
- today
- tomorrow
- frequently
- ever
- always
- sometimes
- soon
- early
- already
- before
adapted from https://promova.com/english-grammar/english-adverbs-list
Relative Adverbs
- Question Where did you grow up?
- Adverb Europe is where I grew up
- ‘relates’ Europe to I grew up
- Question When did you learn English?
- Adverb I learnt English when I was a child
- ‘relates’ learnt English to a child
- Question Why do you like to study?
- Adverb I don’t know why I just do
- ‘relates’ don’t know to just do
Adverbs vs Adjectives
- Adjective modify nouns
- Adverbs modify everything else (like verbs)
- -ly adverbs slowly, softly, nicely, happily, early
- other adverbs very, now, soon, often, never
- add –ly to an adjective to make a adverb
Adjective | slow | quick | soft | sudden | gradual |
Adverb | slowly | quickly | softly | suddenly | gradually |
Adjective + noun
- The slow turtle
- The quick hare
- The soft bed
- The sudden move
- The gradual change
Verb + Adverb
- He ran slowly
- She ran quickly
- She spoke softly
- I moved suddenly
- He moved gradually
Adverb + Adjective
- The dog is really cute
- He was very hungry
- It was truly funny
- They were simply great
- It was badly damaged
- The ice cream was so tasty
More practice? Return to the main page of parts of speech to find out about other exercises ans worksheets.