ADVERBS An adverb modifies or describes a verb

ADVERBS

An adverb modifies, or describes, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. When modifying an adjective or another adverb, an adverb usually comes before the word. When modifying a verb, an adverb can occupy different positions in the sentence.

The woman walked slowly. (modifies a verb). Extremely cold weather can be dangerous. (modifies an adjective). It snows very often in November. (modifies another adverb).

An adverb may tell when, where, or how about a verb. It may also tell to what extent a quality exists. This kind of adverb is called intensifier. Very, too, rather, quite and almost are all intensifiers.

Many adverbs are formed by adding –ly to adjectives. However not all words that end in –ly are adverbs. The words friendly, lively, and lonely are usually adjectives. Similarly, not all adverbs end in –ly. Some that do not are afterward, sometimes, later, often, soon, here, there, everywhere, fast, hard, long, slow and straight.

EXERCISE People walking in rocky areas sometimes come across rattlesnakes. Some people are quite afraid of snakes. If not provoked, rattlesnakes are not very dangerous. People often find rattlesnakes in dry, rocky areas. If the temperature drops quickly, a rattlesnake can die.

People walking in rocky areas sometimes come across rattlesnakes. Some people are quite afraid of snakes. If not provoked, rattlesnakes are not very dangerous. People often find rattlesnakes in dry, rocky areas. If the temperature drops quickly, a rattlesnake can die.

Complete each sentence by writing an adverb in the spaces: 1 - People ----- assume that all Hollywood stars are ------ happy. 2 - look ------ before you cross the street. 3 - He drives ------, that’s why he made an accident yesterday. 4 - ------- try to chase or pick up a snake.

1 - People wrongly assume that all Hollywood stars are extremely happy. 2 - look carefully before you cross the street. 3 - He drives carelessly, that’s why he made an accident. 4 - Never try to chase or pick up a snake.

COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADVERBS The comparative form of an adverb compares two actions. The superlative form of an adverb compares more than two actions. Long adverbs and adverbs ending in –ly require the use of more and most. Shorter adverbs need –er and –est as an ending.

Comparative: She records the experiment more accurately than he does. Alicia studied harder than Rex did. Superlative: She recorded the experiment most accurately of all the students. Alicia studied hardest of all.

Some important adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms : Adverb comparative superlative Well better best Badly worse worst Little (amount) less least

Exercise Fill in each blank with the correct form of the adverb: Adverb comparative superlative 1 - swiftly 2 - easily 3 more rapidly 4 farther 5 best 6 - fast

Adverb 7 - neatly 89 - badly 10 - straight 1112 - often 1314 - soon 15 - comparative superlative most happily most truly more closely most fully

Adverb 1 - swiftly 2 - easily 3 - rapidly 4 - far 5 - well 6 - fast 7 - neatly 8 - happily 9 - badly comparative more swiftly more easily more rapidly farther better faster more neatly more happily worse superlative most swiftly most easily most rapidly farthest best fastest most neatly most happily worst

Adverb 10 - straight 11 - truly 12 - often 13 - closely 14 - soon 15 - fully comparative straighter more truly more often more closely sooner more fully superlative straightest most truly most often most closely soonest most fully