How to Use Adverbs Correctly: 5 Types of Adverbs

An adverb is a part of speech that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Many, but not all, adverbs end in the suffix “-ly.” Common adverbs often explain how or to what degree an action was performed.

Adverbs function in the English language by modifying three parts of speech: verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They can also modify prepositions and prepositional phrases. The following sentences display these adverbial functions.

1. 1. Adverbs modify verbs. "Penny looked up abruptly at the sound of her name." In this sentence, "abruptly" is an adverb modifying the verb phrase "looked up."
2. 2. Adverbs modify adjectives. "The strikingly clear lake glistened in the morning sunlight." In this sentence, "strikingly" is an adverb describing the degree of the adjective "clear."
3. 3. Adverbs modify other adverbs. "She read the instructions very carefully." In this sentence, "very" is an adverb modifying the other adverb "carefully," which itself modifies the verb "read."
4. 4. Adverbs modify prepositional phrases. "The shot landed far out of bounds." In this sentence, "far" is an adverb modifying the prepositional phrase "out of bounds."
5. 5. Adverbs modify entire sentences. “Unfortunately, Jimmy forgot the onions.” In this sentence, the adverb “unfortunately” is changing the meaning of the rest of the sentence.

Adverbs and adjectives modify other parts of speech. However, they do not modify the same parts of speech.

• Adverbs modify many parts of speech. The English language permits using adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They can also modify prepositions and prepositional phrases.
• Adjectives modify nouns. Under the rules of English grammar, adjectives only modify one part of speech: nouns.

Many kinds of adverbs exist in the English language, and they perform different functions. Study these five types and specific examples of adverbs and apply them to your own writing.

1. 1. Adverbs of manner: These types of adverbs explain how something is done. Examples include “rapidly,” “patiently,” “deliberately,” and “masterfully.”
2. 2. Adverbs of place: Adverbs of place explain where something happens or exists. Examples include “upstairs,” “downstairs,” “over there,” and “underwater.” Although they may seem similar, adverbs of place are not the same as prepositions. Prepositions like “into,” “over,” and “up” describe the relationship between two words—often two nouns. Adverbs of place describe where an action happened.
3. 3. Adverbs of frequency: An adverb of frequency explains how often something happens. Examples include “often,” “rarely,” “always,” and “like clockwork.”
4. 4. Adverbs of time: Adverbs of time explain when something happens. Examples include “tomorrow,” “already,” “next month,” “now,” and “ago.”
5. 5. Adverbs of emphasis: These kinds of adverbs serve as intensifiers by describing the degree of an action verb, a linking verb, an adjective, or an adverb. Examples include “certainly,” “obviously,” and “really.”

The following examples demonstrate the proper use of adverbs in English grammar. Note the various adverb positions and sentence structures that are possible.

• Adverb at the beginning of a sentence, modifying the whole sentence: "Clearly, my teacher needed spring break more than I did."
• Adverb at the end of a sentence, modifying a verb: "She asked me to help, and I did so gladly."
• Adverb in the middle of a sentence, modifying an adjective: "Gabe was mesmerized by the shiny red sports car."
• Adverb in the comparative form, comparing two things: "I think green curry tastes better than red curry."
• Adverbs in the superlative form, comparing three or more things: "I think she sings the most clearly of everyone on the record."

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