Adverbs

Adverbs & Types of Adverbs

Adverb of time

An adverb of time tells us when something is done or happens. We use it at the beginning or at the end of a sentence. We use it as a form of emphasis when we place it at the beginning. Adverbs of time include afterwards, already, always, immediately, last month, now, soon, then, and yesterday.

Examples:

o    He collapsed and died yesterday.

o    His factory was burned down a few months ago.

o    Last week, we were stuck in the lift for an hour.

Adverb of place

An adverb of place tells us where something is done or happens. We use it after the verb, direct object or at the end of a sentence. Adverbs of place include words such as above, below, here, outside, over there, there, under, upstairs.

Examples:

o    We can stop here for lunch.

o    The schoolboy was knocked over by a school bus.

o    They rushed for their lives when fire broke out in the floor below.

Adverb of manner

An adverb of manner tells us how something is done or happens. Most adverbs of manner end in –ly such as badly, happily, sadly, slowly, quickly, and others that include well, hard, fast..

Examples:

o    The brothers were badly injured in the fight.

o    They had to act fast to save the others floating in the water.

o    At the advanced age of 88, she still sang very well.

Adverb of degree

An adverb of degree tells us the level or extent that something is done or happens. Words of adverb of degree are almost, much, nearly, quite, really, so, too, very, etc.

Examples:

o    It was too dark for us to find our way out of the cave. (Before adjective)

o    The referee had to stop the match when it began to rain really heavily. (Before adverb)

o    Her daughter is quite fat for her age.

o    The accident victim nearly died from his injuries.

o    After all these years, she is still feeling very sad about her father’s death.

Adverb of frequency

An adverb of frequency tells us how often something is done or happens. Words used as adverbs of frequency include again, almost, always, ever, frequently, generally, hardly ever, nearly, nearly always, never, occasionally, often, rarely, seldom, sometimes, twice, usually, and weekly.

Examples:

o    They were almost fifty when they got married.

o    He hardly ever say something nice to his wife.

o    While overseas, he frequently phoned home.

o    She is not nearly always right although she thinks she is always right.

o    He complained that she never smiled back.

o    We only write to each other very occasionally.

o    Peter seldom reads the Bible.

o    Sometimes he stays late in the office to complete his work.

o    Our cat was bitten twice by the same dog.

o    The man usually proposes marriage.

Comparison of Adverbs

There are three degrees of comparison in adverbs – the Positive, the Comparative, and the Superlative. The adverbs form their comparatives and superlatives using –er and –est , and more and most. Adverbs that end in –lyuse the words more and most to form their comparatives and superlatives.

The one-syllable adverbs use --er in the comparative form, and --est in the superlative form.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
early	earlier	earliest
fast	faster	fastest
hard	harder	hardest
high	higher	highest
late	later	latest
loud	louder	loudest
near	nearer	nearest
soon	sooner	soonest

Adverbs which end in --ly or have three or more syllables each form the comparative with more and the superlative with most.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
angrily	more angrily	most angrily
brightly	more brightly	most brightly
dimly	more dimly	most dimly
freely	more freely	most freely
gladly	more gladly	most gladly
heavily	more heavily	most heavily
loudly	more loudly	most loudly
quietly	more quietly	most quietly
sweetly	more sweetly	most sweetly
terribly	more terribly	most terribly

The comparative form is used to compare two things.

Examples:

o    We must not reach there later than 7 o’clock.

o    You speak more loudly than a loudspeaker.

o    Sirius shines more brightly than all the other stars.

The superlative form is used to compare three or more things. 

Examples:

o    He arrived the earliest, so he had to wait for the others.

o    Why do you have to speak the most loudly of all at the meeting?

o    Of all the girls, your sister sang the most sweetly

It is not correct to use–er and more together, or –estand most together.

Examples:

·         Incorrect: The tree is more taller than the giraffe.
Correct:The tree is taller than the giraffe. 

·         Incorrect: This turkey is the most oldest in the farm.
Correct: This turkey is the oldest in the farm.

Examples:

o    The tree is more taller than the giraffe. (Incorrect)

o    The tree is taller than the giraffe. (Correct)

o    This turkey is the most oldest in the farm. (Incorrect)

o    This turkey is the oldest in the farm. (Correct)

Some adverbs form the comparative and the superlative irregularly.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
badly	worse (than)	worst (the)
far	farther	farthest
far	further	furthest
little	less	least
much/many	more	most
well	better	best

Examples:

o    Of the two teddy bears, which do you like better?

o    This has to be the farthest I have ever walked in my life