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ADVERBS - FUNCTION

Adverbs modify, or tell us more bout ot!er "ords, usu lly verbs#

Examples

The bus moved slowly. The bears ate greedily. bout d$e%tives#

Sometimes t!ey tell us more

Examples

You look absolutely fabulous! dverbs#

T!ey % & lso modify ot!er

Examples

She played the violin extremely well. You're speaking too quietly.

ADVERBS# 'o"
Rules
1. In most ases! an Ad$e%tive heap qui k slow

dverbs

re formed

dverb is formed by adding '-ly' to an Adverb heaply qui kly slowly

d$e%tive"

Examples:

Time goes quickly. #e walked slowly to the door. She certainly had an interesting life. #e carefully pi ked up the sleeping hild.

Rules
If the ad$e tive ends in '-y'! repla e the 'y' with 'i' and add '-ly'" Ad$e%tive easy angry happy lu ky Adverb easily angrily happily lu kily

If the ad$e tive ends in -'able', '-ible', or '-le', repla e the '-e' with '-y'" Ad$e%tive probable terrible gentle If the ad$e tive ends in '-ic'! add '-ally'" Ad$e%tive basi e onomi tragi %ote" &' eption" public - publicly (. Some adverbs have the s me form as the ad$e tive" Ad$e%tive early fast hard high )ompare" &d Adverb late near straight wrong Adverb basi ally e onomi ally tragi ally Adverb probably terribly gently

It is a fast ar. #e drives very fast. This is a hard e'er ise. #e works hard. *e saw many high buildings. The bird flew high in the sky. +. (Well( and (good( (Well' is the adverb that orresponds to the ad$e tive 'good'.

Examples:

#e is a good student. #e studies well. She is a good pianist. She plays the piano well. They are good swimmers. They swim well.

Adverbs# Com) r tive * Su)erl tive


Rule
In general! omparative and superlative forms of adverbs are the same as for ad$e tives"

Adverb hard late fast

add -er or -est to short adverbs" Com) r tive harder later faster Su)erl tive the hardest the latest the fastest

Example:

,im works harder than his brother. &veryone in the ra e ran fast! but ,ohn ran the fastest of all.

Rule
*ith adverbs ending in -ly, use more for the omparative and most for the superlative" Adverb quietly slowly seriously Com) r tive more quietly more slowly more seriously Su)erl tive most quietly most slowly most seriously

Example:

The tea her spoke more slowly to help us to understand. )ould you sing more quietly please-

Rule
Some adverbs have irregular omparative forms" Adverb badly Com) r tive worse Su)erl tive worst

far little well

farther further less better

farthest furthest least best

Example:

The little boy ran further than his friends. You're driving worse today than yesterday !

BE CAREFU+, Sometimes 'most' an mean '!ery'"

*e were most grateful for your help I am most impressed by this appli ation.

-INDS OF ADVERBS

"#$ER%& '( )"**ER


Rule
.dverbs of manner tell us !o" something happens. They are usually pla ed m i& verb or fter t!e ob$e%t. fter t!e

Examples:

#e swims well, /after the main verb0 #e ran... rapidly, slowly, quickly.. She spoke... softly, loudly, aggressi!ely.. ,ames oughed loudly to attra t her attention. #e plays the flute beautifully. /after the ob$e t0 #e ate the ho olate ake greedily.

%E +"RE(,-.
The adverb should &ot be put bet"ee& the verb and the ob$e t"

Examples

#e ate greedily the ho olate ake /i&%orre%t0 #e ate the ho olate ake greedily /%orre%t0

Rule
If there is a )re)ositio& before the ob$e t! e.g. at, towards! we an pla e the adverb either before the preposition or after the ob$e t.

Examples

The hild ran happily towards his mother. The hild ran towards his mother happily.

Rule
Sometimes an adverb of manner is pla ed before a verb 1 ob$e t to add emphasis"

Examples

#e gently woke the sleeping woman. Some writers put an adverb of manner at the beginning of the senten e to at h our attention and make us urious"

Examples

&lowly she pi ked up the knife.

Rule
/*e want to know what happened slowly! who did it slowly! why they did it slowly0 #owever! adverbs should always ome AFTER i&tr &sitive verbs /2verbs whi h have no ob$e t0.

Examples

The town grew quickly #e waited patiently .lso! these ommon adverbs are almost always pla ed AFTER t!e verb#

well badly hard fast

Rule
The position of the adverb is important when there is more than one verb in a senten e. If the adverb is pla ed after a clause, then it modifies the "!ole %tio& des ribed by the lause. %oti e the differen e in meaning between the following pairs of senten es"

She quickly agreed to re3type the letter She agreed to re3type the letter quickly #e quietly asked me to leave the house #e asked me to leave the house quietly

/2 /2 /2 /2

her agreement was qui k0 the re3typing was qui k0 his request was quiet0 the leaving was quiet0

"#$ER%& '( )"**ER


Rule
.dverbs of manner tell us !o" something happens. They are usually pla ed m i& verb or fter t!e ob$e%t. fter t!e

Examples:

#e swims well, /after the main verb0 #e ran... rapidly, slowly, quickly.. She spoke... softly, loudly, aggressi!ely.. ,ames oughed loudly to attra t her attention. #e plays the flute beautifully. /after the ob$e t0 #e ate the ho olate ake greedily.

%E +"RE(,-.
The adverb should &ot be put bet"ee& the verb and the ob$e t"

Examples

#e ate greedily the ho olate ake /i&%orre%t0 #e ate the ho olate ake greedily /%orre%t0

Rule
If there is a )re)ositio& before the ob$e t! e.g. at, towards! we an pla e the adverb either before the preposition or after the ob$e t.

Examples

The hild ran happily towards his mother. The hild ran towards his mother happily.

Rule
Sometimes an adverb of manner is pla ed before a verb 1 ob$e t to add emphasis"

Examples

#e gently woke the sleeping woman. Some writers put an adverb of manner at the beginning of the senten e to at h our attention and make us urious"

Examples

&lowly she pi ked up the knife.

Rule
/*e want to know what happened slowly! who did it slowly! why they did it slowly0 #owever! adverbs should always ome AFTER i&tr &sitive verbs /2verbs whi h have no ob$e t0.

Examples

The town grew quickly #e waited patiently .lso! these ommon adverbs are almost always pla ed AFTER t!e verb#

well badly hard fast

Rule
The position of the adverb is important when there is more than one verb in a senten e. If the adverb is pla ed after a clause, then it modifies the "!ole %tio& des ribed by the lause. %oti e the differen e in meaning between the following pairs of senten es"

She quickly agreed to re3type the letter She agreed to re3type the letter quickly #e quietly asked me to leave the house #e asked me to leave the house quietly

/2 /2 /2 /2

her agreement was qui k0 the re3typing was qui k0 his request was quiet0 the leaving was quiet0

Adverbs of Time
ADVERBS OF TI1E "d!erbs of /ime
.dverbs of time tell us when an a tion happened! but also for how long! and how often.

Examples

2!e&# today, yesterday, later, now, last year For !o" lo&3# all day, not long, for a while, since last year 'o" ofte&# sometimes, frequently, never, often, yearly 42!e&4 adverbs are usually pla ed at the end of the senten e"

Examples

4oldilo ks went to the 5ears' house yesterday. I'm going to tidy my room tomorrow. This is a 6neutral6 position! but some 0when0 adverbs an be put in other positions to give a different emphasis )ompare"

-ater 4oldilo ks ate some porridge. /the time is more important0 4oldilo ks later ate some porridge. /this is more formal! like a poli eman's report0 4oldilo ks ate some porridge later. /this is neutral! no parti ular emphasis0 4For !o" lo&34 adverbs are usually pla ed at the end of the senten e"

Examples

She stayed in the 5ears' house all day. 7y mother lived in 8ran e for a year. %oti e" 'for' is always followed by an e'pression of duration"

Examples

for for for for three days, a week, se!eral years, two centuries.

'since' is always followed by an e'pression of a point in time:

Examples

since )onday, since 1223, since the last war4 4'o" ofte&4 adverbs e'pressing the frequency of an a tion are usually pla ed before the main verb but after au'iliary verbs /su h as be, have, may, must)"

Examples

I often eat vegetarian food. /before the main verb0 #e ne!er drinks milk. /before the main verb0 You must always fasten your seat belt. /after the au'iliary must0 She is ne!er sea3si k./after the au'iliary is0 I have ne!er forgotten my first kiss. /after the au'iliary have and before the main verb forgotten0 Some other 0how often0 adverbs e'press the exact number of times an a tion happens and are usually pla ed at the end of the senten e"

Examples

This maga9ine is published monthly. #e visits his mother once a week. *hen a frequency adverb is pla ed at the end of a senten e it is mu h stronger. )ompare"

She regularly visits 8ran e. She visits 8ran e regularly. .dverbs that an be used in these two positions"

frequently, generally, normally, occasionally, often, regularly, sometimes, usually '5et' and 'still' 5et is used in questions and in negative senten es! and is pla ed se&te&%e or fter not. t t!e e&d of t!e

Examples

#ave you finished your work yet6 /2 a simple request for information0 %o! not yet4/2 simple negative answer0 They haven't met him yet4 /2 simple negative statement0 #aven't you finished yet6 /2 e'pressing slight surprise0 &till e'presses ontinuity: it is used in positive senten es and questions! and is pla edbefore t!e m i& verb and fter u5ili ry verbs /su h as be, have, might, will)

Examples

I am still hungry. She is still waiting for you .re you still here;o you still work for the 55)-

'R#ER '( "#$ER%& '( /7)E


If you need to use more than one adverb of time at the end of a senten e! use them in this order" 1" 'how long' (" 'how often' +" 'when' /think of 'lo"'0

Example:

1 ( 1 1 year. 1 1 1 1 ( + + ( " I work /10 for fi!e hours /(0 e!ery day " The maga9ine was published /(0 weekly /+0 last year. " I was abroad /10 for two months /+0 last year. 1 + " She worked in a hospital /10 for two days /(0 e!ery week /+0 last

Adverbs of Cert i&ty


ADVERBS OF CERTAINT6
Adverbs of %ert i&ty e'press how ertain or sure we feel about an a tion or event.

,sage
Commo& dverbs of %ert i&ty#

certainly, definitely, probably, undoubtedly, surely

1. .dverbs of ertainty go before the main verb but after the verb 'to be'"

#e definitely left the house this morning. #e is probably in the park. (. *ith other au'iliary verb! these adverbs go between the au'iliary and the main verb"

#e has certainly forgotten the meeting. #e will probably remember tomorrow. +. Sometimes these adverbs an be pla ed at the beginning of the senten e"

,ndoubtedly! *inston )hur hill was a great politi ian. 5& ).<&8=>! with surely4 *hen it is pla ed at the beginning of the senten e! it means the speaker thinks something is true! but is looking for onfirmation"

&urely you've got a bi y le-

Adverbs of De3ree

"#$ER%& '( #E8REE


,sage

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.dverbs of degree tell us about the intensity or degree of an a tion! an ad$e tive or another adverb. )ommon adverbs of degree" "lmost, nearly, quite, 9ust, too, enough, hardly, scarcely, completely, !ery, extremely4 Adverbs of de3ree re usu lly )l %ed#

1.
(.

before the ad$e tive or adverb they are modifying" e.g. The water was extremely cold. before the main verb" e.g. #e was 9ust leaving. She has almost finished.

Examples

She doesn't quite know what she'll do after university. They are completely e'hausted from the trip. I am too tired to go out tonight. #e hardly noti ed what she was saying. E&ou3!, very, too &nough as an adverb meaning 'to the ne essary degree' goes after ad$e tives and adverbs.

Examples

Is your offee hot enough- /ad$e tive0 #e didn't work hard enough. /adverb0 It also goes before nouns! and means 'as mu h as is ne essary'. In this ase it is not an adverb! but a 'determiner'.

Examples

*e have enough bread. They don't have enough food. Too as an adverb meaning 'more than is ne essary or useful' goes before ad$e tives and adverbs! e.g.

This offee is too hot. /ad$e tive0 #e works too hard. /adverb0 E&ou3! and too with ad$e tives an be followed by 'for someone/something'.

Examples

The dress was big enough for me. She's not e'perien ed enough for this $ob. The offee was too hot for me.

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The dress was too small for her. *e an also use 'to + infinitive' after e&ou3! and too with ad$e tives?adverb.

Examples

The offee was too hot to drink. #e didn't work hard enough to pass the e'am. She's not old enough to get married. You're too young to have grand hildren! Very goes before an adverb or ad$e tive to make it stronger.

Examples

The girl was !ery beautiful. /ad$e tive0 #e worked !ery qui kly. /adverb0 If we want to make a negative form of an ad$e tive or adverb! we an use a word of opposite meaning! or not !ery.

Examples

The girl was ugly OR The girl was not !ery beautiful #e worked slowly OR #e didn't work !ery qui kly. BE CAREFU+, There is a big differen e between too and very.

Very e'presses a f %t" #e speaks !ery qui kly. Too suggests there is a )roblem" #e speaks too qui kly /for me to understand). Ot!er dverbs li7e !ery

These ommon adverbs are used like very and not very! and are listed in order of strength! from positive to negative" extremely, especially, particularly, pretty, rather, quite, fairly, rather, not especially, not particularly4 %ote" rather an be positive or negative! depending on the ad$e tive or adverb that follows" 8ositive" The tea her was rather ni e. Ne3 tive" The film was rather disappointing.

*ote on in!ersion with negati!e ad!erbs


%ormally the sub$e t goes before the verb" SUB9ECT VERB

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I She

left goes

#owever! some negative adverbs an ause an i&versio& 3 the order is reversed and the verb goes before the sub$e t

Examples

I have ne!er seen su h ourage. *e!er have I seen su h ourage. She rarely left the house. Rarely did she leave the house. %egative inversion is used in "riti&3! not in speaking. @ther adverbs and adverbial e'pressions that an be used like this" seldom, scarcely, hardly, not only 44444 but also, no sooner 44444 than, not until, under no circumstances4

I&terro3 tive Adverbs


INTERRO:ATIVE ADVERBS /hese are:
why! where, how! when They are usually pla ed at the beginning of a question4

Examples

Why are you so lateWhere is my passport:ow are you:ow mu h is that oatWhen does the train arrive%oti e that how an be used in four different ways" 1. meaning 'in what way6'"

:ow did you make this sau e:ow do you start the ar(. with ad9ecti!es"

:ow tall are you:ow old is your house+. with much and many"

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:ow mu h are these tomatoes:ow many people are oming to the partyA. with other ad!erbs"

:ow qui kly an you read this:ow often do you go to >ondon-

Rel tive Adverbs


RE+ATIVE ADVERBS Rule
The following adverbs an be used to $oin senten es or lauses. They repla e the more formal stru ture of preposition + which in a relative lause" "!ere, "!e&, "!y

Examples:

That's the restaurant where we met for the first time. /where = at/in which0 I remember the day when we first met. /when = on which0 There was a very hot summer the year when he was born. /when = in which0 Tell me /the reason0 why you were late home. /why = for which! but ould repla e the whole phrase 'the reason for which'0

Adverbs# Vie")oi&t

&d Comme&ti&3

$7EW;'7*/ "*# +'))E*/7*8 "#$ER%&


There are some adverbs and adverbial e'pressions whi h tell us about the speaker's viewpoint or opinion about an a tion! or make some omment on the a tion.

$iewpoint
(rankly! I think he is a liar. /2 this is my frank! honest opinion0 /heoretically! you should pay a fine. /2 from a theoreti al point of view but there may be another way of looking at the situation0 These adverbs are pla ed at the be3i&&i&3 of the senten e and are separated from the rest of the senten e by a omma. Some ommon Biewpoint adverbs"

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honestly, seriously, confidentially, personally, surprisingly, ideally, economically, officially, ob!iously, clearly, surely, undoubtedly4

Examples

;ersonally! I'd rather go by train. &urprisingly! this ar is heaper than the smaller model. 8eographically! 5ritain is rather ut off from the rest of &urope.

+ommenting
These are very similar to viewpoint adverbs! and often the same words! but they go in a different position 3 after the verb to be and before the main verb.

Examples

She is certainly the best person for the ob. You ob!iously en$oyed your meal. Some ommon )ommenting adverbs" definitely, certainly, ob!iously, simply4

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