Defining an adverb
An adverb is a word that adds something to the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Examples:
Rita danced beautifully.
Today is a very hot day.
They faced the situation quite confidently.
All the words above printed in bold letters are adverbs.
In sentence 1, the adverb 'beautifully' adds to the meaning of the verb'danced'. It tells how Rita danced
In sentence 2 ,the adverb'very' tells us more about the adjective 'hot'.
In sentence 3,the adverb 'quite' tells us more about another adverb'confidently'
Adverbs are of six kinds:
1. Adverb of Manner. It tells how an action is performed. Example: He walked fast.
2. Adverb of Place: It tells where an action is performed. Example: We sat there.
3.Adverb of Time. It shows when an cation is performed. Example:They came late
.
4. Adverb of frequency. It tells us how often or frequently an action is done. Example:We go for the morning walk regularly.
5. Adverb of Degree: It tells us how much or in what degree an action is done.Example: The petrol tank is almost full.
6. Interrogative Adverbs: It is used to ask question. Example: Why is the train late? When did the train arrive?
Sometimes , an adverb can modify the whole sentence:
Luckily, he was not much hurt.
Exercise- 1:
Underline the adverbs and mention their kinds:
1.The officer asked the clerks to finish the work immediately.
2.The thief ran fast.
3.They went to the circus yesterday.
4.We should never disobey the rules.
5.They agreed to the plan quite happily.
Formation Of Adverbs.
1. Most adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding-ly:
polite- politely lazy- lazily loving- lovingly bitter- bitterly etc.
2.Some adverbs have exactly the same form as adjective:
Adjective Adverb
a late lunch He worked late at the office.
a fast runner I ran fast
( early, late, hard, long, short, fast , straight, and daily are common forms that have the same form as an adjective and an adverb)
3. Sometimes when we form an adverb by adding-ly to an adjective, we get an adverb with quite a different meaning. So we get two adverbs with two different meanings:
They work hard.
They hardly work hard.
She got late.
I have not met her lately.( recently)
He went direct to his mother.( straight)
The doctor will see you directly. ( soon)
Exercise 2
Form adverbs from the following words:
'usual-
skillful-
simple-
angry-
real-
Position of Adverbs
1.Adverbs of manner, place and time are placed after the verb if the verb is intransitive and after the object if the verb is transitive:
The runner ran fast.
We took this decision yesterday.
2. For emphasis, Adverbs of Time may also be placed in the beginning of the sentence:
We went to the cinema yesterday.
Yesterday we went to cinema .
3. (a) Adverbs of frequency (always, sometimes, often etc.),
(b) Adverbs of degree (almost, nearly, quite, just, etc.), and
(c) sometimes adverbs of manner are placed
(i) after the verb if the verb is is/are/am/was/were:
He is often absent from the office.
They were quite in time for the match.
(ii) between the subject and the verb if the verb consists of one word:
Mona never forgot to send me new year greetings.
My uncle nearly lost his life in the war.
(iii) after the first word if the verb consists of more than one word:
We should never disobey the rules.
The train has just arrived .
(iv) before the verbs have to and used to:
They often had to work on Sundays.
Ram always used to visit me during the summer vacation.
4. When an adverb modifies an adjective or another adverb, it is placed before the adjective or the adverb:
The girl looked very beautiful.
They agreed to the decision quite happily.
5. But the adverb enough is always placed after the word it modifies:
Ramona is intelligent enough to understand the problem.
The manager spoke loud enough to be heard by everybody.
6. The word only should be placed immediately before the word it modifies. Notice how in the following sentences the meaning changes on changing the position of the word only:
Only she promised to give me books.(only she and nobody else)
She only promised to give me books.(promised but didn't give up)
She promised to give me only books ( books and nothing else)
Q) Exercise 1-
Insert the adverbs given in the brackets in their normal position:
1. The child can speak English. (fluently)
2. We were in time for the quiz show.(just)
3. Though she is very young, she sang well. (fairly)
4. We used to dine out on Saturday evenings. (always)
Correct use of some adverbs
1.Fairly, rather
a) Both fairly and rather mean moderately. Fairly is used with favorable adjectives and adverbs ( clever,wise, intelligent) etc.; rather is used with the unfavorable ones( foolish, ugly, etc.):
This boy is fairly clever for his age.
He did fairly well in the exam
That dress is rather costly.
They are fairly rich but their relatives are rather poor.
b) Some words ( like hot, cold, slow, high, low) in themselves are neither favorable nor unfavorable. In these cases fairly suggests the idea of approval, rather that of disapproval:
This tea is fairly hot.(I like it that way)
This tea is rather hot. ( I don't want it that hot)
2) Very, much
a) We use very with adjectives or adverbs in the positive degree, much with the comparative degree:
He is a very intelligent boy.
Today she is looking much weaker than usual.
b) Very is used with present participles, much with past participles:
She is very attractive.
Her hand writing is much praised.
The young man was very bold.
He was much loved by his parents.
We do not use very with words like afraid, obliged, alike: we use much with them:
She was much obliged to you for your help.
The siblings are much alike.
3) Too
a) The word too suggests excess of some kind,more than what is desirable, natural, or proper. It should not be used instead of very or much:
Do not say: It is too hot today. Say: It is very hot today.
Do not say: It is too good. Say: It is very good.
b) Too generally has a negative sense and is then followed by an infinitive:
Beena is too tired to walk further. (Beena is so tired that she cannot walk further.)
c) However it is correct to say: She talks too much. This sentence means: She talks more than she should.
Similarly, it is correct to say: He takes things too seriously. This sentence means: He takes things more seriously than he should.
4) Enough
Enough means sufficient. It is always used in the positive sense. It is placed after the adjective or adverb but before a noun:
Aanya is old enough to go alone.
He ran fast enough to overtake me.
There is enough food for both of us.
5) Quite
With adjectives that do not have a comparative and superlative degree, quite means completely, entirely, fully. It does not mean very:
Mona is quite right. (Mona is fully right.)
It is quite impossible. (absolutely impossible.)
With other adjectives, or adverbs, quite means to a fairly great extent, to a greater extent than average:
He sings quite well.
She speaks English quite fluently.
