Adverb – basic information and gradation of adverbs
ADVERBS’ DIVISION
An adverb is a part of speech answering questions: How? When? Where?
An adverb describes a verb and adjective, should not be mistaken for adjective describing a noun.
TYPES OF ADVERB:
Adverb of manner
Questions: How? In what way?
well, slowly, carefully
Adverb of place
Questions: Where? From where?downstairs, upstairs, there, everywhere
Adverb of time
Questions: When? How long?
soon, still, yesterday, now
Adverb of frequency
Question: How frequently?
always, usually, often, never
Adverb of degree
Questions: How much? In what degree?
very, rather, really, quite
Adverb of probability
Question: With or what probability?
maybe, certainly, probably, surely
Below are examples of using different adverbs in sentences:
Tina drives carefully.
He’s gone upstairs.
Where were you yesterday?
I’ve never been to Japan.
The film was quite good.
He’s probably right.
FORMATION OF THE ADVERBS
Most adverbs of manner and some adverbs of degree and probability are created by adding an ending -ly to the adjective:
bad – badly
quiet – quietly
sudden – suddenly
Sometimes little changes in spelling can appear:
y ily
happy – happily
lazy – lazily
ic ically
automatic – automatically
fanatic – fanatically
le ly
sensible-sensibly
probable-probably
l lly
beautiful – beautifully
careful – carefully
The finale -e is usually kept:
extreme – extremely
safe – safely
When an adjective ends with -ly then adding another the same ending is impossible.
friendly – in a friendly way
COMPARISON OF ADVERBS
Comparison of adverbs is similar to the comparison of adjectives. We compare adverbs by adding an ending -er/ -est or in a descriptive way of using more and most.
SHORT ADVERBS
Monosyllabic adverbs and an exception adverb “early“ create comparative and superlative by adding an ending -er/ -est.
hard – harder – the hardest
early – earlier – the earliest
I work harder than you.
Oh, you are earlier at work than usual.
DESCRIPTIVE COMPARISON
Disyllabic or more syllabic adverbs are compared by adding more and most.
carefully – more carefully – the most carefully
happily – more happily – the most happily
