Adverbs for Dummies

By Bailey Tuss

Adverbs

Adverbs tell how, where, when, and to what extent (how much).

 

An adverb that tells how usually modifies or goes back to the verb/verb phrase.

 

The ice cream swiftly fell to the pavement.

 

Swiftly tells how the ice cream fell.

 

Most adverbs that tell how end in ly.

Good or Well?

Good is an adjective.

Well is an adverb.

 

Examples:

They are good singers.

 

They sing well.

Well tells  how they sing.

 

Wrong: They sing good.

Correct: They are well singers.

Adverbs that tell where

An adverb that tells where usually modifies the verb/verb phrase.

 

He looked up at the sapphire sky.

 

Up tells where he looked.

 

Some words that can be either a preposition or an adverb. Some examples are:

In, inside, around, up, out, outside, near, and down.

Adverbs that tell when

An adverb that tells when usually modifies the verb/verb phrase.

 

Tina left her house really early.

 

Early tells when she left her house.

Adverbs that tell to what extent

An adverb that tells to what extent usually modifies the verb/verb phrase.

 

The puppy is extremely muddy.

 

Extremely tells to what extent muddy the puppy is.

 

Some adverbs that tell to what extent end in ly and some don't.

Adverb or Preposition?

A list of words that serve as both a preposition or an adverb that tells where:

Above, across, after, around, before, down, up, in, out, inside, outside, and over.

 

Any word in the preposition list that does not have a noun or pronoun following it will be an adverb.

 

 

Degrees of Adverbs

The comparative  form compares two thing.

 

The superlative form compares three or more things.

 

"Bill runs faster than I." This is comparative because Bill and I are being compared.

 

"Of the four, Bill runs fastest." This is superlative because it's comparing four people.

Comparative

1. Add er to most one-syllable adverbs

fast/faster

2. Place more before  most two-syllable adverbs.

favorably/ more favorably

3. Some adverbs totally change form.

well/ better

 

Wrong: He runs most faster.

Correct: He runs faster.

Superlative

1. Add est to most one-syllable adverbs.

fast/ fastest

2. Place most before many two-syllable adverbs.

slowly/ most slowly

3. Some adverbs totally change form.

well/ best

 

Wrong: He runs most fastest.

Correct: He runs the fastest.

Double Negatives

No, not, never, none, no one, nobody, nothing, scarcely, and hardly are considered negative words. DO NOT use these in an independent clause.

 

Correct: I could hardly see.

Wrong: I couldn't hardly see.

 

Correct: I do not want anything.

Wrong:I do not want nothing.

Easy Grammar®: Plus Student Workbook

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