What do adverbs do

To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect. Playwright Oscar Wilde The adverb "thoroughly" modifies the adjective "modern. Burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee The adverb "very" modifies the adverb "slowly.

Adverbs commonly come as phrases i. Below are some examples of multi-word adverbs. This list also includes adverbs of condition, adverbs of concession, and adverbs of reason. Type Examples Adverb of Manner. An adverb of manner often starts with a preposition e. Money speaks, but it speaks with a male voice. Author Andrea Dworkin This is called a prepositional phrase. It's also an adverbial phrase.

People who say they sleep like a baby does usually don't have one. Psychologist Leo J. Burke Adverb of Time. An adverb of time often starts with a preposition or one of the following subordinating conjunctions: "after," "as," "as long as," "as soon as," "before," "no sooner than," "since," "until," "when," or "while.

Italian proverb Adverb of Place. An adverb of place often starts with a preposition or one of the following subordinating conjunctions: "anywhere," "everywhere," "where," or "wherever. Ed Gardner Some cause happiness wherever they go ; others whenever they go. An adverb of degree often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: "than," "as Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are.

Writer Julius Charles Hare Read more about comparatives of adverbs like "more cleverly". Adverbs of Condition. An adverb of condition tells us the condition needed before the main idea comes into effect.

An adverb of condition often starts with "if" or "unless. Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein Age doesn't matter, unless you're a cheese. Filmmaker Luis Bunuel Adverbs of Concession. An adverb of concession contrasts with the main idea.

An adverb of concession often starts with a subordinating conjunction like "though," "although," "even though," "while," "whereas," or "even if. Comedian Dave Barry A loud voice cannot compete with a clear voice, even if it's a whisper.

An adverb of reason gives a reason for the main idea. An adverb of reason usually starts with a subordinating conjunction like "as," "because," "given," or "since. Comedian Paula Poundstone Since we cannot change reality , let us change the eyes which see reality. Here are some examples of adverbs of degree: My calculus homework is very difficult. Nick thinks English history is pretty interesting. Carrie almost always arrives early to dinner.

My mom occasionally lets us order dinner. Patrick always watches television after work. Adverbs of Manner Adverbs of manner describe how something happens. Here are some examples: The dog barks loudly. The students shrieked excitedly. The school emptied quickly.

Adverbs of Time As you can probably tell from their name, adverbs of time tell when something happened or when it will happen. I have to go to work tomorrow. We stayed inside and watched television all day. Adverbs of Place Adverbs of place tell where something happens. Here are some examples: We went outside to play basketball.

My sister ran downstairs to look for her shoes. When my mom got home, she lay down. Which word tells me when something happened? Which word tells me where something happened?

Which word tells me in what something happened? Notice that you can remove all of these adverbs without affecting the meaning of the sentences. For example, "The dog ate his dinner" still makes sense.

However, adding the adverb "messily" to make "The dog messily ate his dinner" provides the reader with a more vivid picture. You'll find adverbs in three different places in a sentence or clause, depending on which type of adverb they are.

Adverb positions include:. Most adverbs are in the end position of a phrase, clause or sentence, as they follow the words that they modify. Sentence adverbs, conjunctive adverbs and time adverbs often appear in the initial position, while adverbs meant to focus on an action appear in the middle of the sentence.

Since adverbs and adjectives both modify other words, people often mistakenly use an adjective when they should use an adverb and vice versa. The first sentence is incorrect because "bad" is an adjective being used to describe "behaved," which is a verb.

Changing "bad" to the adverb "badly" correctly describes the verb. However, this is not always the case:. Linking verbs such as "feel" are followed by adjectives, not adverbs. That's because linking verbs aren't technically showing the action of the sentence; they're simply linking the subject of the sentence "I" to the subject complement "bad".

Another common adverb vs. Once you get the hang of these differences, you'll rarely make these types of errors. If you'd like to test your adverb knowledge, check out these challenge opportunities! They're great for learning adverbs for the first time or for a quick grammar refresher. No matter which one you choose, you'll have a chance to practice these important words. You'll know what an adverb is, and how to use it properly!

Adverbs make nouns and modifiers even more specific. While adverbs are a great way to make your writing more descriptive and vivid, you don't want to lean on them too much.

Why was he so late? How did they get here? This is the house where I grew up. They go to bed when they want to. She wondered why the door was open.

Unfortunately, Friday will be cloudy. Friday, unfortunately, will be cloudy. Friday will be cloudy, unfortunately. Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Adjectives and adverbs were as precious to her as cashmere and silk. First Known Use of adverb Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined above Adjective , in the meaning defined above. Learn More About adverb. Time Traveler for adverb The first known use of adverb was in the 14th century See more words from the same century.

Watch More on adverb. From the Editors at Merriam-Webster. Should You Never Use Adverbs? And if so, what about 'never'? Phrases Related to adverb sentence adverb.