549. ADVERB

ADVERB

 

An adverb adds to a verb. In other words, an adverb describes, modifies or provides more information about a verb in a sentence. So, if you said "I am going to quickly run to the store," the adverb in that sentence (quickly) would be modifying the verb run.

Adverbs can be confused with adjectives, which also modify things. However, adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. If you said "I have a nice dog," dog is the noun which is being modified by the adjective nice. On the other hand, if you said that "My dog behaves nicely," behaves would be the adverb modifying the verb.

In addition to verbs, adverbs also modify adjectives and other adverbs. So, when you say "I have the most beautiful dog," the dog is the noun, beautiful is the adjective describing the noun, and most is the adverb describing beautiful.

Identifying Adverbs

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, there is a trend when it comes to identifying adverbs. Many, but not all adverbs, end in the letters “ly.” Luckily, this little trick makes it relatively easy to identify adverbs in sentences. However, this is not always the case, as some frequency adverbs, such as always, often, sometimes, seldom, and never, do not follow this rule. Still, it can be a good tip to help you along the way.

Accidentally                Always                         Angrily                     Anxiously

Awkwardly                 Badly                            Blindly                     Boastfully

Boldly                         Bravely                         Brightly                    Cheerfully

Coyly                          Crazily                          Defiantly                  Deftly

Deliberately                 Devotedly                     Doubtfully               Dramatically-

Dutifully                     Eagerly                         Elegantly                  Enormously

Evenly                         Eventually                    Exactly                     Faithfully

Finally                         Foolishly                       Fortunately               Frantically

Frequently                   Gleefully                       Gracefully                Happily

Hastily                         Honestly                       Hopelessly                Hourly

      Hungrily                      Innocently                    Inquisitively             Irritably

Jealously                      Justly                            Kindly                      Lazily

Loosely                       Madly                           Merrily                     Mortally

Mysteriously               Nervously                     Never                       Obediently

Obnoxiously                Occasionally                 Often                        Only

Perfectly                      Politely                         Poorly                       Powerfully

Promptly                     Quickly                         Rapidly                    Rarely

Really                          Regularly                      Rudely                     Safely

Seldom                        Selfishly                        Seriously                  Shakily

Sharply                        Silently                         Slowly                      Solemnly

Sometimes                   Speedily                        Steadily                    Sternly

Technically                  Tediously                      Tenderly                   Terrifically

Tightly                         Totally                          Tremendously          Unexpectedly        

Usually                        Victoriously                  Vivaciously              Warmly

Wearily                        Weekly                         Wildly                      Yearly