Adverbs

Adverbs

Frequency, manner, degree, comparison

The complete guide

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Adverbs: what are they?

An adverb is a word that modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or even a whole sentence.

Let's identify the adverbs in these sentences:

• He sings loudly.
• Tom is very tall.
• The race finished too quickly.
• Fortunately, I brought an umbrella.

WATCH OUT! Adverbs often end in -ly, but some (such as fast) look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts.

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Adverbs: Types

There are many types of adverbs, but we are going to focus on three types:

Frequency

Manner

Degree

Comparison

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Adverbs: frequency

Frequency adverbs describe how often an action happens. There are six main adverbs of frequency that we use in English:

always - usually/normally - often - sometimes - rarely - never

I always watch film on the weekends.

How often do you watch films?

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Adverbs of frequency: practice

What do you usually do on Saturday nights?How often do you see your best friend? Do you ever go to the theatre? How often do you play sport or go to the gym? Do you ever watch films or TV programmes in English? What time do you usually go to bed? How often do you eat at a restaurant? Are you sometimes late for work or school?

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Adverbs: manner

Adverbs of manner are usually formed from adjectives by adding –ly to an adjective:

bad > badly quiet > quietly slow > slowly careful > carefully

but sometimes there are changes in spelling:

easy > easily gentle > gently

• After the verb: He spoke angrily.
• After the object: He opened the door quietly.

Where do I place them?

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Adverbs: manner

IRREGULAR ADVERBS OF MANNER (no añado -ly)

good > well hard > hard fast > fast late > late early > early wrong > wrong straight > straight

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Adverbs: degree

Degree adverbs are used to show the intensity or degree of something.

Very close to/not completely

Negative

Very much

• Nearly
• Quite
• Fairly
• Quite
• Rather
• Pretty

• Very

• Really
• Extremely

• At all (para nada)
• Scarcely (casi no)

• Before adjectives: He is very tall.
• Before verbs: I could scarcely hear her.
• Before adverbs: I ate quite quickly.

Where do I place them?

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Adverbs: comparison

Adverbs like adjectives, can have comparative and superlative forms. Comparative adverbs are used to compare the degree or intensity of an action or state between two things. Superlative adverbs, on the other hand, are used to compare the degree or intensity of an action or state among three or more things, expressing the highest or lowest degree.

t's important to understand that not all adverbs can form a comparative degree. Only gradable adverbs, which denote a quality that can have different degrees of intensity, can be used in a comparative degree. For example, 'slowly' is a gradable adverb, as one can walk slowly, very slowly, or extremely slowly. However, some adverbs like 'really', 'completely', and 'totally' are non-gradable adverbs. They do not denote a quality that can have different degrees of intensity, and therefore cannot be used to make comparisons.

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Adverbs: comparison

Superlative (no se usa THE)

Comparative

1 syllable: add ...-est

1 syllable: add -er than

fast → fastest hard → hardest late → latest low → lowest near → nearest high → highest

fast → faster hard → harder late → later low → lower near → nearer high → higher

2+ syllables: add more ... than

2+ syllables: add most ...

carefully → more carefully happily → more happily slowly → more slowly quickly → more quickly beautifully → more beautifully

carefully → most carefully happily → most happily slowly → most slowly quickly → most quickly beautifully → most beautifully

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Adverbs of comparison: examples

I forget things more often nowadays. She began to speak more quickly. They are working harder now. I plan my attacks more carefully than you. I move faster than you. I plan most carefully. I feel saddest when I'm alone. Claire dances more elegantly. Paul writes more diplomatically than Erika. The chairman spoke most convincingly of all. Pete acted most sociably. The goat can see better than you think. Try to paint the edges more carefully. It will save time later. John tries harder than most in the class, but he has no aptitude for languages. I have found that the office runs best with the radio on and the heating down. She answered most abruptly. The gift is most gratefully received.

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So.. what's the difference?

Let's take a look at a whatsapp conversation

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You made it!

Now it's time for you to practice

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Kids

A2

B1

B2

Name someone who...

Rule of thumb

We use them with present simple, and there is only one rule you need to follow:

If the verb in the sentence is not the verb to be or a modal verb (like can), place the adverb before the verb.

There are always lots of people in the city centre.My friends are never on time. We can usually find a seat in the train.

Did you know...?

If an adjective already ends in -ly, we use the phrase "in a …. way" to express manner: Silly: He behaved in a silly way. Friendly: She spoke in a friendly way.

Irregular adverbs

Good - well - the best Badly - worse - the worst Far - further/farther - the furthest/farthest

Questions

To make questions about frequency, we normally use ‘How often…?’. For example: How often do you watch films? But it’s also possible to ask questions simply with an adverb of frequency. For example: Does she always work so hard? Do they ever pay on time? (‘ever’ instead of ‘never’ for questions). It measn "alguna vez".