Adjectives ending in -ly
Some adjectives end in -ly, e.g. lively, lonely, ugly. We don’t form adverbs from these adjectives because they are not easy to pronounce. We usually reword what we want to say instead.
Don’t act in a silly way.
Not: Don’t act sillily.
She said it in a friendly way.
Not: She said it friendlily.
Adverbs not related to adjectives
Some adverbs (e.g. just, quite, so, soon, too, very) are not directly related to adjectives:
This is just what I am looking for. (just = exactly)
These cups are not quite the same. (not quite = not exactly)
Why is this road so narrow?
I look forward to seeing you soon.
That’s too expensive.
That’s a very strange story.
Gradable adverbs
Most adverbs, like most adjectives, are gradable (they can express different degrees of qualities, properties, states, conditions and relations). We can modify adverbs using other types of adverbs and comparative forms to make longer adverb phrases.
Compare
| He plays the piano amazingly. He plays the piano really amazingly. | really is a degree adverb |
| She played golf skilfully this time. She played golf more skilfully this time. | more is a degree adverb more skilfully is a comparative form |
Adverbs: functions
Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, nouns, other adverbs and whole phrases or sentences:
| example | function |
| Sit quietly! | modifying a verb (sit) |
| Claire was rather quiet. | modifying an adjective (quiet) |
| That week seemed to go by incredibly slowly. | modifying another adverb (slowly) |
| It takes quite a lot of courage to jump from a plane. | modifying a noun phrase (a lot of courage) |
| I’m going for a run laterso I don’t want to eat anything now. | modifying the whole clause (I’m going for a run) |
| Personally, I don’t like the plans. | modifying the whole sentence (I don’t like the plans). It gives the speaker’s attitude. We often use commas with the adverb when it modifies the whole sentence. |
Adverbs: types
Time, place and manner adverbs (early, there, slowly)
Time adverbs
Time adverbs tell us about when something happens.
| already | lately | still | tomorrow |
| early | now | soon | yesterday |
| finally | recently | today | yet |
Have you seen Laurie today?
I’d prefer to leave early.
I went to the cinema on my own recently.
There’s been an increase in house burglary lately.
Place adverbs
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Place adverbs tell us about where something happens or where something is.
There was somebody standing nearby.
Is that your scarf there?
You go upstairs and do your homework. I’ll come up in a minute.
Manner adverbs
Manner adverbs tell us about the way something happens or is done.
| accurately | beautifully | expertly | professionally |
| anxiously | carefully | greedily | quickly |
| badly | cautiously | loudly | quietly |
Manner adverbs are often formed from adjectives by adding -ly:
She spoke very loudly. We could all hear what she was saying.
We waited anxiously by the phone.
We walked up the stairs very quietly because Mum and Dad were asleep.
Some common manner adverbs have the same form as adjectives and they have similar meanings (e.g. fast, right, wrong, straight, tight).
| adjective | adverb |
| I was never a fast swimmer | Driving fast is dangerous |
| All of your answers werewrong. | People always spell my name wrong. |
| Is that the right time? | That builder never does anything right! |
| My hair is straight. | Let’s go straight to the airport. |
Degree adverbs (slightly) and focusing adverbs (generally)
Degree and focusing adverbs are the most common types of modifiers of adjectives and other adverbs. Degree adverbs express degrees of qualities, properties, states, conditions and relations. Focusing adverbs point to something.
Degree adverbs
| absolutely | enough | perfectly | somewhat |
| a (little) bit | entirely | pretty | terribly |
| a lot | extremely | quite | too |
| almost | fairly | rather | totally |
| awfully | highly | remarkably | utterly |
| completely | lots | slightly | very |
Mary will be staying a bit longer. (a bit longer = for a little more time)
It all happened pretty quickly.
She was quite surprised they came, actually.
It was £3.52 if you want to be totally accurate.
Focusing adverbs
| especially | just | mainly | particularly |
| generally | largely | only | simply |
I just wanted to ask you what you thought.
I wouldn’t particularly like to move to a modern house.
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Evaluative adverbs (surprisingly) and viewpoint adverbs (personally)
We put some adverbs outside the clause. They modify the whole sentence or utterance. Evaluative and viewpoint adverbs are good examples of this:
The electric car, surprisingly, does not really offer any advantages over petrol cars. (evaluative)
Personally, I think the show was great. (viewpoint)
Linking adverbs (then, however)
Linking adverbs show a relationship between two clauses or sentences (e.g. a sequence in time, cause and effect, contrast between two things):
I left my house in the morning [sequence] then I went to pick up Leanne at her house.
[cause] We talked until the early hours and [effect] consequently I overslept the next morning. (the result of the late night is that I was late the next morning)
The sun will be shining in France. [contrast] However, heavy rain is expected in Spain.
Warning:
We can use then and consequently to join clauses or sentences. We usually use but not however to connect two clauses in the same sentence:
There was no room for them but they got on the train.
There was no room for them. However, they got on the train.
Adverbs as discourse markers (anyway, finally)
Discourse markers organise longer pieces of conversation or text. They can mark the openings or closings of conversations, changes in topics, and other functions connected with organising a conversation or text. Most discourse markers belong to the class of adverbs.
Anyway, I’ve got to go and pick up the children. (signals that the conversation is finishing)
Finally, we need to consider the broader economic issues. (signals the last item in a list of points or arguments)
Right, now, sorry to keep you waiting. (signals something new)
So you want to go to Spain, do you? (focuses on a topic)
Adverbs as short responses (definitely, certainly)
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