An adverb is an article of speech that modifies other adverbs, verbs, adjectives, clauses, or

sentences. When an adverb is used in a sentence, it will answer one of the following
questions:
 How?
 When?
 Where?
 Why?
 In what way?
 How often?
 How much?
 In what condition?
 To what degree?
Although you can recognize some adverbs by their “ly” endings, there are many, many
adverbs that do not require an “ly” ending. For example, consider the following sentence: I
went to the store today. In this sentence, the word “today” is an adverb.

Read more at Adverb Categories

It’s helpful to consider categories of adverbs to get a better understanding of them. For
example:
 Adverbs of time answer the question of when, and include such adverbs as early, never,
and tomorrow to name a few.
 Adverbs of location answer the question of where, and include such adverbs as upstairs,
outside, up, and above to name a few.
 Adverbs of manner answer the question of how, and include such adverbs as happily,
angrily, quickly, and fast for example.
 Adverbs of frequency answer the question of how often, and include such adverbs as rarely,
always, sometimes, and occasionally.
 Adverbs of degree answer the question of how much, and include such adverbs as
completely, almost, little, very, and too for example.
 Kindly, slowly, here, often, and very are examples of
adverbs. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Modify means to add to or
change the meaning of a word.

Spotting an Adverb
End in "-ly"
Many adverbs end in “-ly”. If you are not sure of the part of speech a word would be, and it
ends with “-ly”, it is probably an adverb.
Examples include:
 Financially
 Willfully
 Abruptly
 Endlessly
 Firmly
 Delightfully
 Quickly
 Lightly
 Eternally
 Delicately
 Wearily
 Sorrowfully
 Beautifully
 Truthfully
Other examples of adverbs would be words that describe how something was done or the
manner in which it was done. These would be words like:
 Uneasily
 Weirdly
 Cheerfully
 Expertly
 Wholeheartedly
 Randomly
 Brutally
 Really
 Briskly
 Sloppily
 Wickedly
Tell Where Action Happened
Some adverbs tell the location of an action, or where it occurred. Adverbs like this would be:
 Here
 There
 Everywhere
 Somewhere
 In
 Inside
 Underground
 Out
 Outside
 Upstairs
 Downstairs
Tell When Action Happened
Examples of adverbs that tell when an action occurred, or its time, include:
 Now
 First
 Last
 Early
 Yesterday
 Tomorrow
 Today
 Later
 Regularly
 Often
 Never
 Monthly
 Always
 Usually
Tell the Extent of the Action
Adverbs can describe to what extent something was done or an action was executed,
including:
 Very
 Too
 Almost
 Also
 Only
 Enough
 So
 Quite
 Almost
 Rather
View adverbs flashcards for more examples!

Adverbs Are Intensifiers

One function of adverbs is to intensify the meaning of the word it is modifying. It does this
by putting more or less emphasis on the word, amplifying the meaning of the word, or toning
down the feeling of the word.
Here are some sentences with the emphasizing adverb underlined:
 I really don’t care.
 He literally wrecked his car.
 I am certain of the facts, for sure.
 You simply don’t understand.
 I so want to go to the concert.
Sentences that amplify would be like:
 She completely rejected his proposal.
 I heartily endorsed the new restaurant.
 I so want that new toy.
 He completely understands me.
 I absolutely refuse to stay here any longer.
Adverbs and adverb phrases that tone down the feeling or mood would include:
 I sort of felt betrayed by you.
 You can improve on this to some extent.
 She kind of likes the movie.
 The boss almost quit his job after that.
 I somewhat understand what you are saying.
 She mildly disapproved of his actions.

Adverb Phrases
Adverb phrases function like adverbs. They can tell when, how, where, and to what extent
or purpose. Adverb phrases can start with a preposition.
Some examples of these are:
 With a hammer
 Next door
 Before the holidays
 Every month
 For his mother
Adverb phrases can also start with the infinitive form of a verb, like in these examples:
 To buy a car
 To support the team
 To show her mother
Here is a list of sentences with the adverb phrase underlined:
 He lived in the north of Germany.
 We decided to buy a car.
 She went to the movie every month.
 I laughed every time he cracked a joke.
 It is kept where the students can read it.
 She looked as if she were guilty.
 He acts like he owns the place.
 I went to bed after I finished my homework.
 Please stay as long as possible.
An adverb or adverb phrase is a workhorse in the world of grammar, changing and
enhancing the meaning of their partner verbs.