Adverbs
The choir sang too loudly. [modifies verb] The painting was quite old. [modifies adjective] His paintings were exhibited very rarely. [modifies adverb]
Flowers were blooming everywhere. It will arrive soon.
Are you sitting in a comfortable chair? Mr. Dickson always dresses in fashionable clothes. He draws cartoons like a real cartoonist. The train arrived on time. |
Adverbs of Manner
Some adverbs and adverb phrases describe the way people do things.
They answer the question “How?”
The girls answered all the questions correctly.
He was driving carelessly.
The plane landed safely.
Katy plays the piano skillfully.
Sam is behaving like a baby.
Please speak in a clear voice.
She writes in a very grown-up way.
You can buy fruit very cheaply in this shop.
They sell everything at very low prices.
David sings like a professional singer.
Adverbs of Time
Some adverbs and adverb phrases answer the question “when?” They are called adverbs of time.
I’m going to my new school tomorrow.
The train has already left.
We moved into our new house last week.
My big brother goes to college in the autumn.
Our favorite TV program starts at 6 o’clock.
It rained heavily last night.
We’re going on a trip in a few days’ time.
We’ll leave as soon as possible.
My shoes will be too small for me next year.
I haven’t seen Mom this morning. Is she working today?
Adverbs of Place
Some adverbs and adverb phrases answer the question “where?” They are called adverbs of place.
It’s very sunny but cold outside.
The boys are playing upstairs.
That’s our ball there.
I couldn’t find my book anywhere.
They live in a house nearby.
The dog is in the garden.
Flowers like these grow in the park.
We’re going to New York City on our school trip.
My brother is studying at an English university.
They live on the northern side of the island.
Adverbs of Frequency
Some adverbs and adverb phrases answer the question “how often?” They are called adverbs of frequency.
Katy practices the piano regularly.
The children always go to school on the bus.
I’ll never make that mistake again.
Have you ever been to Japan?
We’ve been to Disneyland twice.
The shops are often very busy.
The newspaper is delivered daily.
We walk home from school every day.
I clean my bedroom every week.
Have you forgotten my name? I’ve told you three times already.
Dad polishes his shoes twice a week.
You should go to the dentist once every six months.
Adverbs of Duration
Some adverbs and adverb phrases answer the question “how long?”
They are called adverbs of duration.
The library is temporarily closed.
We’re staying in a hotel overnight.
The teacher left the classroom briefly.
The snow lasted for three days.
Mom was away a very long time.
Stand still for a moment while I comb your hair.
He talked to his girlfriend for over an hour.
We waited for ages for a bus.
I haven’t seen my cousins for two years.
We stayed up all night talking.
Adverbs of Emphasis
We have seen that most adverbs describe verbs, but remember that some adverbs also describe adjectives or other adverbs. They are usually used to add emphasis.
Here are some examples. The emphasizing adverbs are printed in bold.
The adjectives or adverbs they describe are printed in color.
Anna can run really fast.
That’s a very good drawing.
My rice is too hot.
The film was just terrible.
Your excuses are completely unbelievable.
These old tools are totally useless.
She sings quite beautifully.