Adverbs and Its Kinds; learn with definitions and examples of every type and its uses in related sentences. Get the concepts and apply them to be learned effectively and efficiently.
What Is an Adverb | Identification Types Use and Formation?
Definition of Adverb:
An adverb is a concept that tells how, when, and where some action was taken place or performed, called “The Adverb“.
For example,
I can do this sum easily. (How/Manner)
The event was arranged at night. (When/Time)
He reached in abroad last month. (Where/Place)
How Adverb is formed?
The adverb is formed in several ways. The adverb can be considered by place, time, and manner, and most importantly the adverb is also formed from the adjective (adjective of quality). Moreover, the followings are the ways to form adverbs.
1. In most cases, an adverb is formed by adding ‘-ly’ at the end to an adjective.
| Adjective | Adverb |
| cheap | cheaply |
| Slow | slowly |
| Quick | quickly |
| Nice | nicely |
| Fortunate | fortunately |
| Intelligent | intelligently |
2. If the adjective ends in ‘y’, replace the ‘y’ with ‘i’ and add ‘ly’.
| Adjective | Adverb |
| Easy | easily |
| Angry | angrily |
| Happy | happily |
| Lucky | luckily |
3. If the adjective ends in ‘-able’, ‘-ible’ or ‘-le’, replace ‘e’ with ‘y’.
| Adjective | Adverb |
| Probable | probably |
| Terrible | terribly |
| Gentle | Gently |
4. If the adjectives ends in ‘-ic’, add ‘ally’ at the end.
| Adjective | Adverb |
| Basic | basically |
| Economic | economically |
| Tragic | tragically |
5. In some cases, we use adverbs that are the same as adjectives. So, the difference will be the placements in a sentence. For example: early, late, fast, near, hard, straight, high, wrong, etc.
So, how can we use them depending upon the place or position in a sentence?
| Use as an Adjective | Use as an Adverb |
| This is a hard exercise. | He works hard. |
| I saw a high building. | It is a fast car. |
| The bird flew high. | He drives very fast. |
6. ‘Well’ and ‘good’
‘Well’ is the adverb that corresponds to the adjective ‘good’.
| Adjective | Adverb |
| He is a good student. | He studies well. |
| She is a good pianist. | She plays cricket well. |
| They are good athletes. | They swim well. |
Kinds of Adverb
There are eleven important kinds of adverbs.
1. Adverbs of Manne
It tells us how something happens. They are usually placed after the main verb or after the object. These types of adverbs answer the question having ‘how?’.
Examples:
1.They treated us badly.
(The above answer derived from How did you treat?)
So, this a way to learn adjective of manner, means, in which context the action takes place.
2. He arrived safely.
3. He slept soundly.
4. The soldiers fought bravely.
Here are some commonly used adverbs.
| Accidentally | Nervously | Carefully |
| Courageously | Painfully | Quickly |
| Successfully | Patiently | Quietly |
| Thoughtfully | Perfectly | Rapidly |
| Victoriously | Regularly Roughly | Generally |
2. Adverbs of Place
It shows where the noun or pronoun is located or present. It gives the answer to ‘where?’.
Examples:
1. He sat near the tap.
(Where did he sit?)
2. He climbed up the tree.
3. He is here for the holiday.
4. He was standing here.
5. Please sit down.
6. It is raining, let us go inside.
All the above-underlined words represent adverb of place.
List of some Adverbs of Place:
| downstairs | towards | where |
| everywhere | nowhere | away |
| elsewhere | upwards | back |
| backward | aboard | down |
| downwards | behind | here |
3. Adverbs of Time
It tells us when an action is taken place or happened. It also tells us how long and how often it happened. On the other hand, the adverb of time is the answer to ‘when?’.
Examples:
1. I saw him yesterday.
(When did you see him?)
2. They came yesterday.
3. May I do my work later?
4. We get up early.
5. They get up late.
6. Ahmed has just arrived.
List of some Adverbs of Time:
| frequently | recently | daily |
| occasionally | tonight | never |
| fortnight | monthly | often |
| constantly | nightly | early |
| infrequently | usually | first |
4. Adverbs of Certainty
It tells us how sure or certain we feel about an action or event. These verbs are placed before the main verb but after the verb ‘to be’.
Examples:
He definitely left the house this morning.
He is probably in the park.
Remember:
In the second case, if there are both helping verb/auxiliary verb and the main verb in the same sentence then an adverb of certainty will come between both verbs.
Examples:
He has certainly forgotten the meeting.
He will probably remember it.
In some cases, adverbs come at the start of the sentence but these adverbs are not many in numbers, they are very few. Do not forget to place a comma (,) after such the adverbs.
Examples:
Undoubtedly, Ricky Ponting was a great cricketer.
Surely, you have gotten admission.
5. Adverbs of Degree
It tells us about the intensity، strength or degree of an action, an adjective or another adverb.
Common adverbs of degree:
| almost | enough | too |
| nearly | hardly | very |
| quite | scarcely | completely |
Adverbs of a degree usually placed before the adjective or adverb and before the main verb.
Examples:
The waster was extremely hot.
She is just leaving. She has almost finished.
6. Interrogative Adverbs
It interrogates or makes interrogation like what, where, why, how, for, how long, etc. They are usually placed at the beginning of a question.
Examples:
What is your name?
How are you?
When will you leave?
Where do you live?
7. Relative Adverbs
It extends the meanings of the verb and joins two sentences.
Examples:
I wonder how you will pass.
That is why I resign.
I know who the examiner was.
He did not tell me when he would come.
8. Adverbs of Numbers
It expresses the numbers and answers to ‘how often’.
Examples:
Try try again.
Read this story again.
They visit the market frequently.
Once, there was a crow.
He often commits the same mistake.
9. Adverbs of Quantity
It expresses the quantity and answer to ‘how much’.
Examples:
I am very thankful to you.
I have much money.
He has little milk.
He is strong enough to perform.
10. Adverbs of Purpose
It states the purpose of any action performed by the noun or pronoun.
Examples:
She drove her boat slowly to avoid the rocks.
They shopped in several stores to get the best buys.
11. Adverbs of Frequency
It expresses how often an action is done.
Examples:
Ajmal usually goes to work by car.
I am never late for work.
I often go to the market.
Always update the knowledge.
| Always | Usually | Often | Sometimes | Never |
| 100% | 90-99% | 75-90% | 25-25% | 0% |
The above stats are for the purpose of learning. It might be accurate or not.
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