Adverb Notes

Definition

• An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb

Adverbs answer the following questions:

Where? How often? or how long?

When? To What extent?

How? or how much?

ExamplesExamples

1. The sprinter ran swiftly. [The adverb swiftly modifies the verb ran and hells how.]

2. I read the funny pages early on Sunday morning. [The adverb early modifies the adjective small and tells to what extent.]

Examples

3. Jolene was comforting a very small child. [The adverb very modifies the adjective small and tells to what extent.]

4. The fire blazed too wildly for anyone to enter. [The adverb too modifies the adverb wildly and tells to what extent. The adverb wildly modifies the verb modifies the verb blazed and tells how.]

Examples

5. Dad will sometimes quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s speech. [The adverb sometimes modifies the verb will quote and tells how often.]

6. Put the apples there, and we will eat them later. [The adverb there modifies the verb put and tells where. The adverb later modifies the verb will eat and tells when.]

Words Often Used as Adverbs

Where?

• Away• Here• Inside• There• Up

When?

• Later• Now• Soon• Then• Tomorrow

How?

• Clearly• Easily• Quietly• Slowly

How often? or how long?

• Always• Usually• Continuously• Never• Forever• Briefly

To what extent? or How much?• Almost• So• Too• More• Least• Extremely• Quite• Very• Not

Take NoteTake Note

The word not is nearly always used as an adverb modifying a verb. When not is part of a contraction, as in hadn’t, aren’t, and didn’t, the –n’t is still an adverb and is not part of the verb.