Adverbs

We use adverbs to give us more information about:

Form

Many, but not all, adverbs end in -ly. These adverbs are commonly called Regular Adverbs as they are formed by following the rule of adding -ly to the end of the adjective (spelling rules apply in some cases):

Adverbs which do not end in -ly are called Irregular Adverbs.

Usage

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of Degree tell us how much. They usually come before the adjective or adverb they qualify.

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of Frequency tell us how often something happened. Usually they occur before the main verb.

Many of these adverbs do not have any special form. A typical list from always to never:

1. always
2. often
3. frequently
4. usually
5. normally
6. sometimes
7. occasionally
8. seldom
9. rarely
10. never

Adverbs of Time

We use adverbs of time to tell us when something happened. They usually happen at the end of the sentence.

Sometimes we can put them at the beginning for emphasis:

Many of these adverbs do not have any special form. They are often a prepositional phrase.

Adverbs of Manner

We use adverbs of manner to tell us how something happened. They usually occur at the end of the sentence though sometimes they're placed before the main verb.

Common irregular adverbs of manner include:

Adverbs of Place

We use adverbs of place to tell us where something happened. They usually occur at the end of the sentence.

Sometimes we can put them at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis:

Many of these adverbs do not have any special form and they are often prepositional phrases of place.

Adverb Order

If we have more than one adverb in an adverb phrase, we generally use this order:

See Also

Adverb Cards - ways to practice adverbs with your class