ADVERBS
An adverb: can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause. An adverb indicates manner, time, place, cause, or degree and answers questions such as "how," "when," "where," "how much".
While some adverbs can be identified by their characteristic "ly" suffix, most of them must be identified by untangling the grammatical relationships within the sentence or clause as a whole. Unlike an adjective, an adverb can be found in various places within the sentence.
Adverbs can be confused with adjectives, which also modify things. However, adjectives modify nouns and pronouns.
If you said "I have a nice dog,"
: Dog is the noun which is being modified by the adjective nice.
On the other hand, if you said that "My dog behaves nicely,"
: behaves would be the adverb modifying the verb.
In addition to verbs, adverbs also modify adjectives and other adverbs. So, when you say "I have the most beautiful dog," the dog is the noun, beautiful is the adjective describing the noun, and most is the adverb describing beautiful.
Read the sentences below and identify the adverbs.
1. Alexandra practiced soccer frequently.
2. Jeffrey always wanted to be an astronaut.
3. Aaron’s father sang the song loudly.
4. The small girl eagerly licked her ice cream cone.
5. My parents will arrive tomorrow.
6. We skied on the tallest mountain.
7. Alice fell into the rabbit hole.
8. We expect rain all week.
9. The angry bear in the forest growled menacingly.
10. The captain quickly boarded the boat anchored in the harbor.
11. The show will begin soon.
12. The sneaky snake slithered swiftly and silently.
13. Jessica and Ashleigh are reading their books in the yard.
14. My next-door neighbors often visit their grandmother.
15. Janie and her friend play hopscotch on the sidewalk.
EXERCISE
An adverb gives more information about a verb in a sentence. It usually answers the questions: how, how much, where, or when.
Circle the adverbs and adverbial phrases in each sentence. Underline the verb that the adverb or adverb phrase modify.
1. Julissa learned to ride a bicycle over the summer.
2. The content cat purred loudly.
3. I hope the check will arrive soon.
4. Andrea happily sang her favorite song.
5. The young mother lovingly held her tiny baby.
6. We ate a picnic lunch outside.
7. The boys ran quickly through the yard and jumped the fence easily.
8. The teacher smiled at her students encouragingly.
9. My dad gathered the broken pieces of glass carefully.
10. Have you seen my notebook anywhere?
11. Jeremy will bring me my homework on his way home.
12. The postal worker brought me a letter yesterday!
13. We collected seashells on the beach.
14. My aunt sat there.
15. The thunder roared ominously, scaring the small children.
This list of 50 adverbs can also be useful when understanding what an adverb is and how to identify one:
1. Accidentally- I accidentally break
2. Always- I always go
3. Awkwardly- I awkwardly jump
4. Badly- I badly want
5. Bravely- I bravely lead
6. Brightly
7. Cheerfully
8. Crazily
9. Doubtfully
10. Dramatically- I dramatically sigh
11. Eventually- - I’ll eventually come
12. Exactly
13. Faithfully
14. Finally
15. Fortunately- I fortunately received
16. Frequently- I frequently stay
17. Gleefully
18. Gracefully
19. Happily
20. Honestly
21. Innocently
22. Jealously
23. Kindly- The kindly old man
24. Lazily
25. Madly
26. Mysteriously- The mysteriously absent stranger
27. Nervously
28. Never- I never whisper
29. Occasionally- I occasionally giggle
30. Often- I often smile
31. Only- The only white dog
32. Politely
33. Poorly
34. Powerfully
35. Rapidly- I rapidly fall
36. Rarely- I rarely yell
37. Really- The really pretty house
38. Regularly- Your regularly scheduled program
39. Safely
40. Seldom- I seldom cry
41. Seriously- The seriously early boy
42. Sharply
43. Silently
44. Slowly- I slowly walk
45. Sometimes- I sometimes frown
46. Totally
47. Unexpectedly- I unexpectedly arrived
48. Usually- I usually leave
49. Warmly
50. Yearly