ADVERB
24 August 2006
ADVERB
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Grace sings sweetly. (The adverb sweetly modifies the verb sings.)
Peter is very tall. (The adverb very modifies the adjective tall.)
Jade spoke too slowly. (The adverb too modifies the adverb slowly.)
Adverbs and adjectives both function as modifiers.
The classification of a modifier as adverb or adjective can be determined only by the word or term that is modified.
Adjectives modify only nouns and pronouns.
Adverbs modify only verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Many adverbs end in ly, but this suffix should not be relied upon for identification. Several words that end with an ly function as adjectives, such as deadly, goodly, holy, kindly, womanly.
Arsenic is deadly poison. (Deadly is an adjective modifying the noun poison.)
Certain words can function as either adverbs or adjectives. Some of these words are deep, hard, tall, loud, quick, slow, right, wrong, far, late, early, cheap.
Joel cannot dig a deep well. Deep is an adjective modifying the noun well.)
Dig deep into your pockets. (Deep is an adverb modifying the verb dig.)
Birds like to nest in tall trees. (Tall is an adjective modifying the noun trees.)
The herbs grew tall. (Tall is an adverb modifying the verb grew.)
According to the ideas they express, adverbs are generally classified adverbs of:
(1) Time: asks or answers the question when? or how long? or how often?
(2) Place: Asks or answers the question where? or whether? or whence?
(3) Degree: answers the question how much? or to what extent?
(4) Purpose: deals with the question why?
(5) Manner: asks or answers the question how?
Comparison of Adverbs
Adverbs like adjectives have three degrees of comparison. (1) positive (2) comparative (3) superlative
(1) Positive. The positive degree is the adverb in its simple, uncompared form; such as runs fast; speaks slowly; comes often.
(2) Comparative: The comparative degree expresses a greater degree of quality than that expressed in the positive degree. It is the second degree of comparison. The suffix er or the use of more or less with the positive form indicates the comparative degree; such as runs faster, speaks more slowly, comes less often.
(3) Superlative. The superlative degree expresses the greatest degree of quality of an adverb. It is the extreme degree of comparison. The suffix est or the use of most or least with the positive form, indicates the superlative degree such as runs fastest, speaks most slowly, comes least often.
Positive Comparative Superlative
fast faster fastest
slowly more slowly most slowly
often less often least often
Adverb Rules
Adv. 1. Use an adverb to modify an adjective, a verb or another adverb.
Kenneth runs slowly.
Adv. 2. The adverbs surely and really are used to modify a verb or an adjective. (Sure and real function as adjectives and should not be used to modify a verb or another adjective.)
We are surely glad you came.
Adv. 3. Adverbs of two or more than two syllables are usually compared by using more to form the comparative; most to form the superlative.
Positive Comparative Superlative
happily more happily most happily
sweetly more sweetly most sweetly
Adv. 4. When two subjects are being compared use the comparative from of the adverb.
Of the two dancers, I think Ester moves more gracefully.
Adv. 5. When three or more subjects are being compared use the superlative form of the adverb.
Lyn sings most sweetly of all the girls in the choir.
Adv. 6. Avoid double comparatives. (A double comparative is the comparative degree of an adverb preceded by more, such as more faster.)
Adv. 7. Avoid double superlatives. (A double superlative of an adverb is the superlative degree preceded by most; such as most fastest.)
Adv. 8. When the comparative degree of an adverb is used exclude the subject of the comparison from the class with which it is compared.
Ronald yells louder than any other person I know. (The word other excludes Ronald from the class with which he has been compared.)
Adv. 9. Some adverbs have an irregular comparison. They have a complete word change from the positive to the comparative to the superlative.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Much more most
Well better best
Badly worse worst
Adv. 10. When there are two forms of an adverb (such as slow, slowly; hard, hardly; quick, quickly; use the one which will have the better sound in a particular sentence.)
The wrestler squeezed too hard.
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