Adverbs

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Adverbs

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

Adverbs Modifying Verbs

• Adverbs can add meaning to verbs in many different ways:

- An adverb modifying a verb answers the questions Where? When? In what way? Or To what extent?

• Adverbs can also be placed in many different positions. As shown in the chart on the next slide, they can come after or before a verb or verb phrase or even between the words in a verb phrase.

Adverbs Modifying VerbsWhere?

fell below move aside

went there climbs down

When?

arrived today left early

should have spoken before begins then

In What Way?

happily ran will end abruptly

danced awkwardly had been sung loudly

To What Extent?

partly understands wash completely

have not completed hardly would have known

Adverbs Modifying Verbs

• Give it a shot!

- Come up with five additional adverb/verb pairs answering each of the questions in the chart.

Adverbs Modifying Adjectives

• Many descriptions can be made more meaningful by adding an adverb to an adjective.

• An adverb modifying an adjective answers only one question: To what extent?

Adverbs Modifying Adjectives and Adverbs

• When an adverb modifies an adjective, it usually comes directly before the adjective, as shown in the examples in the following chart:

Adverbs Modifying Adjectives

very glad almost ready

absolutely wrong entirely grateful

Adverbs Modifying Adverbs

• Sometimes adverbs are used to sharpen the meaning of other adverbs.

• An adverb modifying another adverb answers just one question: To what extent?

Adverbs Modifying Adverbs

• An adverb modifying another adverb generally comes directly before the adverb it modifies. In the following examples, very modifies quickly, almost modifies over, not modifies completely, and only modifies just.

Adverbs Modifying Adverbs

moved very quickly not completely wrong

climbed almost over only just recognizable