Tips on Using Adverbs

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10 TIPS on USING ADVERBS

• Grammar Rules and Tips for using Adverbs

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Identify the Adverbs
Alisha left home early for her driving test. She
drove nervously to the test centre. When the
examiner asked her to set off, she drove slowly
but steadily down the street. Shortly after she
had started, another car came in front of her
suddenly. Alisha could not see clearly but she
swerved right sharply to avert collision. Her car
was badly damaged after hitting the pavement.
Fortunately, the examiner appreciated her
presence of mind and she passed the test
successfully.

s u c c e s s f u l l y
h a n e r v o u s l y s
o s t e a d i l y b c l
r s u d d e n l y d f o
t g s h c l e a r l y w
l b a d l y e a r l y l
y t v x r s h a r p l y
f o r t u n a t e l y j
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Identify the Adverbs
Alisha left home early for her driving test. She
drove nervously to the test centre. When the
examiner asked her to set off, she drove slowly
but steadily down the street. Shortly after she
had started, another car came in front of her
suddenly. Alisha could not see clearly but she
swerved right sharply to avert collision. Her car
was badly damaged after hitting the pavement.
Fortunately, the examiner appreciated her
presence of mind and she passed the test
successfully.

s u c c e s s f u l l y
h a n e r v o u s l y s
o s t e a d i l y b c l
r s u d d e n l y d f o
t g s h c l e a r l y w
l b a d l y e a r l y l
y t v x r s h a r p l y
f o r t u n a t e l y j
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What is an Adverb?

• An Adverb is a word which modifies the meaning of
  a Verb, an Adjective or another Adverb.
• Note Adverbs often end with ly.
• He is a very intelligent boy. very modifies the
  Adjective intelligent
• She acted remarkably. remarkably modifies the
  Verb act
• Her act was remarkable. here
  remarkable is an adjective modifying the
  noun act Adverbs normally answer the
  following types of questions
• When? She always arrives early.
• How? He drives carefully.
• Where? They go everywhere together.
• In what manner? She eats slowly.
• To what extent? It is terribly hot.

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Types of Adverbs

• Adverb of Time describes when or for how long a
  certain action happened.
• Example words Already, ago, before, yet, never,
  soon, yesterday, soon, lately.
• Example sentence I have heard this before.
• I have not
  seen him since.
• Adverb of Frequency describes how often
  something occurs, either in definite or
  indefinite terms.
• Example words Always, once, seldom, rarely,
  usually.
• Example sentence He often makes mistakes.
  (indefinite)
• I have told
  you twice. (definite)
• Adverb of Place tells about where something
  happens or where something is.
• Example words Here, everywhere, near, down,
  away, backward, upward.
• Example sentence There was somebody standing
  nearby.
• Is that your
  scarf there?

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Types of Adverbs

• Adverb of Manner shows how or what way something
  happens or is done.
• Example words So, slowly, badly, beautifully,
  delightfully, loudly, anxiously.
• Example sentence The soldiers fought bravely.
• Is that so?
• Adverb of Degree shows how much, or in what
  degree or to what extent of qualities,
  properties, states, conditions and relations.
• Example words Almost, fully, rather, quite,
  too, enough, perfectly, lots.
• Example sentence I am fully prepared.
• I am rather
  busy.
• Adverb of Affirmation and Negation answers that
  something is true or some equivalent negative
  statement.
• Example words Certainly, surely, apparently,
  obviously, no, undoubtedly.
• Example sentence Surely you are mistaken.
• He is
  undoubtedly the best swimmer in the team.

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Tips on using Adverbs
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Tip 1 Else, Other, Otherwise
Tip 2 Never, Not, Nowhere
Never is always placed after the verb BE or an
auxiliary verb. For all other verbs, never is
placed in front of the verb. They are never
late. It never rains in January. Not is a
negative adverb but the use of never in place
of not is incorrect. I never went to Delhi
last year. (Wrong) I did not go to Delhi last
year. (Correct) Nowhere is placed directly
after the verb. This road goes nowhere. Tom has
nowhere to go.

• Else should be followed by but. Except
  is used before object pronoun (him, her, them,
  us, me)
• It is nothing else than sheer madness. (Wrong)
• It is nothing else but sheer madness. (Correct)
• She has no one else to look after her but me.
  (Wrong)
• She has no one else to look after her except me.
  (Correct)
• Other, Otherwise are followed by than.
• There is no way of reaching the island other than
  by boat.
• A partnership cannot be ended otherwise than by
  mutual agreement.

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Tip 4 Very, Much
Tip 3 Seldom Or Never, Little or Nothing
Very modifies the present particle and is used
as an adverb or an adjective in positive
degree. He is very tired after the journey. She
is the very best teacher in our school. (used in
superlative degree) Much used with comparative
degree and with past participles. A much loved
member of the family. She is much wiser than her
mother. (before a comparative or superlative
degree)

• Seldom or Never/Seldom, If Ever used to describe
  rarely, infrequently.
• The export quality tea is seldom or never used in
  the country.
• I have seldom, if ever been so embarrassed.
• Little or Nothing/Little, If Anything used to
  describe hardly anything.
• I can find little or nothing to fault in this
  book.
• There is little, if anything in the fridge to
  eat.

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Tip 5 So, Too, Also
Tip 6 Enough, Rather

• So should always be used with that.
• She is so poor that she could not study further.
• Too should always be used with to.
• She is too poor to study further.
• Too, As well, Also used in the sense besides
  or in addition to .
• She found her bag and money too/as well.
• She found her bag and also money. (note also is
  not used in end position)

Enough can be used as both an adjective or an
adverb. As an adverb it is always placed after
the adjective it modifies. He has enough money
to spend. (adjective) He was kind enough to help
others with money. (adverb) Rather is an adverb
of degree. It can also be used before a noun with
a or an placed before the noun. She is
rather intelligent. It is rather a nuisance. I
would rather have fruit juice. (used as
preference)
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Tip 7 Often, Usually, Later
Tip 8 Inversion with Adverbs
If an adverb is placed in front of a sentence,
normal order of subject and verb is reversed,
generally for emphasis. After negative adverbial
expressions Under no circumstances can we accept
credit cards.After 'seldom', 'rarely', 'never',
and 'little' Seldom have I seen such a beautiful
view. Rarely did he pay anyone a
compliment.Never had I felt so happy.Little did
he imagine how dangerous it would be.After
'only' and 'not only' Only when the plane landed
safely did he calm down. Not only was the car
slow, it was also very uncomfortable.

• Today,Since, Later used to tell us when or for
  how long an action happened. They are placed at
  the end.
• I saw Sally today.
• I will call you later.I have not seen you since
  Monday.
• Often, Usually, Rarely express the frequency of
  an action. Placed before the main verb.
• I often eat vegetarian food.He rarely lies.
• He usually comes late.
• I am seldom late.

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Tip 9 Hardly, Scarcely
Tip 10 As, Yes/No
As should be used to introduce predicative of
the verbs like regard, describe, view, know,
define, treat. I regard him as my brother He
treated him as his younger brother.Exceptions
as should be avoided to introduce predicative
of the verbs like name, elect, think, consider,
call, appoint, make, choose. He was elected
president of the committee. Yes/No should be
used according to the affirmative and negative
answer to the question. Have you taken food?
No, I have not taken food. (Yes, I have not
taken food- Wrong)

• Hardly, Scarcely adverbs of frequency meaning
  almost not at all
• She could scarcely keep her eyes open.I hardly
  know them.
• They are often used to emphasise that one event
  quickly followed another.Hardly ever did she go
  on holiday. (She hardly ever went on holiday.)
• Scarcely had she finished reading when she fell
  asleep. (She had scarcely finished reading when
  she fell asleep.)Barely had they won the match
  when the coach had a heart attack. (They had
  barely won the match when the coach had a heart
  attack.)

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Spot the Errors
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Spot the Error

• He plays tennis good.
• I am very much sorry.
• She angrily spoke.
• The room is enough spacious for us.
• I know them hardly.

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Spot the Error

• He plays tennis good.
• He plays tennis well.
• I am very much sorry.
• I am very sorry.
• She angrily spoke.
• She spoke angrily.
• The room is enough spacious for us.
• The room is spacious enough for us.
• I know them hardly.
• I hardly know them .

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Spot the Error

• The description was given vivid.
• The flower smells sweetly.
• He was exceedingly paid for how skilful he
  handled the crowd.
• They never are pessimistic.
• She nowhere has to go.

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Spot the Error

• The description was given vivid.
• The description was given vividly.
• The flower smells sweetly.
• The flower smells sweet.
• He was exceedingly paid for how skilful he
  handled the crowd.
• He was exceedingly paid for how skilfully he
  handled the crowd.
• They never are pessimistic.
• They are never pessimistic.
• She nowhere has to go.
• She has nowhere to go.

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Spot the Error

• He was enough patient to listen to every
  complaint.
• He has been in hospital for last three days.
• She is too beautiful.
• They behaved cowardly.
• Never I have seen such a mess.

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Spot the Error

• He was enough patient to listen to every
  complaint.
• He was patient enough to listen to every
  complaint.
• He has been in hospital for last Tuesday.
• He has been in hospital since last Tuesday.
• She is too beautiful.
• She is very beautiful.
• They behaved cowardly.
• They behaved in a cowardly manner.
• Never I have seen such a mess.
• Never have I seen such a mess.

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Spot the Error

• I considered him as a friend.
• He plays tennis usually.
• There is no way of finishing the work other by
  increasing team strength.
• She knows them scarcely.
• She baked the cake and as well ate.

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Spot the Error

• I considered him as a friend.
• I considered him a friend.
• He plays tennis usually.
• He usually plays tennis.
• There is no way of finishing the work other by
  increasing team strength.
• There is no way of finishing the work other than
  by increasing team strength.
• She knows them scarcely.
• She hardly knows them.
• She baked the cake and as well ate.
• She baked the cake and ate it as well.

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