Different types of adverbs in English
Contents
When you just start to learn English, it is essential to understand different parts of speech. Today, we're talking about adverbs. What are they? What are the main types of adverbs in English? How to use them properly? Find the answers to these and other questions below!
Different types of adverbs
Adverbs are words used to provide more information about verbs, adjectives, and even sentences. They come in many different forms, and they can be divided into several categories. Here are the main kinds of adverbs in English.
- Adverbs of frequency: always, never, often.
- Adverbs of degree: very, extremely, quite.
- Adverbs of manner: quickly, slowly, carefully.
- Adverbs of place: here, there, everywhere.
- Adverbs of time: now, then, soon.
- Interrogative adverbs: when, where, how.
- Relative adverbs: where, when, why.
- Conjunctive adverbs: however, moreover, nevertheless.
Based on the names and examples of these adverb types, you can tell that they serve different purposes in sentences. Let's talk about each one of them in more detail.
Adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of frequency explain how often something happens. They can help us discuss an action's regularity or express how often something is expected to happen or did happen in the past. Here are some examples of this type of adverbs.
- Always
I always eat breakfast before I go to school.
She always smiles when she sees him.
- Often
I often go to the movies with my friends.
She often dines out during the weekends.
- Sometimes
I sometimes stay up late to watch TV.
Sometimes, her father walks her dog.
- Rarely
I rarely go out for dinner with my family.
We rarely see each other.
- Never
I never miss a chance to play basketball.
They have never seen that movie before.
Adverbs of degree
Adverbs of degree describe the intensity of actions or help us compare two things. These are the types of adverb that often modify adjectives and other adverbs to give more information about the action or show how much of something is being done.
- Almost
I have almost finished my homework.
The dinner is almost done.
- Just
I just bought a new car.
She just left.
- Very
I am very excited about my new job.
He is very happy about the new position.
- Too
I ate too much ice cream.
This dress is too much.
- Enough
I have enough money to buy a new phone.
She had seen enough.
Adverbs of manner
Adverbs of manner help us describe how something is done or how someone feels. They can be used to describe the way an action is performed or to express a feeling or opinion.
- Happily
She happily accepted the invitation.
They happily greeted new guests.
- Sadly
He sadly shook his head.
I sadly looked into his eyes.
- Loudly
She shouted loudly.
They always laugh loudly when together.
- Quietly
We spoke quietly.
He asked quietly.
- Carefully
He drove carefully.
She carefully raised her hand.
As you may notice, most of these types of adverbs and examples have similar endings. That's because most of them are created by adding -ly to adjectives. However, there are still some exceptions, like the adverb "fast."
Adverbs of place
Adverbs of place describe where something is happening or where something is located. They can be used to describe a location, a direction, or a distance. Here are some examples of these adverbs types:
- Here
I live here.
I was here two days ago.
- There
He is over there.
Do you have a laptop there?
- Up
I looked up.
He raised his head up.
- Down
She looked down.
He sat down.
- Away
The cat ran away.
He walked away.
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Adverbs of time
Adverbs of time describe when something happens or how often it happens. These kinds of adverb can be used to describe a specific moment in time, a period of time, or a frequency.
- Now
I need to do it now.
I'm about to see her now.
- Then
He went there then.
They saw the movie then.
- Today
We will finish the project today.
I'm going grocery shopping today.
- Soon
I will see you soon.
They'll talk to you soon.
These adverbs are also used to express the duration of action, as in the following example: "She talked for hours."
Interrogative adverbs
Interrogative adverbs are used to ask questions. You can use them when you need to specify the information about a place, a time, or a manner. For example:
- Where?
Where did you go?
Where have you been?
- When?
When will you be back?
When is the deadline?
- How?
How did it happen?
How do you know that?
- Why?
Why did you do that?
Why is he here?
These adverbs are only used to form questions and help us gain more information about a situation.
Relative adverbs
Relative adverbs are used to introduce a clause that modifies or explains a preceding clause. They can be used to connect two clauses in a sentence or to provide additional information. For example:
- Where
The store where I bought the dress is closed now.
This is the house where she lives.
- When
I'll remember the day when we first met.
I fell in love when I saw her smile.
- Why
I don't know why she left so suddenly.
She explained why she did that.
- How
She showed me how to do it.
I don't know how to say it.
As you can see, sometimes, different types of adverbs can look exactly the same. Pay attention to context and the placement of adverbs in the sentence to understand their differences.
Conjunctive adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs are used to join two clauses together. They show the relationship between two ideas or express the cause and effect of an action. Take a look at these adverb types and examples:
- Therefore
He was tired; therefore, he decided to take a nap.
- However
She wanted to go to the party; however, she had to stay home.
- Nevertheless
She was feeling sick; nevertheless, she went to work.
- Moreover
He was late; moreover, he had forgotten his wallet.
- Furthermore
He was running late; furthermore, he was out of gas.
Adverbial phrases
As you can see, an adverb and its types are used to modify a verb, adjective, or sentence to provide information about context, manner, place, degree, etc. But in some cases, instead of one word, you can use a group of words that function as a single adverb. This is what an adverbial phrase is. Here are some common examples:
- In the morning: I always wake up early in the morning.
- At night: He likes to stay up late at night.
- On weekends: We usually go camping on weekends.
- Under the table: The cat is hiding under the table.
- With great enthusiasm: They started the project with great enthusiasm.
Keep in mind that adverbial phrases have more flexible placement than regular adverbs, which allows them to be positioned at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, depending on the desired emphasis and clarity.
List of common adverbs
To solidify the knowledge, take a look at the list of the most common adverbs of all types in English:
- Always
- Often
- Usually
- Occasionally
- Seldom
- Never
- Almost
- Just
- Very
- Too
- Enough
- Happily
- Sadly
- Loudly
- Quietly
- Carefully
- Here
- There
- Up
- Down
- Away
- Therefore
- However
- Nevertheless
- Moreover
- Furthermore
Creating sentences with adverbs
Adverbs can be used in different ways in sentences. Generally, they are placed after the verb or object they modify. For example:
- He ran quickly to the store. (After the verb)
- She studied her notes carefully. (After the object)
However, adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs must be placed before them. For example:
- He ran very quickly to the store.
- She studied her notes very carefully.
In addition, adverbs of time and place can be placed at the beginning or the end of a sentence. For example:
- Yesterday, he quickly ran to the store.
- She carefully studied her notes here.
Combining different types of adverbs in sentences
Adverbs can be combined in sentences to add emphasis and detail. For example:
- He always happily runs in the morning.
- She usually carefully studies in the afternoon.
- They never talk loudly during class.
- We almost always go camping on weekends.
After exploring different types of adverbs with examples, you can see how they help us to express our thoughts and ideas more precisely.
Summary
By knowing how to use adverbs properly, you can easily provide time, place, manner, frequency, degree, and more. Adverbs can be used to add detail and emphasis to a statement. Over time, you will become familiar with different types of adverbs and their uses. With practice, you can use them confidently in your speech and become more fluent.
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