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Adverbs can\u00a0perform a wide range of functions: they can modify verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs.\u00a0They\u00a0can come either before or after the word they modify.\u00a0In the following examples, adverbs\u00a0are in bold, while the words\u00a0they modify are in italics (the quite<\/strong> handsome<\/em> man):\r\n- \r\n \t
- Suzanne sang loudly<\/b> (loudly<\/i> modifies the verb sang<\/i>, indicating the manner of singing)<\/li>\r\n \t
- We left it here<\/b> (here<\/i> modifies the verb phrase left it<\/i>, indicating place)<\/li>\r\n \t
- I worked yesterday<\/b> (yesterday<\/i> modifies the verb worked<\/i>, indicating time)<\/li>\r\n \t
- You often<\/b> make mistakes (often<\/i> modifies the verb phrase make mistakes<\/i>, indicating frequency)<\/li>\r\n \t
- He undoubtedly<\/b> did it (undoubtedly<\/i> modifies the verb phrase did it<\/i>, indicating certainty)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThey can also modify noun phrases, prepositional phrases,\u00a0or whole clauses or sentences, as in the following examples. Once again the adverbs are in bold, while the words they modify are in italics.\r\n
- \r\n \t
- I bought only<\/b> the fruit (only<\/i> modifies the noun phrase the fruit<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Roberto drove us almost<\/b> to the station (almost<\/i> modifies the prepositional phrase to the station<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Certainly<\/b> we need to act (certainly<\/i> modifies the sentence as a whole)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
\r\nPractice<\/h3>\r\nIdentify the adverbs in these paragraphs:\r\n
Mass extinctions are insanely catastrophic\u2014but important\u2014events that punctuate the history of life on Earth. The Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary was originally thought of to represent a mass extinction, but has subsequently been \"downgraded\" to a minor extinction event based on new discoveries.<\/p>\r\n
However, compared to other important stratigraphic boundaries, like the end-Triassic or the end-Cretaceous, the Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary remains really poorly understood.<\/p>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"138389\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"138389\"]There are five adverbs in the paragraphs:\r\n
insanely; originally; subsequently; really; poorly<\/p>\r\nHere the adverbs have been bolded:\r\n
Mass extinctions are insanely<\/strong> catastrophic\u2014but important\u2014events that punctuate the history of life on Earth. The Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary was originally<\/strong> thought of to represent a mass extinction, but has subsequently<\/strong> been \"downgraded\" to a minor extinction event based on new discoveries.<\/p>\r\n
However, compared to other important stratigraphic boundaries, like the end-Triassic or the end-Cretaceous, the Jurassic\/Cretaceous boundary remains really<\/strong> poorly<\/strong> understood.<\/p>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Intensifiers and Adverbs of Degree<\/h2>\r\nAdverbs can also be used as modifiers of adjectives, and of other adverbs, often to indicate degree. Here are a few examples:\r\n
- \r\n \t
- You are quite<\/b> right (the adverb quite<\/i> modifies the adjective right<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Milagros is exceptionally\u00a0<\/strong>pretty\u00a0(the adverb exceptionally<\/em>\u00a0modifies the adjective pretty<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- She sang very<\/b> loudly (the adverb very<\/i> modifies another adverb\u2014loudly<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Wow! You ran really<\/strong> quickly!\u00a0(the adverb really<\/em>\u00a0modifies another adverb\u2014quickly<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nOther intensifiers include\u00a0mildly<\/em>,\u00a0pretty<\/em>,\u00a0slightly<\/em>, etc.\r\n\r\nThis video provides more discussion and examples of intensifiers:\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/_2htRrOPiDE\r\n\r\nAdverbs may also undergo comparison, taking comparative and superlative forms.\u00a0This is usually done by adding more<\/i> and most<\/i> before the adverb (more slowly, most slowly<\/i>). However, there are a few adverbs that take non-standard\u00a0forms, such as well<\/i>, for which better<\/i> and best<\/i> are used (i.e., \"He did well<\/strong>, she did better<\/strong>, and I did best<\/strong>\").\r\n
Relative Adverbs<\/h2>\r\nRelative adverbs are a subclass of adverbs that deal with space, time, and reason. In this video, David gives a quick intro to the three most common relative adverbs:\u00a0when<\/em>,\u00a0where<\/em>, and why<\/em>.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/5Ub0Qu4uxpc\r\n\r\nAs we just learned,\u00a0we can use these adverbs to connect ideas about where, when, and why\u00a0things happen.\r\n
\r\nPractice<\/h3>\r\nRead the following questions and turn them into statements using relative adverbs:\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Where did\u00a0Nina last see her keys?<\/li>\r\n \t
- When are the\u00a0repairmen going to get here?<\/li>\r\n \t
- Why did the desk just collapse?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"526976\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"526976\"]\r\n
- \r\n \t
- I don't know where Nina last saw\u00a0her keys.<\/li>\r\n \t
- I don't know when the\u00a0repairmen are going to get here.<\/li>\r\n \t
- I don't know why the desk just collapsed.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Common Mistakes<\/h2>\r\n
Only<\/em><\/h3>\r\nHave you ever noticed the effect the word\u00a0only<\/em> can have on a sentence, especially depending on where it's placed? Let's look at a simple sentence:\r\n
She loves horses.<\/blockquote>\r\nLet's see how\u00a0only<\/em> can influence the meaning of this sentence:\r\n
- \r\n \t
- Only<\/em> she loves horses.\r\n
- \r\n \t
- No one loves horses but her.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- She\u00a0only<\/em> loves horses.\r\n
- \r\n \t
- The one thing she does is love horses.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
- She loves\u00a0only<\/em> horses.\r\n
- \r\n \t
- She loves horses and nothing else.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nOnly<\/em> modifies the word that directly follows it.\u00a0Whenever you use the word\u00a0only<\/em> make sure you've placed it correctly in your sentence.\r\n
Literally<\/em><\/h3>\r\nA\u00a0linguistic\u00a0phenomenon is sweeping the nation: people are\u00a0using\u00a0literally<\/em> as an intensifier. How many times have you heard things like \"It was literally the worst thing that has ever happened to me,\" or \"His head literally exploded when I told him I was going to be late again\"?\r\n\r\nSo what's the problem with this? According to\u00a0Merriam-Webster's Dictionary<\/em>,\u00a0<\/em>the actual definition of literal<\/em>\u00a0is as follows:\r\n
- She loves horses and nothing else.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nOnly<\/em> modifies the word that directly follows it.\u00a0Whenever you use the word\u00a0only<\/em> make sure you've placed it correctly in your sentence.\r\n
- Only<\/em> she loves horses.\r\n
- Milagros is exceptionally\u00a0<\/strong>pretty\u00a0(the adverb exceptionally<\/em>\u00a0modifies the adjective pretty<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Roberto drove us almost<\/b> to the station (almost<\/i> modifies the prepositional phrase to the station<\/i>)<\/li>\r\n \t
- We left it here<\/b> (here<\/i> modifies the verb phrase left it<\/i>, indicating place)<\/li>\r\n \t