ADVERB POSITION AND MEANING

The position of the adverb can affect the meaning of the sentence. The most common error involves misplacing the adverb only. Make sure that the adverb position conveys what you intend to say.

Compare:

Unclear: We only walked to the store and not to the bank. (Did the speakers only walk and not run? Or did they walk only to the store and not elsewhere? The meaning is unclear.

Clear: We walked only to the store and not to the bank.

Unclear: She frequently calls the magazine editor. (Does she call the magazine editor more frequently than anyone else? Or does she simply call the editor many times [frequently]?)

Clear: She calls the magazine editor frequently.

NOTE: In general, avoid splitting the verb phrase when using an adverb. While this rule is not carved in stone, it is a good one to keep in mind.

Compare:

Avoid: I have also given the matter my attention.

Better: I also have given the matter my attention.

Avoid: He had accurately filled out the form.

Better: He had filled out the form accurately.

COPARISONS OF ADVERBS

Adverbs like adjectives are used in comparisons. The positive is the base word (fast, quietly). The comparative is formed by adding –er or the word more (faster, more quietly), and the superlative by adding –est or the word most (fastest, most quietly). A few adverbs have irregular forms (well, better, best).

1) First Case

For adverbs that consist of one syllable we add “er” to adverbs to make comparative and “est” to make superlative form.

Example:

- He drives himself hard. (positive)

- He drives himself harder than I think he should. (comparative)

- He drives himself the hardest of anyone I know. (superlative)

2) Second Case

For adverbs which contain two or more syllables we add “more” to adverbs to form comparative and “most” to form superlative form.

Example:

- The tiger moves quietly through the jungle. (positive)

- The tiger moves more quietly than the deer. (comparative)

- The tiger moves the most quietly of the three big cats. (superlative)

3) Third Case

For some other adverbs that have irregular forms from positive to superlative like (well, better, best) we don’t use the first and second cases above.

Example:

- I write well with others in the room. (positive)

- I write better when I’m alone. (comparative)

- I write best late at night. (superlative)

TYPES OF ADVERB AND POSITION

Adverb is a word which is used to modify verb, adjective or adverb. There are six kinds of adverb in English. They are:

1) Adverb of Time

2) Adverb of Place

3) Adverb of Manner

4) Adverb of Frequency

5) Adverb of Probability

6) Adverb of Degree

1) Adverb of Time

Adverb of time is used to tell the time that an action happens or someone does something. There are many adverbs of time as the following.

Today, last night, yesterday, now, tomorrow, last month, before…

Formula₁:

Sentence + Adverb of Time

Example:

- I study English today.

- He met his friends last night.

Formula₂:

Adverb of Time + Sentence

Example:

- Yesterday she went to Phnom Penh.

- Now I’m learning English.

2) Adverb of Place

Adverb of place is used to tell the place where an action occurs or where someone does something. There are many adverbs of place as the following.

Here, there, inside, outside… or we can use with the preposition of place like at school, at the market…

Formula:

Sentence + Adverb of Place

Example:

- My dog sleeps outside.

- We have the meeting in the hotel.

3) Adverb of Manner

Adverb of manner is used to tell how an action happens.

Those Adverbs of Manner are:

Badly, beautifully, carefully, quickly, softly, lately, hardly, late, hard, truly, fast, easily, fully, automatically…

Formula:

Subject + Intransitive Verb + Adverb of Manner

Example:

- She sings beautifully.

- He runs quickly.

NOTE: For lately and hardly its formula is:

Subject + Lately/Hardly + Verb + Complement

Example:

- She hardly believes you.

- He lately goes to USA.

WARNING: Don’t use adverb after “Linking Verb”.

4) Adverb of Frequency

Adverb of frequency is used to expresses how often something happens or someone does something.

100%	80%	60%
Always everyday	usually normally generally	often frequently

50-40%	20%	10%	0%
sometime occasionally	seldom	rarely hardly ever	never

Formula:

Subject + Adverb of Frequency + Verb + Complement

Example:

- They always do their homework at night.

- We sometime go to the cinema at the weekend.

5) Adverb of Probability

Adverb of probability is used to show how sure when someone does something.

Probably, perhaps, definitely, obviously, certainly, truly, exactly....

Formula₁:

Adverb of Probability + Sentence

Example:

- Perhaps she comes today.

- Probably I have to get up early tomorrow.

Formula₂:

Subject + Modal Verb + Adverb of Probability + Main Verb + Complement

Example:

- He will probably get married next year.

- Many people can exactly speak English very well.

6) Adverb of Degree

Adverb of degree is used to give information about the extent or degree of something.

Very, quite, fairly, extremely, too, enough, so, almost, a lot...

Formula₁:

Subject + Intransitive Verb + Adverb of Degree

Example:

- My friends talk a lot.

- The economy grows extremely.

Formula₂:

Sub +Transitive Verb + Object + Adverb of Degree

Example:

- My boss treats all workers fairly.

- Children study English, too.

Formula₃:

Subject +Linking Verb + Adverb of Degree + Adjective

Example:

- She seems too hungry.

- I feel too much better.

FORMING ADVERBS

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. They answer the questions When? Where? How? Or How much? Adverbs describe an action or state of being in greater detail and can provide a more vivid picture of what is happening.

Example:

- She always signs her name with “Ms.” (When?)

- They put the children downstairs? (Where?)

- Knead the dough slowly. (How?)

- I objected mildly to the suggestion. (How much?)

1) First Case

Most adverbs can be formed from the adjectives by adding “ly” at the end.

Adjective	Adverb
Careful Collective Beautiful Frequent Normal Important Free True Fair General Sincere Foolish Quiet Silent Surprising	Carefully Collectively Beautifully Frequently Normally Importantly Freely Truly Fairly Generally Sincerely Foolishly Quietly Silently Surprisingly

NOTE 1: Some adverbs have two or more syllables and end in “consonant + y” we have to change y to i before adding “ly”.

Adjective	Adverb
Easy Necessary Happy Risky Healthy Wealthy	Easily Necessarily Happily Riskily Healthily Wealthily

NOTE 2: Some adverbs have only one syllable and end in “consonant + y” we must just add “ly” to the adjectives to form adverbs.

Adjective	Adverb
Shy Sly	Shyly Slyly

WARNING: Some words end in “ly” but they are not adverbs. The following words are the adjectives but not adverbs.

Lovely, friendly…

2) Second Case

Some adverbs can be made from adjectives but we don’t add “ly.” For those adverbs we have to change their form from the adjectives to adverbs. Notice that we use the superlative degree of the adjective to form adverbs.

Adjective	Adverb
Late Many Good	Last Most Well

3) Third Case

For some adverbs can be made from the adjectives without changing any letter and we just keep the same form from adjectives.

Adjective	Adverb
Cowardly Hourly Hard Fast Late Well	Cowardly Hourly Hard Fast Late Well