How to Identify an Adverb in a Sentence
The Word That Modifies Verbs, Adjectives, and Other Adverbs
Sep 22, 2009
Adverbs are, perhaps, one of the most confusing parts of speech to students struggling to learn grammar. Basically, an adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. This definition, however, may not be helpful to the student who isn't sure what it means to "modify" another part of speech, or if he is struggling to understand more than one part of speech.
Adverbs are words that very often answer one of these questions: how, when, where, or how much? That doesn’t mean that they are easy to spot, however. One way to tell if a word is an adverb is if it ends in “ly”: Quickly, absolutely, and perfectly are all adverbs of this kind (adjectives with the suffix “ly” at the end).
But what about other adverbs? How can someone tell them apart? The Free Dictionary says that an adverb is “a word used . . . with another adverb to show time, manner, place, degree, etc.”
Adverbs Tell How, When, Where, or How Much
An adverb can answer the question how:
- I passed the test easily.
In this instance, the adverb easily modifies the verb passed. The adverb answers the question, "How did you do on the test?"
An adverb can also answer the question when:
- He went to the doctor today.
In this instance, the adverb answers the question, "When did he go to the doctor?"
Further, an adverb can answer the question where:
- My grandmother placed her purse over there.
Here, the question is, "Where did she put it?"
Finally, an adverb can state how much:
- We liked the movie a lot.
The question here is, "How much did you like it?"
Adverbs Show "Time, Manner, Place, Degree"
Adverbs show time in a number of different ways:
- Frequency: "rarely," "never," "often"
- When: "today," "tonight," "whenever"
- For how long: "since the last time," "for a while," "all the time"
Time adverbs answer the question, "When?"
Adverbs that show "manner" are usually (but not always!) "ly" verbs; that is, they are the verbs that answer the question, "How?"
- Slowly, loosely, beautifully, honestly, darkly, fast
Adverbs that show place also answer the question, "Where?"
- Here, there, above, ahead, below
Finally, adverbs that show degree ("to what degree?") are words that answer the question, "How much?"
- Very, quite, too, enough
Adverbs Modify Other Parts of Speech
Adverbs can seem confusing, but once a writer understands the questions an adverb answers, this part of speech makes more sense. Again, an adverb modifies another adverb, an adjective, or a verb, and it will answer one of these questions: When, How, Where, or How Much? If a writer can point to this answer in her sentence, chances are she's found an adverb.
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