What is an adverb? Types and examples

Most adverbs of manner are an adjective plus -ly: slow becomes slowly. Adjectives ending in -y change to -ily (easy, easily), and adjectives ending in -le drop the e and add -y (gentle, gently).

Some adverbs have the same form as the adjective: fast, hard, late and early. Hardly and lately are different words: "He hardly works" means he does almost no work, and lately means recently.

The adverb from good is well. Some words ending in -ly are adjectives, not adverbs, such as friendly, lovely and lonely. Say "She spoke in a friendly way".

Frequency adverbs go before the main verb but after be: "She often works late." "She is often late." With a helping verb, they go after the first one: "I have never seen snow."

Manner, place and time adverbs usually go at the end, in that order: "She sang beautifully at the concert last night."

Don't put an adverb between a verb and its object. Write "She speaks English well", not "She speaks well English".

One-syllable adverbs, and early, add -er and -est. Most -ly adverbs use more and most.

• Wrong: He speaks English very good.

  Right: He speaks English very well.

  To describe how he speaks, use the adverb well.

• Wrong: She speaks fluently English.

  Right: She speaks English fluently.

  Don't put the adverb between the verb and its object.

• Wrong: I go always to the gym.

  Right: I always go to the gym.

  Frequency adverbs go before the main verb.

• Wrong: He works hardly to support his family.

  Right: He works hard to support his family.

  The adverb is hard. Hardly means almost not.

Adverbs make trend descriptions exact in IELTS Writing Task 1: "Prices rose sharply", "Numbers fell slightly", "The figure remained relatively stable". Linking adverbs such as however, consequently and similarly connect ideas in IELTS Task 2 and PTE Write Essay, but use each one only where it fits the logic. In speaking, too many uses of very can sound flat, so try more precise words such as extremely, fairly or remarkably.

Try each one, then open it to check your answer.

1. 1. Make an adverb from "quiet".

   quietly

   Add -ly to the adjective.

2. 2. Name the type: "We will leave soon." (soon)

   Adverb of time.

   It answers when.

3. 3. Put "usually" in the right place: "She is tired after work."

   She is usually tired after work.

   Frequency adverbs go after be.

4. 4. Correct this: "He drives very careful."

   He drives very carefully.

   It describes how he drives, so it needs the adverb.

5. 5. Choose: "I have been very busy (late / lately)."

   lately

   Lately means recently. Late means not on time.

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