1. What Is an Adverb?
An adverb is a versatile part of speech that provides additional information about a verb, adjective, or another adverb in a sentence. While adjectives describe nouns, adverbs add depth to verbs, adjectives, or even other adverbs. They typically answer questions like "how," "when," "where," "why," or "to what extent."
2. Definition of an Adverb
According to leading dictionaries, an adverb is defined as follows:
- Oxford Learner’s Dictionary: "A word that adds more information about place, time, manner, cause, or degree to a verb, an adjective, a phrase, or another adverb."
- Cambridge Dictionary: "A word that describes or gives more information about a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase."
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary: "A word used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb and often used to show degree, manner, place, or time."
- Collins Dictionary: "A word such as 'slowly,' 'now,' 'very,' 'politically,' or 'fortunately' which adds information about the action, event, or situation mentioned in a clause."
3. Types of Adverbs
Adverbs are categorized based on the type of information they convey or the aspect of speech they describe. The main types of adverbs include:
- Adverbs of Manner
- Adverbs of Time
- Adverbs of Place
- Adverbs of Frequency
- Adverbs of Degree
- Conjunctive Adverbs
Let's explore each type in detail.
4. Different Types of Adverbs with Examples
1. Adverbs of Manner
Definition: Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed, answering the question ‘how.’
Examples:
- Quickly
- Promptly
- Clearly
- Slowly
- Gradually
- Eventually
- Rapidly
- Seriously
- Instantly
- Keenly
2. Adverbs of Time
Definition: Adverbs of time indicate when an action occurs, encompassing general time periods and specific times.
Examples:
- Now
- Soon
- Today
- Tomorrow
- The day after tomorrow
- Next month
- Recently
- Forever
3. Adverbs of Place
Definition: Adverbs of place signify where an action takes place, answering the question ‘where.’
Examples:
- Somewhere
- Anywhere
- Nowhere
- Here
- Outside
- Inside
- Wherever
- Elsewhere
- Left
- Right
- North
- East
- South
- West
4. Adverbs of Frequency
Definition: Adverbs of frequency denote how often an action or event occurs, answering the question ‘how often.’
Examples:
- Seldom
- Rarely
- Never
- Often
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
- Annually
- Usually
- Sometimes
- Occasionally
- Constantly
- Frequently
5. Adverbs of Degree
Definition: Adverbs of degree indicate the intensity of an action or quality, describing adjectives and adverbs.
Examples:
- Very
- Too
- Extremely
- Much
- More
- Most
- Little
- Less
- Incredibly
- Totally
- Greatly
- Hardly
- Deeply
- Barely
6. Conjunctive Adverbs
Definition: Conjunctive adverbs link two sentences or clauses together, acting like conjunctions.
Examples:
- However
- Nevertheless
- Meanwhile
- Therefore
- Instead
- Likewise
- Notably
- Subsequently
- Rather
- Namely
- On the other hand
- Incidentally
- In addition to
5. Test Your Understanding of Types of Adverbs
Now, let’s apply our knowledge by identifying adverbs in sentences and specifying their types:
- She often visits the orphanages and old age homes in different parts of the country. - Adverb of Frequency
- The tea was very hot; I almost burned my tongue. - Adverb of Degree
- It is most likely expected to rain in the month of September in India. - Adverb of Degree, Adverb of Manner
- I find it difficult to keep going to the post office every week to check if my parcel has arrived. - Adverb of Time
- I had not completed my assignment; therefore, I decided to stay back home and complete it. - Conjunctive Adverb
- Can we go somewhere so that I can relax my mind? - Adverb of Place
- The children became too restless because of the rumor. - Adverb of Degree
- Geetha was putting the children to sleep; meanwhile, her brother cleaned the house. - Conjunctive Adverb
- My father went outside. - Adverb of Place
- Next month, we will be in Chennai. - Adverb of Time
6. Examples of Adverbs
Let's explore some examples of adverbs to grasp how they function in sentences:
-
Adverbs of Manner:
- She speaks fluently.
- He dances gracefully.
-
Adverbs of Time:
- We will meet tomorrow.
- He arrived late.
-
Adverbs of Place:
- They looked everywhere for the keys.
- The cat is upstairs.
-
Adverbs of Frequency:
- She always arrives early.
- He rarely eats fast food.
-
Adverbs of Degree:
- The movie was extremely entertaining.
- She was quite tired.
-
Conjunctive Adverbs:
- He failed the test; however, he improved later.
- I want to go; therefore, I will.
7. How Adverbs are Used in Sentences
One notable characteristic of adverbs is their flexibility in sentence placement. They can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence without disrupting its coherence. Moreover, multiple adverbs can be used in a single sentence. Let's see some examples:
-
Beginning of a Sentence:
- Yesterday, she went to the market.
- Quickly, he finished his homework.
-
Middle of a Sentence:
- She went to the market yesterday to buy groceries.
- He quickly finished his homework before dinner.
-
End of a Sentence:
- She went to the market to buy groceries yesterday.
- He finished his homework quickly.
8. Check Your Knowledge of Adverbs
Let's test your understanding of adverbs. Choose the most suitable adverb from the list provided and complete the sentences below:
(slightly, too, very, anywhere, instantly, quarterly, soon, never, rarely, seldom, monthly, extremely, seriously, sometimes, weekly)
- The weather here is __________ cold.
- I am __________ sorry for the delay.
- You will receive an OTP, and on entering it, your account will be __________ activated.
- The journal is published __________.
- Can you please finish it __________ so that I can use the table?
- She __________ goes to the salon.
- Oshin did not find the blue file __________.
- __________, I like to go on a trip alone just to clear my mind and have a break from this busy schedule.
- This seems to be __________ absurd.
- The teacher asked her students to take the project __________ as it would be considered for internal marks.
Answers:
- very
- extremely
- instantly
- weekly
- soon
- seldom
- anywhere
- Sometimes
- too
- seriously