An ADVERB is a word or phrase that modifies the meaning of an adjective, verb, or other adverb, expressing manner, place, time, or degree (e.g. gently, here, now, very ).
The difference between an adverb and an adjective is the following:
- An adjective modifies a noun (e.g. "John is tall." The adjective tall modifies the noun John)
- An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. E.g.
- "That idea is simply ridiculous." (The adverb simply modifies the adjective ridiculous).
- "She sings nicely." (The adverb nicely modifies the verb sing)
- "She did it really well." (the adverb really modifies the adverb well)
The order of adverbs is very FLEXIBLE in English … and can express shades of meaning. Adverbs can come at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence.
- Suddenly I felt afraid.
- Yesterday detectives arrested a man and a woman in connection with the murder.
- Apples always taste best when you pick them straight off the tree
- Why do you always have to eat so fast?
Note the types of ADVERB
- He speaks quietly. ( quietly is an adverb of manner.)
- I live here. (here is an adverb of place.)
- We'll leave tomorrow. (tomorrow is an adverb of time.)
- She never sleeps late . (never is an adverb of manner)
At the END of the sentence adverbs are used in the order MANNER, PLACE, TIME.
- MANNER: badly, beautifully, horribly, terribly, softly, quietly etc..
- PLACE: out, on, there, here, westward, centrally etc...
- TIME: yesterday, today, later, tomorrow, now, last year etc...
E.g. “he sang beautifully there yesterday”
With verbs of MOVEMENT the adverb of place acts an an object and comes after the verb (e.g. he went to the station by taxi). Don’t separate the verb and object with an adverb (“I speak well English”). MOVEMENT: dramatically, considerably, significantly, substantially, sharply, moderately, slightly (degree of change) or rapidly, quickly, suddenly, gradually, steadily, slowly (speed of change).
More SPECIFIC adverbs of time come before more GENERAL ones (e.g. He was born at six o’clock on Christmas morning in the year 1998).
More detailed handouts are available on adverbs of manner, place, time.
There are also rules about adjective order, but this is not covered in these grammar exercises.