Adverb Definition and Examples
Simply put, an Adverb is a word used to modify the meaning of a verb, or an adjective or another adverb. The adverb definition and examples go a long way in making English grammar easy for the student. They are reclassified according to their meaning, such as the following:
Adverbs of
- Manner
- Time
- Place
- Degree
Adverbs of Manner:
These adverbs answer the question” how” of the verb, such as,
Rahul answered the question frankly.
The poor kid was roaming on the road helplessly.
Carbon emissions are rising surprisingly fast.
Adverbs of Time:
These adverbs answer the question “when” of the verb. For example,
He bought a car recently.
My daughter arrived today.
The train has already left the station.
Adverb of Place:
These adverbs answer the question “where”. For example,
He went there.
The woman was murdered here.
She moved abroad.
Adverbs of Degree
These adverbs answer the question “to what extent”. For example,
Mother is very angry.
He hardly studied for the examination.
The task at hand looks utterly hopeless.
Relative Adverbs
Relative adverbs are placed before the subordinate clause of the sentence and act as a relative pronoun, such as,
I know a place where/in which we can sleep tonight.
He had Typhoid when He was in Australia.
Make hay while the sun shines.
In these sentences, the adverb acts as a link to the subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence.
Some of the other relative adverbs are where, wherever, whence, while, before, why, after, till, since, until.
Interrogative Adverbs
When, where, how, why, whether can be used as interrogative adverbs and their function is similar to relative adverbs but they are used in interrogative sentences.
Adverb Definition and Examples
Adverbs have generally two forms. One is the form ending in ‘ly’ and the other is the same as the adjective and so It is important to distinguish the difference and use them. For example,
He studied hardly for the examination (Incorrect). Hardly means scarcely. The correct adverb is
He studied hard for the examination.
Sam came lately to the ground (Incorrect).
Sam came late to the ground. (Correct)
She was dressed pretty. (Incorrect)
She was dressed prettily. (Correct)
He is prettily right about the outcome. (Incorrect)
He is pretty right about the outcome. (Correct)
[The meaning of the word “pretty” is different in the last two examples and hence It is important to understand the meaning of the word during the usage of adverb.]
Some more adverb definition and examples can be learnt in exercises.
For more lessons on parts of speech, click here.
Connect with us on Facebook.
Leave a Reply