Today we are going to learn about…

What is an adverb?

An adverb tells you more about a verb (action word) It tells you where, why, or how much something happens or is done.

Many adverbs are made by adding –ly onto the end of an adjective (adjective describes a noun). Kind The boy kindly carried the teacher’s books. Strange It was strangely quiet in Ms. Schurman’s classroom.

Look at these sentences Kevin walked slowly to school. Sylvia sang sweetly in Mr. Forton’s music room. The cat runs fast on the playground. The children played happily during recess.

Can you make a sentence using these adverbs?

Look at these sentences Henry came yesterday. My mother comes home late from work. I will visit my friends tomorrow. My dad will come home soon. The adverbs in these sentences show when the action is done.

Look at these questions When did Henry come? When does my mother come home? When shall I write a letter to them? The words yesterday, soon, late and tomorrow add something to the meaning of the verbs came, will come, comes and shall write. They tell us when the action is done. Adverbs of Time answer the Question: WHEN?

Here are some more sentences. Let us read them: We looked up. The sky is above. She lives here. My mother is walking upstairs. The adverbs in these sentences show us WHERE the action is done.

Here are some more sentences. Let us read them: Where did we look?- up Where does she live? - here Where is the sky? - above Where is my mother going? - up The words up, here, above and upstairs add something to the meaning of the verbs looked, is, lives and is going. They tell us “WHERE” the action is done. Such adverbs are called Adverbs of Place.

Finally, let us read these sentences This flower is very beautiful. These bananas are almost ripe. The animal treated the mouse most cruelly. She speaks rather loudly.

The word ‘very’ is used with the Adjective ‘beautiful’ and it tells us how (or to what degree) beautiful the flower is. The word ‘almost’ is used with the adjective Ripe’ and tells us how ripe the bananas are. The word ‘rather’ is used with the Adverb Slowly and tells us how slowly she speaks. The word ‘most’ is used with the Adverb ‘cruelly’ and tells us how cruelly the animal treated the mouse.

The Adverbs very, almost, rather, and must show in what degree or to what extent and are called Adverbs of Degree Therefore, there are Four Kinds of Adverbs: 1.Adverb of Manner 2.Adverb of Time 3.Adverb of Place and 4.Adverb of Degree

Can you make a sentence using these adverbs?

Great! Now you can use adverbs to make your writing more interesting. Adverbs are important words to use because they help Readers (you and me) see (puts pictures in our heads) and understand what the write is trying to communicate.

Created By Laurel Conran, ESOL TL