An adverb is an element of speech that offers more description to a verb or another adverb. There are some adverbs that can change a phrase or an entire sentence. Traditionally, they are regarded as a single part of speech. But adverbs also have several other functions. So, it's not easy to view them as a single category. You might wonder what is an adverb in a sentence. They are easy to find because they end in -ly. But others are a bit challenging to spot. Learner's classroom will help you with adverbs, their examples, and how you can use them in sentences.
What is an Adverb? – Definition and Examples
Adverbs come under the four major parts or components of speech. They give us more information about an idea or action. Thus, adverbs change or modify the varied parts of speech. Most commonly, though, they modify verbs. So what is an adverb example? Various examples are given below.
- My cute cat walks slowly. (Here, the adverb 'slowly' is modifying the verb 'walks.')
- The cute baby plays happily with toys. (Here, the adverb 'happily' is modifying the verb' plays.')
- The strong athlete runs fast. (Here, the adverb 'fast' is modifying the verb 'run.')
By now, you must be well familiar with what is an adverb and how it modifies the verbs in a sentence. But adverbs can also modify adjectives. When they modify adjectives, they function as intensifiers. Find some examples of it below.
- My extremely cute cat walks slowly. (Here, the adverb 'extremely' is modifying the adjective' cute.')
- The very cute baby plays happily with toys. (Here, the adverb 'very' is modifying the adjective' cute.')
- The exceptionally strong athlete runs fast. (Here, the adverb 'exceptionally' is modifying the adjective' strong.')
Adverbs can also modify other adverbs. When they do this, they make an adverbial phrase. Some examples of it are given below.
- My extremely cute catwalks very slowly. (Here, the adverb 'very' is modifying the adverb 'slowly.')
- The very cute baby plays so happily with toys. (Here, the adverb 'so' is modifying the adverb 'happily.')
- The exceptionally strong athlete runs quite fast. (Here, the adverb 'quite is modifying the adverb 'fast.')
Now, you are familiar with the basic adverb definition and examples. You can now easily use them to express yourself better through writing.
What are the Various Types of Adverbs
After knowing what is an adverb, let's move on to its different types. There are five types of adverbs. We'll look at each one of them along with examples.
Adverbs of manner
So, what is an adverb of manner? It explains how any action is performed. Quite often, they are adjectives having -ly at the end. But don't consider it as a general rule. Find some examples of adverbs of manner below.
- Slowly
- Clumsily
- Sweetly
- Badly
- Warmly
- Rapidly
Here are some sentences in which you can see an adverb of manner.
- Mary aced the test easily.
- People walk quickly to catch the bus.
- The event was conducted badly.
- David answered the prompt correctly.
Here, you can find adverbs of manner forming with -ly to the adjectives quick, bad, and correct.
Adverbs of place
An adverb of place is also referred to as spatial adverbs. They tell the place where an action occurred. They are related to the verb's action and provide context for distance, direction, and position. The adverb of place doesn't end in -ly.
Some types of adverbs with examples are given below.
- Close by
- Inside
- Back
- Around
- Left
- Southeast
- Up
- Everywhere
You can understand these adverbs better with the help of example sentences.
- Mary looked around, but she couldn't spot the dog.
- They walked down the mountain.
- David is going back to school.
- Ashley searched here and there but couldn't find her friends anywhere. (NOTE – Here and there are commonly used at the starting of the sentence to express exclamation or emphasis.)
Adverbs of frequency
These adverbs indicate time or how regularly or frequently something happens. They are divided into two significant groups. The first are adverbs of indefinite frequency. The second are adverbs of definite frequency. As always, you can understand the various types of adverb with examples more clearly.
Some examples of adverbs of indefinite frequency are:
- She can normally make the drink.
- You can find that adverb is usually placed before the major verb.
- I will always remember her.
Some examples of adverbs of definite frequency are given below.
- The workers get paid hourly.
- The revenues seem to fluctuate monthly.
- The magazine arrives daily.
Adverbs of time
These are quite similar to adverbs of frequency. They give us information about the time when something happened. Quite often, they are put at a sentence's end. Find the examples of adverbs of time in sentences below.
- She went to her relative's house yesterday. I will start doing my homework tomorrow.
- I have to go now.
- We first met with her last year.
Although it's usually right to put the adverb of time at the end part of the sentence, you can also put it at the beginning of the sentence to put a different kind of emphasis on time. You can do it only when it's essential to the sentence. Some examples are given below.
- Yesterday was the coldest day so far.
- Last year I was working in a school.
- Tomorrow is the day that I'll finally get my result.
Adverbs of purpose
Adverbs of purpose are also called adverbs of reason sometimes. They explain the reason or the why behind something that occurred. You can find them as individual words like because, since, thus, and the like. You can also find them in the form of clauses. For example, in order to, so that.
The primary function of adverbs of purpose is to link two sentences that generally wouldn't make much sense if they were not linked. You can understand these types of adverb with examples better.
- I wasn't feeling well, thus didn't go to the class today.
- Mary started running so that she wouldn't get late.
- Because I was late, I walked a little quicker.
- Since you are my friend, I will purchase you a gift.
What is an Adverb Clause?
Adverb clauses put more information that describes where, when, how, why, under what condition, and how much the action takes place. An adverb clause should possess a subject and a verb to be fully complete. You can place them at the starting, middle, or ending of a sentence. You can understand what is adverb clause better with examples.
- Unless you walk fast, you'll miss the train.
- My brother, when he is happy, eats a lot.
- Give us a ring when you get back from your vacation.
- As soon as I finished lunch, I desired something to drink.
- Chocolate, because it has a sweet taste, is preferred by many.
- We need to find the place where they asked us to stand.
Also Read - Learn, What Is Adjective?
Final Words
Now you are fully aware of what is an adverb. Adverbs enable you to provide more information to your sentence. They help describe what and how an action is done. They are helpful for people who want to express themselves in writing as they show sophistication and can enhance your vocabulary. If you want to get fluent in them, Get help from online English teachers or it's wise to practice them by solving various exercises and quizzes.
