In English grammar, there are different types of adverbs. Adverbs can be classified into different groups depending on how they are used in a sentence. In this blog post, we will take a look at the different types of adverbs and how they are used in a sentence. Stay tuned for more!
Why Study Adverbs?
One of the main reasons it is important to study adverbs is that they are a major part of the English language. It is most important part of parts of speech. Adverbs can be found in almost every sentence, and they play an important role in both the meaning and the sound of a sentence.
Another reason it is important to study adverbs is that they can be difficult for ESL students to learn. Adverbs come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be used in many different ways. In order to use them correctly, students need to understand their function within a sentence and how they are related to other parts of the sentence.
Finally, adverbs can help students improve their writing skills. Adverbs provide clarity and precision to writing, and they can make reading easier.
Definition of Adverbs
An adverb is a word that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, clause, sentence and mainly anything else that could be modified. Adverbs are often used to indicate manner, time, place or degree.
For example:
- She sings beautifully.
The adverb “beautifully” modifies the adjective “sings.” The adverb can also be said to “qualify” the verb “sings.”
- The cat walked slowly down the street.
“Slowly” is an adverb that modifies the verb “walked.”
ESL students can improve their grammar skills by memorizing and practicing common adverbs of sentence. Some examples include: always, usually, often, never, sometimes, seldom. It’s also important to be aware of which words can be used as both adjectives and adverbs (for example: nice-nicely).
Types of Adverbs in English
- Adverbs of Time
- Adverbs of Frequency
- Adverbs of Place
- Adverbs of Manner
- Adverbs of Degree
- Adverbs of Reason
- Adverbs of Sentence
- Linking Adverb
- Regular Adverbs
- Irregular Adverbs
Adverbs of Time
ESL students learn about adverbs of time as a way to describe when an action happens. There are six adverbs of time: always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, never.
Always means that the action happens all the time or all the year. Usually means that the action happens most of the time but not all the time. Often means that the action happens more than once but not all the time. Sometimes means that the action only happens sometimes and not always. Seldom means that the action only happens sometimes but it’s rare. Never means that the action never happens.
Adverbs of Frequency
Frequency adverbs are words that tell us how often something happens. They usually come before the main verb in a sentence.
Here are some common frequency adverbs in English:
- Always
- Usually
- Sometimes
- Rarely
- Seldom
- Never
Adverbs of Place
ESL students often have difficulty with adverbs of place because English has more of them than many other languages. In addition, the placement of adverbs of place can be tricky in English.
Here are some common adverbs of place in English:
- here
- there
- yond
- nearby
- far away
- upstairs
- downstairs
Adverbs of Manner
ESL students often have difficulty understanding adverbs of manner. In English, adverbs of manner modify verbs and tell us how the action is performed. There are many different types of adverbs of manner, but some of the most common ones are:
- Slowly
- Quickly
- Carefully
- Clumsily
- Gracefully
Adverbs of Degree
ESL students should be familiar with adverbs of degree. These are words that modify the intensity of an action or description. They include words such as very, too, and so. Let’s look at some examples:
1) I am very hungry.
2) It is too hot outside.
3) She slept so peacefully last night.
Notice how these words change or add to the meaning of the sentence. Very intensifies the hunger, too makes the heat seem even worse, and so emphasizes how peaceful she slept. There are many other adverbs of degree in English, and you will see them commonly used in writing and speech. Be sure to use them correctly to convey just how much something happened.
Adverbs of Reason
Adverbs of Reason are words that describe the reason or cause for something. They usually end in -ly. Some common adverbs of reason are angrily, happily, and thankfully.
ESL students can practice using adverbs of reason by writing short sentences about what made them feel a certain way.
For example: I was so happy to receive my new toy! The toy made me very happy. or I was so angry when he refused to help me with my homework! His refusal made me furious.
Linking Adverb
A linking adverb is a word that joins the subject and the verb in a sentence, and it typically comes before the verb. Some common linking adverbs are “actually,” “clearly,” “definitely,” “obviously,” and “simply.”
Linking adverbs are used to make sure that the reader understands the relationship between the subject and verb in a sentence. They’re also used to add extra information to a sentence. For example, if you wanted to say that you actually went to the store, you would use the linking adverb “actually” to join together the subject (you) and verb (went).
Regular Adverbs
In English grammar, regular adverbs are words that end in -ly. They include words such as quickly, slowly, and carefully.
Most ESL students find it easy to learn the regular adverbs because they follow a predictable pattern. In other words, they always end in -ly. This makes them easy to spot and remember.
However, there are also some irregular adverbs in English, which don’t follow the -ly pattern. Some of these irregular adverbs include well, now, and soon. So it’s important for ESL students to learn both the regular and irregular forms of the adverb.
Irregular Adverbs
Irregular adverbs are adverbs that do not end in -ly. They include words such as fast, hard, and soon.
ESL students often have difficulty with irregular adverbs because they are not common in most other languages. In many languages, the adverbs all end in a predictable way, making them much easier to learn.
The best way for ESL students to learn irregular adverbs is to practice using them as often as possible. You can find a list of common irregular adverbs on many websites or in textbooks. Try to use them in your writing and speaking whenever possible. You will find that they become much easier to use over time!
Infographics (Types of Adverbs)
