Parts of Speech: Adverbs

An adverb modifies–changes, enhances, limits, describes, intensifies, muffles — a verb, an adjective or another adverb.

AN ADVERB ANSWERS THE QUESTION HOW?
[In the following examples, the adverb is bold and the word it modifies is underlined.]

It isn’t just the practice, studying, running, bad days, great days and traveling that experienced players handlewell.

• WELL tells us how the players HANDLE things.

They have quickly figured out how to deal with their boss.

• QUICKLY tells us how they HAVE FIGURED OUT.

It’s nice to have a group that handles the situations better than others have.

• BETTER describes how the group HANDLES the direct objects SITUATIONS.

Either they sitquietly and watch, not taking a side, or find themselves actually rooting for one of these two.

• QUIETLY describes how they SIT.

 

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AN ADVERB INDICATES TO WHAT DEGREE?

This has been a really nice group to work with,” Penn State coach Rene Portland said of her team.

• To what degree is the group nice? REALLY.

• NOTE: NICE is an adjective. This is an example of an adverb modifying an adjective.

How do so-called neutral fans react to this game between two programs they certainly respect but probably can’t stand?

• What kind of neutral are the fans? SO-CALLED.

• NOTE: NEUTRAL is an adjective.

The coach did not sound overly concerned about it.

• What is the degree of concern not expressed? OVERLY

• NOTE: CONCERNED is a PREDICATE adjective.

She is not sure our crowd will bother them that much.

• To what degree will the crowd bother them? MUCH.

AN ADVERB ANSWERS THE QUESTION WHEN?

We are in a busy time now,” the mayor said.

• When is the busy time? NOW

• NOTE: ARE is not a linking verb here. It is in transitive.

“Confident” would not have described the student yesterday.

• When was the STUDENT not CONFIDENT? YESTERDAY

Recently, we’ve allowed her to sneak outside and play the wing.

• WHEN has she been allowed? RECENTLY.

AN ADVERB ANSWERS THE QUESTION WHERE?

The little girl plays inside quietly.

• Where does she play well? INSIDE.

• NOTE: QUIETLY is also an adverb telling us how she plays.

Recently, we’ve allowed her to sneak outside and play.

• OUTSIDE tells us where she has been allowed to sneak.

• NOTE: RECENTLY is also an adverb telling us when we allowed it.

The goat has climbed out.

• OUT indicates where the goat HAS CLIMBED.

An adverb can also introduce sentences or modify entire phrases or sentences.

Thursday, NBC will show the premieres of its best shows.

• THURSDAY tells the reader when about the whole sentence.

Adverbs may refer to:

• TIME        (He arrived promptly.)
• MANNER   (Cougars walk silently.)
• DEGREE    (She was quite miserable.)
• PLACE      (The book belongs there.)