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Adverb Examples: How to Use Adverbs in Sentences

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Adverb Examples Sentences - Direct Usage Demonstrated

Adverbs are an important part of grammar and vocabulary when it comes to the English language. They define the ‘how’, ‘where’, and ‘what’,  about any action. In other words, they add meaning or emotion to a verb similar to adjectives for nouns.  Read on to find out more about adverbs, examples and usage.

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Table of Content
1. Adverb Examples Sentences - Direct Usage Demonstrated
2. Interesting Facts about Adverbs
3. What are Adverbs?
4. Examples of Adverbs in Sentences
5. Formation of Adverbs
6. Adverb Examples List
7. Different Kinds of Adverbs: Explained with Examples
    7.11. Adverbs of Time
    7.22. Adverb of Degree examples
    7.33. Adverbs of Frequency
    7.44. Adverbs of Manner
    7.55. Adverbs of Place
8. Test your Knowledge of Adverb
    8.1Check your Answers:
9. Important Takeaways from Adverb Examples
FAQs


Interesting Facts about Adverbs

  • The term "adverb" comes from Latin "adverbium," meaning a word added to a verb.

  • Adverbs were broadly classified as modifiers in medieval grammar, becoming more distinct in the late 16th century.

  • Adverbs in Old English were formed using suffixes like "-e" or "-lice," evolving into the modern "-ly" suffix.

  • Historically, endings like "-wise" (e.g., "lengthwise") were common for forming adverbs

  • Latin's complex adverbial forms influenced the development of adverbs in English.

What are Adverbs?

Adverbs are words that modify or provide more information about verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and even entire clauses. Unlike adjectives, which describe nouns, adverbs focus on modifying actions, qualities, or other descriptive words. They generally answer the following questions:


  • When? (e.g., yesterday, soon)

  • Where? (e.g., here, everywhere)

  • Why? (e.g., therefore, consequently)

  • How? (e.g., quickly, silently)

  • Under what circumstances? (e.g., accidentally, intentionally)


Examples of Adverbs in Sentences

  1. Modifying a Verb: "The leader had to announce loudly to be heard over the children."

(Here, "loudly" modifies the verb "announce.")

  1. Modifying an Adjective: "She looked really beautiful at her wedding."

(In this example, "really" modifies the adjective "beautiful.")

  1. Modifying Another Adverb: "I moved around the crockery very carefully."

(Here, "very" modifies the adverb "carefully.")

  1. Modifying a Sentence: "Clearly, he ate junk food throughout his childhood."

(In this sentence, "clearly" modifies the entire sentence.)

  1. Modifying a Phrase: "The children are still in the park."

(In this case, "still" modifies the phrase "in the park.")


Formation of Adverbs

Adverbs are often formed by adding -ly to adjectives, but specific rules depend on the structure of the adjective. Below are the common rules for forming adverbs:


Basic Rule: Add -ly to the end of the adjective.


  • Example: "Quick" changes to "quickly."

  • Example: "Sudden" changes to "suddenly."

  • Example: "Cunning" changes to "cunningly."


Adjectives Ending in -y: For adjectives with two syllables ending in -y, replace the final -y with -ily.


  • Example: "Shady" changes to "shadily."

  • Example: "Hungry" changes to "hungrily."

  • Example: "Happy" changes to "happily."


Adjectives Ending with a Consonant Followed by -le: Replace the final -e with -y.


  • Example: "Terrible" changes to "terribly."

  • Example: "Comfortable" changes to "comfortably."

  • Example: "Incredible" changes to "incredibly."


Adverb Examples List

The next section covers an adverb examples list to give you a comprehensive glance at how they are used.


Type of Adverb

Description

Examples

Adverbs of Time

Gives information about when an action takes place; usually placed at the start or end of a sentence.

- Yesterday, I saw an elephant on the street. (Yesterday)

- Will you be at school tomorrow? (Tomorrow)

- Ridhima will eventually leave the country after her college is finished. (Eventually)

- Recently, we have started watching Netflix. (Recently)

Adverbs of Degree

Indicates the extent or degree of an action, modifying adjectives and other adverbs.

- He is almost vegetarian but eats eggs sometimes. (Almost)

- The girl was very late for the class. (Very)

- He dances well, but she dances more gracefully. (More)

- The IIT entrance exam was extremely difficult. (Extremely)

Adverbs of Frequency

Shows how often an action occurs; answers "how many times."

- I have never played golf. (0 times)

- She hardly ever watches movies. (1/10 times)

- The ship rarely sails in the Arctic zone. (20% of times)

- Sometimes life is unfair and we have to accept it. (Around 50% of the time)

Adverbs of Manner

Describes how an action is performed; often ends in -ly.

- The UFC fighters were badly injured after the fight. (Badly)

- She would gladly help him with his homework. (Gladly)

- The actor still acts very well. (Well)

Adverbs of Place

Indicates where an action takes place; usually placed after the main verb.

- If you wish to stargaze, you need to be outside. (Outside)

- Police have looked for the evidence everywhere. (Everywhere)

- The dinner table is downstairs. (Downstairs)


Below, you can find a more in-depth look at adverb example sentences for complete and thorough understanding.


Different Kinds of Adverbs: Explained with Examples

1. Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time provide information about when an action occurs. They are often placed at the beginning or end of a sentence, especially when the timing of an event is crucial.


Examples:

  • "Yesterday, I saw an elephant on the street."

(Here, "Yesterday" indicates when the action occurred.)

  • "Will you be at school tomorrow?"

("Tomorrow" specifies the time of the action.)

  • "Ridhima will eventually leave the country after her college is finished."

("Eventually" emphasizes when the action will take place.)

  • "Recently, we have started watching Netflix."

("Recently" indicates a time close to the present.)


2. Adverb of Degree examples

Adverbs of degree describe the intensity or extent of an action or quality, answering questions like "how much" or "to what extent." They often modify adjectives or other adverbs and are used to emphasise a verb.


Examples:

  • "He is almost vegetarian but eats eggs sometimes."

("Almost" modifies the extent of being vegetarian.)

  • "The girl was very late for the class."

("Very" intensifies the adjective "late.")

  • "He dances well, but she dances more gracefully."

("More" shows a comparative degree of the adverb "gracefully.")

  • "The IIT entrance exam was extremely difficult."

("Extremely" emphasizes the difficulty of the exam.)


3. Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency indicate how often an action occurs, answering the question "how often." They are usually placed before the main verb in a sentence.


Examples:

  • "I have never played golf."

("Never" indicates zero frequency of playing golf.)

  • "She hardly ever watches movies."

("Hardly ever" suggests a very low frequency, around 1/10 times.)

  • "The ship rarely sails in the Arctic zone."

("Rarely" means the action happens about 20% of the time.)

  • "Sometimes life is unfair and we have to accept it."

("Sometimes" indicates a 50% likelihood.)


Other common examples include "seldom," "occasionally," "frequently," and "usually."


4. Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner describe how something is done or happens. Most of these adverbs end in -ly, although there are exceptions like "well," "hard," and "fast."


Examples:

  • "The UFC fighters were badly injured after the fight."

("Badly" describes the manner of injury.)

  • "She would gladly help him with his homework."

("Gladly" shows the manner of helping.)

  • "The actor still acts very well."

("Well" indicates the quality of the acting.)


5. Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place provide information about where an action occurs, typically placed after the main verb in a sentence.


Examples:

  • "If you wish to stargaze, you need to be outside."

("Outside" indicates the place of the action.)

  • "Police have looked for the evidence everywhere."

("Everywhere" shows the extent of the search.)

  • "The dinner table is downstairs."

("Downstairs" specifies the location.)


Test your Knowledge of Adverb

  1. Which type of adverb provides information about when an action takes place?
    a) Adverbs of Manner
    b) Adverbs of Frequency
    c) Adverbs of Time
    d) Adverbs of Degree

  2. What does an adverb of degree modify in a sentence?
    a) Nouns
    b) Verbs
    c) Adjectives and other adverbs
    d) Pronouns

  3. Which sentence correctly uses an adverb of frequency?
    a) She runs quickly in the morning.
    b) The cat sleeps upstairs every day.
    c) He will leave soon.
    d) They are always happy.

  4. What is the main function of adverbs of place?
    a) To describe how an action is performed
    b) To indicate where an action takes place
    c) To show the degree of an adjective
    d) To show when an action happens


Check your Answers:

  1. Which type of adverb provides information about when an action takes place?
    Answer: c) Adverbs of Time

  2. What does an adverb of degree modify in a sentence?
    Answer: c) Adjectives and other adverbs

  3. Which sentence correctly uses an adverb of frequency?
    Answer: d) They are always happy.

  4. What is the main function of adverbs of place?
    Answer: b) To indicate where an action takes place


Important Takeaways from Adverb Examples

  • Types of Adverbs: Adverbs are classified into several types, including adverbs of time (when), degree (how much), frequency (how often), manner (how), and place (where).

  • Adverbs of Time: These adverbs provide information about when an action takes place and are usually positioned at the start or end of a sentence (e.g., "Yesterday," "Tomorrow," "Eventually").

  • Adverbs of Degree: They modify adjectives or other adverbs to indicate the extent or degree of an action (e.g., "Almost," "Very," "Extremely").

  • Adverbs of Frequency: These adverbs show how often an action occurs (e.g., "Never," "Hardly," "Rarely," "Sometimes").

  • Adverbs of Manner and Place: Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed (e.g., "Quickly," "Badly"), while adverbs of place indicate where an action takes place (e.g., "Outside," "Everywhere," "Downstairs").

FAQs on Adverb Examples: How to Use Adverbs in Sentences

1. What are adverbs of degree?

Adverbs of degree are those adverbs that determine the quantity of any sentence. They Place extra emphasis on a sentence. Some examples are Ria is almost there, and The school examinations were quite easy.  An explanation of this has been provided on Vedantu’s e-learning platform. Adverbs of degree and other kinds of adverbs are mentioned on this page. The students can easily understand through the help of examples and will find the topic extremely easy once they have scanned this page properly. They can even revise from here before an exam.

2. What are some examples of adverbs of place?

Some examples of adverbs of place are- Suri loves to read in the library (library), lunch will be served downstairs (downstairs), and Akira likes going to London (London).


Students who are confused about this can read from  Adverbs – Definition, Formation and Different Types on Vedantu. This page will resolve all their queries as it has useful inputs on the topic. All the different kinds of adverbs have been explained as per the student’s level of understanding.  By going through this page, students will be able to answer questions that come from any part of adverbs.

3. Is the word ‘really’ an adverb?

Yes, is an adverb. It defines the degree to which something is present such as a really beautiful woman or a really tasty cake. Anything that adds more emphasis to a verb or modifies an adjective, is called an adverb.

4. What are adverbs of frequency?

Adverbs of frequency are adverbs that point towards the occurrence of something. They answer the question of ‘how often.’ Some examples of which would be Mariam practises maths five days a week, Sheenu never misses a game and so forth. In these examples, the occurrence of the event or something can be noticed. Therefore they are adverbs of frequency.

5. What are adverbs of time, and where are they usually placed in a sentence?

Adverbs of time provide information about when an action takes place. They are typically positioned at the beginning or end of a sentence to give context to the timing of the action. For instance, in the sentence "Yesterday, I saw an elephant on the street," "Yesterday" indicates when the action occurred.

6. Can adverbs of degree be used to modify other adverbs?

Yes, adverbs of degree can modify other adverbs to provide more emphasis. For example, in the sentence "She sings very beautifully," the adverb "very" modifies the adverb "beautifully" to enhance the description of how beautifully she sings.

7. How do adverbs of frequency function in a sentence?

Adverbs of frequency describe how often an action occurs. They usually answer questions like "How many times?" and are placed typically before the main verb or after the subject. For example, "She always goes to the gym" shows how frequently the action happens.

8. What is the role of adverbs of manner in a sentence?

Adverbs of manner explain how an action is performed. They often end in -ly, such as "quickly" or "carefully," and modify verbs to describe the way the action is carried out. For example, "He runs quickly" describes how he runs.

9. Where are adverbs of place usually found in a sentence?

Adverbs of place indicate where an action takes place and are typically placed after the main verb or object. For example, in "Police have looked for the evidence everywhere," "everywhere" tells us where the search occurred.

10. How can adverbs of frequency be used to describe actions in sentences?

Adverbs of frequency can be used to indicate the regularity of an action. They help specify how often something happens, such as "rarely," "often," or "seldom." For instance, "He seldom travels abroad" shows how infrequently the action occurs.