1. Adverb Notes

2. Definition
• An adverb is a word that
modifies a verb, an adjective, or
another adverb

3. Adverbs answer the
following questions:
Where? How often? or how long?
When? To What extent?
How? or how much?

4. ExamplesExamples
1. The sprinter ran swiftly. [The
adverb swiftly modifies the verb ran
and tells how.]
2. I read the funny pages early on
Sunday morning. [The adverb early
modifies the adjective small and
tells to what extent.]

5. Examples
3. Jolene was comforting a very small child.
[The adverb very modifies the adjective
small and tells to what extent.]
4. The fire blazed too wildly for anyone to
enter. [The adverb too modifies the adverb
wildly and tells to what extent. The adverb
wildly modifies the verb modifies the verb
blazed and tells how.]

6. Examples
5. Dad will sometimes quote from Archbishop
Desmond Tutu’s speech. [The adverb
sometimes modifies the verb will quote
and tells how often.]
6. Put the apples there, and we will eat them
later. [The adverb there modifies the verb
put and tells where. The adverb later
modifies the verb will eat and tells when.]

7. Words Often Used as
Adverbs

8. Where?
• Away
• Here
• Inside
• There
• Up

9. When?
• Later
• Now
• Soon
• Then
• Tomorrow

10. How?
• Clearly
• Easily
• Quietly
• Slowly

11. How often? or how long?
• Always
• Usually
• Continuously
• Never
• Forever
• Briefly

12. To what extent? or How
much?
• Almost
• So
• Too
• More
• Least
• Extremely
• Quite
• Very
• Not

13. Take NoteTake Note
The word not is nearly always
used as an adverb modifying a
verb. When not is part of a
contraction, as in hadn’t, aren’t,
and didn’t, the –n’t is still an
adverb and is not part of the
verb.