Adverbs of manner
A1 BeginnerAdverbs of manner describe how an action is performed. They typically follow the main verb or the object to provide more detail about the behavior or process.
Overview
Adverbs of manner answer the question how?. They modify verbs to show the way someone does something. For example, in the sentence 'He walks quickly,' the word quickly explains the speed of the walking.
Form
adjective + -ly
Most adverbs of manner are formed by adding -ly to an adjective. If the adjective ends in -y, change it to -i before adding the suffix. Some adverbs, like fast and hard, are irregular and do not change form.
Adjectives vs. Adverbs
Remember that adjectives describe people or things, while adverbs describe the action itself.
| Adjective (Describes Noun) | Adverb (Describes Verb) |
|---|---|
| A slow car | The car drives slowly |
| A bad player | They play badly |
| A quiet room | She speaks quietly |
Examples
Common mistakes
He drives fastly.
He drives fast.
Fast is an irregular adverb and does not take the -ly ending.
She speaks good.
She speaks well.
Well is the adverbial form of the adjective good.
Practice
Change the adjective in brackets to an adverb: He eats his dinner ___ (quick).
Show answer
quickly
Answer:quickly
Why:To form a regular adverb from the adjective 'quick', add the suffix '-ly'.
Choose the correct word: The students are sitting ___ (quiet / quietly).
Show answer
quietly
Answer:quietly
Why:The word modifies the verb 'sitting', so the adverbial form 'quietly' is required.
Correct the error: They work very hardly.
Show answer
They work very hard.
Answer:They work very hard.
Why:'Hard' is an irregular adverb. 'Hardly' is a different word meaning 'almost not'.