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Adverbs

An adverb describes a verb, telling how, when or where something happens. Many adverbs end in -ly: quickly, softly, happily.

๐Ÿ’ก Fun fact

Not all adverbs end in -ly, like 'fast' and 'never'.

All about Adverbs

An adverb describes a verb, adjective or another adverb. It tells you how, when, where or how often something happens. Many adverbs end in -ly, such as quickly, softly and happily, but some do not, like fast and very.

Adverbs can appear in different places in a sentence. "She ran quickly," "Quickly, she ran," and "She quickly ran" all make sense. Using adverbs well adds detail to your writing.

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Real-life uses of Adverbs

  • Making actions clearer, such as "shouted loudly"
  • Describing how often something happens in a diary
  • Adding detail to stories and reports

Frequently asked questions about Adverbs

How do I know if a word is an adverb?

Ask How? When? Where? or How often? If the word answers one of these about a verb, it is probably an adverb.

Is "very" an adverb?

Yes. It modifies adjectives and other adverbs, as in "very happy" or "very quickly".

What is an adverb of frequency?

An adverb that says how often something happens, such as always, often, sometimes or never.