Course on Adverbs - TOEIC® Preparation
In English, an adverb is used to describe or modify a verb. It can even modify an adjective or another adverb. There are several types that we will see later in this course.
- To describe/modify a verb
- She sings beautifully.
- To describe/modify an adjective
- The weather is extremely cold.
- To describe/modify another adverb
- They arrived almost immediately.
1. What are the different types of adverbs?
Here is a summary table of the different types of adverbs found in English:
| Type of Adverb | Adverbs | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adverbs of manner | quickly, slowly, carefully, happily | Indicate how an action is performed. | He drove carefully. |
| Adverbs of place | here, there, everywhere, abroad | Indicate where the action takes place. | They live abroad. |
| Adverbs of time | now, then, today, yesterday, tomorrow | Indicate when the action takes place. | I will call you tomorrow. |
| Adverbs of frequency | always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never | Indicate how often the action occurs. | They often go to the cinema. |
| Adverbs of degree | very, quite, too, enough, completely, absolutely | Indicate to what extent something is done or felt. | I am very happy today. |
| Linking adverbs | however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless | Connect ideas in a text or speech. | I was tired; however, I finished my work. |
2. How to form an adverb?
Adverbs in English are mainly derived from adjectives, but there are several rules and exceptions to know to form and use them correctly.
A. Forming adverbs from adjectives
In most cases, an adverb is formed by adding -ly to the end of an adjective. These adverbs are often used to describe the manner in which an action is performed (they are mostly adverbs of manner).
Transformation of adjectives ending in a consonant
When the adjective ends with a consonant, simply add -ly to the end:
| Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|
| slow | slowly |
| quiet | quietly |
| easy | easily |
| quick | quickly |
| lucky | luckily |
- She quietly left the room.
Transformation of adjectives ending in -y
If the adjective ends in -y, it is transformed into -i before adding -ly.
| Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|
| happy | happily |
| lucky | luckily |
| busy | busily |
| easy | easily |
- He solved the problem easily.
Transformation of adjectives ending in -le
For adjectives ending in -le, replace the final -e with -y before adding -ly.
| Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|
| simple | simply |
| terrible | terribly |
| gentle | gently |
- He answered the question simply.
Transformation of adjectives ending in -ic
Adjectives ending in -ic form their adverb by adding -ally (not just -ly).
| Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|
| basic | basically |
| tragic | tragically |
| realistic | realistically |
- She explained the problem basically.
Exception
public → publicly (not publically).
B. Common exceptions
Some adverbs do not follow general rules and must be learned individually.
Irregular adverbs
Some adjectives have a completely different adverbial form without adding -ly.
| Adjective | Adverb |
|---|---|
| good | well |
| fast | fast |
| hard | hard |
| late | late |
| early | early |
- She is a good dancer.
- She dances well.
- He is a fast runner.
- He runs fast.
Difference between some similar words
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| hard | He works hard every day. |
| hardly | I can hardly hear you. |
| late | He arrived late to the meeting. |
| lately | I haven't seen her lately. |
TOEIC® Warning!
The words "hard" and "hardly" do not have the same meaning. This distinction is a common trap in TOEIC®!
Pitfalls to avoid:
- Hard and hardly ⇒ "hard" VS "barely"
- late and lately ⇒ late VS recently
- actually ⇒ in fact (not currently)
- currently ⇒ at the moment (not fluently)
C. Adjectives ending in -ly that are not adverbs
Some adjectives seem to be adverbs because they end in -ly, but they are not used as such. They require rephrasing to express an adverbial idea. Here are a few:
| Adjective | Rephrased as adverb |
|---|---|
| friendly | in a friendly manner |
| lovely | in a lovely way |
| lonely | in a lonely way |
| silly | in a silly way |
- ❌ He greeted me friendly.
✅ He greeted me in a friendly manner.
D. When an adjective and an adverb have the same form
Some words can be both adjective and adverb, without changing form. These words never take the -ly suffix in their adverbial form.
| Word | Used as adjective | Used as adverb |
|---|---|---|
| fast | This is a fast car. | He drives fast. |
| hard | This exercise is hard. | He works hard. |
| late | The late train arrived at midnight. | He arrived late. |
| early | She is an early riser. | She arrived early. |
E. Mini-recap on how to form an adverb
General rules
- Add -ly to most adjectives (quick → quickly).
- Transform -y into -i before adding -ly (happy → happily).
- Adjectives ending in -le: replace -e with -y (simple → simply).
- Adjectives ending in -ic: add -ally (tragic → tragically), except public → publicly.
Exceptions to remember
- Irregular adverbs:
- good → well
- fast → fast
- hard → hard
- late → late
- early → early
- Similar but different words:
- hard (hard, with effort) ≠ hardly (barely)
- late (late) ≠ lately (recently)
- Some adjectives ending in -ly are not adverbs: friendly, lovely, lonely…
- Identical adjectives and adverbs: fast, hard, late, early keep the same form
3. Position of adverbs in the sentence
The position of adverbs varies according to their type and according to the element they modify. Generally, there are three positions:
| Position of the adverb | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Initial position | The adverb or adverbial group is at the beginning of the sentence. Often used to emphasize an element or to make a transition. | Usually, I wake up at 6 a.m. |
| Mid position | The adverb is generally placed after the auxiliary or before the main verb. Typical for adverbs of frequency, certainty, or some adverbs of degree. | I always eat breakfast at home. |
| Final position | The adverb is at the end of the sentence or after the direct object. This is the usual place for adverbs of manner, place, and time. | They studied quietly. |
Here is now where to place adverbs according to their types
| Type of adverb | Usual position | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Adverbs of manner | Generally at the end of the sentence, sometimes before the verb for emphasis. If there is an adverb of place in the sentence, place the adverb of manner just before | He speaks loudly. She quickly finished her work. She danced gracefully on the stage. |
| Adverbs of place | Mainly at the end of the sentence. | She lives here. He went abroad. |
| Adverbs of time | Mainly at the end of the sentence, but sometimes at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. | They will leave tomorrow. Tomorrow, they will leave. |
| Adverbs of frequency | Generally in mid position, before the main verb or after the auxiliary. With be, after the verb. | He always arrives on time. She is often late. |
| Adverbs of degree | Placed before the adjective, adverb, or verb they modify. | I am very happy today. He drives quite slowly. |
| Linking adverbs | Placed at the beginning of the sentence or after a semicolon. | However, he didn't agree. I was tired; therefore, I went to bed early. |
Conclusion
Adverbs are essential to enrich a sentence by specifying how, where, when, and how often an action takes place. Their formation often follows the rule adjective + -ly, although some exceptions exist (good → well, fast → fast). Their position depends on their type, with a tendency to appear before, after, or at the end of a sentence depending on their function. This is really an important concept as the different types and traps are ubiquitous in TOEIC®!
Other courses
Here are other grammar courses for TOEIC®: