USE:
Adverbs of manner describe how actions happen or how
things are done. But:
BE, BECOME, FEEL, GET, LOOK and SEEM are used with
adjectives, not adverbs.
POSITION:
- We put adverbs of manner after the verb when
there is no object: She runs rapidly.
- We put them after
the verb + object: Miguel speaks
English perfectly.
- With verbs of movement we put them after
adverbial phrases of place: I go home
early.
- In questions, we put them at the end of
the sentence: Doesn’t she play the
piano beautifully?
FORMATION:
In general, we form adverbs of manner by adding –ly to the adjective: slow → slowly.
Adjectives ending in consonant + y, change y to
i+-ly: happy → happily.
Adjectives ending in –e don’t omit it: brave → bravely. Except: true →truly, due → duly.
Adjectives ending in –able /-ible change the –e
to –y: probable → probably.
IRREGULAR ADVERBS: fast → fast, far → far, hard → hard, high → high, late → late, good → well.
Nora drives fast. We travelled far. They work hard. The athlete jumped high. She never comes late.
Attention! Adjective "good": My friend is a good football player. → Adverb "well": My friend plays football well.
COMPARISON OF ADVERBS:
- Adverbs ending in -ly form the comparative of superiority with MORE and the superlative of superiority with MOST:
slowly → more slowly → most slowly
happily → more happily → most happily
carefully → more carefully → most carefully
- One-syllable adverbs form the comparative of superiority adding -ER and the superlative of superiority adding -EST:
fast→ faster → fastest
late→ later → latest
hard→ harder → hardest
high → higher → highest
- Some adverbs form the comparative and superlative forms of superiority irregularly:
badly → worse → worst
well → better → best
far → farther /further→ farthest/furthest
- All the adverbs form the comparative of inferiority with LESS and the superlative of inferiority with LEAST:
slowly → less slowly → least slowly
happily → less happily → least happily
carefully → less carefully → least carefully
fast → less fast → least fast
- All the adverbs form the comparative of equality using AS... AS
late → as late as
badly → as badly as
