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Grammar For Beginners: All About Adverbs
We continue our parts of speech series by writing all about adverbs.
What are parts of speech?
Language is made up of different words with different functions. These words are are known as parts of speech.
“In the English language, words can be considered as the smallest elements that have distinctive meanings. Based on their use and functions, words are categorised into several types or parts of speech.” (From Parts of Speech) A part of speech is also sometimes known as a word class.
These categories are:
[Top Tip: If you need practical help with your grammar, buy The Complete Grammar Workbook.]
Today I will discuss adverbs.
All About Adverbs
Adverbs are descriptive words used to qualify (mostly) verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Example:
The exhausted builder screamed loudly (how did he scream?) as his boss walked slowly (how did he walk?) off the site.
Adverbs of manner are most common and usually end in ‘–ly’. They tell you how something happened. Other adverbs describe adjectives or other adverbs, or add information about place, time, degree and frequency.
Examples:
- I refuse to go there (place) without money.
- After all, I bought a washing machine yesterday (time).
- She looks extremely (degree) beautiful in it, which is seldom (frequency) the case with orange clothing.
- I always (frequency) prefer to have a laptop with me.
Nine Types Of Adverbs
| Time | When something happened |
| Place | Where something happened |
| Manner | How something happened |
| Degree | Extent to which something occurs |
| Frequency | How often something occurs |
| Probability | The chance something will occur |
| Duration | How long something lasts |
| Emphasis | Accentuates an action |
| Interrogative | Asks questions |
Writing Tip: Great writing relies on verbs and nouns, not adverbs, for strength and colour. Too many adverbs create clumsy writing and detract from the impact of a good verb.
Suggested extra reading on adverbs:
- P.S. It’s Time To Remove Those Adverbial Dialogue Tags
- Why Adverbs Are The Tequila Of Writing Dialogue
Look out for next week’s post on conjunctions.
[Top Tip: If you need practical help with your grammar, buy The Complete Grammar Workbook.]
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Posted on: 12th September 2017
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