Intermediate English Grammar for ESL Learners - Robin Torres-Gouzerh 2016
Adverbs
20 Adjectives and adverbs
A primary function of adverbs is to modify verbs. Many adverbs are formed by adding the suffix -ly to adjectives: quick ~ quickly, happy ~ happily, careful ~ carefully, bitter ~ bitterly.
She swims quickly.
He opened the window carefully.
Adverbs can also modify adjectives, thereby augmenting their meaning.
They are extremely sad.
The crowd soon became rather unruly.
Several adverbs express time, for example, tomorrow, today, never, soon, yesterday, yet.
My parents are supposed to arrive tomorrow.
Will you be off the phone soon?
Has Jimmy taken his shower yet?
Some adverbs can be placed in the middle of a sentence, and they generally have a set position there. Mid-sentence adverbs stand in front of verbs in the simple present and simple past tenses. They follow forms of be in simple present and simple past tenses, and they stand between an auxiliary verb and a main verb.
BEFORE SIMPLE PRESENT AND PAST TENSES
We seldom have dessert after dinner.
My brother often spent his free time playing his guitar.
I rarely talk on the phone for more than a few minutes.
Tom frequently asks an embarrassing question.
Following simple present and past tenses of be
Anna is always there on time.
Bill was sometimes late for an appointment.
Her husband is never around when she needs him.
The children are apparently in very good health.
BETWEEN AN AUXILIARY VERB AND MAIN VERB
John can never face his parents again.
Anna has always gotten there on time.
They have often traveled abroad.
Do you regularly shop in this store?
Exercise 20.1 Rewrite each sentence, placing never in the appropriate position. Then, rewrite the sentence with rarely.
Example He spoke with his aunt.
He never spoke with his aunt.
He rarely spoke with his aunt.
1. We had arranged a surprise party for them.
2. The soprano from France sang at the Met.
3. Grandfather was in a good mood.
4. My brother could fix his own car.
5. They will go to Alaska in the winter.
The word well can be used as an adverb or as an adjective. As an adverb, well means “in a good manner” or “capably” and describes how someone does something. As an adjective, well means “healthy.”
Exercise 20.2 Underline the adjective(s) in each sentence.
1. This book is hard to read.
2. This is the best article I have ever read.
3. She was beautiful and happy at her wedding.
4. If we are fast, we will find good seats for the movie.
5. The humid breezes blew across the plain.
6. They were beaming and radiant at their anniversary.
Now, underline the adverb in each sentence.
7. We hurriedly ran out of the burning building.
8. I rarely take any breaks in the morning.
9. Loudly, the teenagers moved through the school corridors.
10. She finally went to the grocery store after running out of toilet paper.
11. He often read the Bible in the morning.
12. The library receives a copy of the newspaper biweekly.
13. Our manager spoke to us seriously about behavioral issues.
14. The children ended by playing indoors.
15. Catherine regularly brings coffee to her co-workers.
16. I was still stuck in traffic.
17. Perhaps we will fly to Atlanta next month.
Exercise 20.3 Underline the word that correctly completes each sentence.
1. Joseph is a meticulous | meticulously writer. He writes meticulous meticulously.
2. Catherine asked me an easy | easily question. I was unable to answer her question, but my friend Anjali answered it easy | easily.
3. Pedro speaks loud | loudly. He has a loud | loudly voice.
4. Because the movie had already started, I entered the movie theater quiet quietly.
5. Sophie secretive | secretly liked the boy.
6. Ali speaks Arabic very good | well. He has very good | well pronunciation.
Some adverbs can modify not only verbs and adjectives, but other adverbs as well. The function of this small group of adverbs is to impart a quality or degree to the meaning of the adverb. A short list of these adverbs follows.
a bit
a little
exceptionally
extremely
quite
rather
somewhat
too
very
Consider the difference in meaning in the following pairs of sentences.
They were working fast.
They were working exceptionally fast.
The poor man wept bitterly.
The poor man wept quite bitterly.
She spoke rapidly.
She spoke too rapidly.
They approached the animal cautiously.
They approached the animal very cautiously.
Exercise 20.4 In each sentence, underline every adjective and adverb, marking each one adj (adjective) or adv (adverb).
1. Sue opened the clean car door quite rapidly.
2. Moroccan jewelers carved beautiful pendants from ebony.
3. The old woman cooks the soup very carefully.
4. A busy person usually has rather short conversations on the phone.
5. The children had a very good time at the amusement park yesterday.
Exercise 20.5 Rewrite each sentence, using the adverb in parentheses correctly in the sentence.
1. Catherine has finished writing the essay due tomorrow. (already)
2. Helen is at Jason’s house. (seldom)
3. Does he go to her house? (always)
4. He goes hiking to get away from it all and relax. (often)
5. She should tell him the truth. (always)
6. Eric has seen the ocean. (never)
7. Steven produces his electronic music on his laptop. (often)
8. Anna is at the club on Tuesday nights. (often)
9. Vince goes to the movies, because he prefers staying home. (rarely)
10. I don’t ask for a girl’s number if I don’t know her. (generally)
11. I have eaten an Asian pear. (never)