Adverbs are words like carefully, slowly, happily, here, tomorrow and soon. An adverb usually qualifies a verb or a verb phrase and tells more about the manner, time, place or circumstances of the action or state denoted by the verb or verb phrase.

Read the following sentence:

She walked slowly.
Here the adverb slowly indicates the manner in which she walked.

More examples are given below.

They returned soon.
Susie drives carefully.
Suddenly I heard a thud.

An adverb can also modify an adjective or another adverb.

She is a very beautiful girl.
Here the adverb very modifies the adjective beautiful.

I was pleasantly surprised.
Here the adverb pleasantly modifies the adjective surprised.

I can see it quite clearly.
Here the adverb quite modifies another adverb clearly.

Kinds of adverbs

There are different kinds of adverbs.

Adverbs of time
An adverb of time provides information about the time of the activity or state denoted by the verb or verb phrase. Examples are: today, yesterday, last year, ago, soon, early, late, daily, already, before etc.

I have seen him before.
She visited us yesterday.
He died 2 years ago.

Adverbs of place
An adverb of place provides information about the place of the activity or state denoted by the verb. Examples are: here, there, above, up, down, below, out, in, far, near, away etc.

Please come here.
I couldn’t find him anywhere.
We searched for him everywhere.

Adverbs of Manner
An adverb of manner answers the question ‘how’ or ‘in what manner’. Examples are: slowly, carefully, sweetly, honestly, sincerely, truly, stupidly, beautifully, badly etc.

She walked fast.
He cried aloud.
They fought bravely.
You must work hard.

Note that most adverbs ending in –ly function as adverbs of manner.

Adverbs of degree
An adverb of degree shows the degree or extent of an action or state. Examples are: little, enough, much, too, many, fully etc.

She was very sweet.
He is quiet wrong.
You are absolutely correct.
I have almost finished.

Adverbs of frequency
An adverb of frequency answers the question ‘how often’. Examples are: once, firstly, secondly, again, never, seldom, frequently, sometimes etc.

He called me twice.
He has always been very helpful.
I have never seen him before.

Interrogative adverbs
Interrogative adverbs are used at the beginning of a sentence to ask questions. Examples are: when, where, how, why etc.

Why are you crying?
When are you going to get a job?
How are you?
Where do you live?