Simple Adverbs

Simple adverbs are of very many kinds:

Adverbs of Time

These adverbs answer the question ‘when’. Examples are: tomorrow, today, yesterday, now, then, never, soon, already, ago, formerly, lately etc.

We are late.
She died two years ago.
I wrote to him yesterday.
Have you seen him before?
May I leave now?
I will soon return.
He will come tomorrow.
I have warned him already.
I haven’t read anything lately.

Adverbs of Place

These adverbs answer the question ‘where’.
Examples are: here, there, upstairs, downstairs, everywhere, nowhere, in, out, inside, away.

We have been living here for several years.
I searched for him everywhere.
They went upstairs.
May I come in?
She came forward.
I decided to go there.

Adverbs of Frequency

These adverbs answer the question ‘how often’. Examples are: again, frequently, always, seldom, hardly, often, once etc.

You are always welcome.
I have gone there only once.
We visit them frequently.
I often go there.

Adverbs of Number

These adverbs answer the question ‘in what order’.
Examples are: firstly, secondly, lastly, once, never, twice etc.

I have seen him only once.
Secondly, I can’t afford to buy it.

Adverbs of Manner

These adverbs answer the question ‘in what manner’. Examples are: slowly, carefully, terribly, seriously, well, pleasantly, really, thus etc.

The soldiers fought bravely.
Walk carefully.
I was terribly upset.
He is seriously ill.
She was pleasantly surprised.
She can speak English well.

Adverbs of Degree or Quantity

These adverbs answer the question ‘how much’ or ‘in what degree’.
Examples are: much, very, fully, partly, little, enough, so, rather etc.

He is quite strong.
She is very beautiful.
I am fully prepared.
My work is almost finished.
This is good enough.
You are absolutely right.
He is entirely wrong.
He was rather busy.

Adverbs of reason

These adverbs answer the question ‘why’.
Examples are: therefore, hence, thus, consequently etc.

He did not work hard, therefore, he failed.
Consequently he refused to come.

Adverbs of Affirmation or Negation

Examples are: surely, yes, no, certainly etc.

I will not come.
We will certainly help you.

Note that when used alone yes or no represents a whole sentence.

Will you come? Yes. (= Yes, I will come.)
Have you finished the work? No. (= No, I haven’t finished the work.)