5 - ] Basic Grammar For Beginners
7 . Adverbs
1 .An adverb describes a verb . It tells how we do
something . It generally ends in (ly) ( adverbs of manner ) .
Examples
He speaks slowly .
She works carefully .
2 . Many adverbs are formed simply by adding (ly) to the
adjectives .
soft + ly = softly
careful + ly = carefully nice + ly = nicely -
3 . Adverbs that end in (y) after a consonant , change
(y) to (i) before adding (ly) .
Example
The children are shouting happily .
The played noisily .
4 . Good is an adjective while well is an adverb .
Example
She is a good student .
She studies her lessons well .
5 . Some adjectives are uses also as adverbs .
hard - hard
fast - fast
late -late
early - early
Examples
He is a hard worker .
He works hard .
It rains hard .
The car is fast .
The car runs fast.
The train is late .
The train arrived late .
He comes in the early morning .
He usually comes early.
Exercise 1
Put the correct form of adverbs in the blanks .
1 . Mary plays the piano -------------------- [skillful]
2 . She always speaks very ----------------- [ soft]
3 . He did the work very ------------------ [ clever]
4 . She always prepares her lessons ---------- [ careful]
5 . I can do this exercise ---------------- [ easy]
6 . The old man walks very -------------------- [slow]
7 . He does all his work ----------------- [quick]
8 . They speak English -------------------- [perfect]
9 . He always prepares his lessons --------------- [good]
10 . The baby has slept -------------all night . [sound]
11 . Adel drove his car so ---------------- [ careless]
12 . The old man waited --------------at the bus stop . [patient]
13 . The soldiers fought very ----------------- [brave]
14 . She always speaks ----------------- of herself
. [proud]
15 . The airplane landed --------------- [safe]
16 . The hungry man ate the food ----------------- [greedy]
17 . John kicked the cat --------------- [cruel]
18 . The little boy was riding his bike
------------- [dangerous]
19 . The birds are singing very --------------- [sweet]
20 . The boys are playing -----------------
[noisy]
21 . The children are playing ------------------ [happy]
22 . The film has ended ---------------------
[sudden]
23 . The girl is sitting --------------------in front of
the television . [comfortable]
24 . Adam always behaves --------------------- [foolish]
25 . The children are playing -----------------in the
garden . [quiet]
Exercise 2
Complete the following :
1 . The exercise was easy and I did it ------------------------
2 . Our teacher treats us gently . She is very
--------------with us .
3 . Luckily he passed the driving test . He was
---------------
4 . His writing is always neat . He always writes
----------------------
5 . He spent the money foolishly . He was a
----------------boy .
6 . The song was very clear . She sang very
--------------------
7 . It was a fierce battle . The soldiers fought
-----------------
8 . She is a very cheerful teacher . She does everything
------------------------
9 . He is a careful teacher . She does everything
--------------------
10 . He was such a patient person . He did everything
--------------------
Degrees of Comparison
1 . We form the comparative degree by adding (er) to the
positive degree .
Examples
soon - sooner late - later early - earlier
2 . If the adverb has more than two syllables we use
“more” .
rapidly more rapidly - cleverly more cleverly + than
Examples
She writes more carefully than ever before .
He walks more rapidly than I .
Exercise
1 . He arrived at the party -----------------[late] than
I .
2 . We will get there ----------------------[soon] than
you .
3 . He called -------------------[early] than usual .
4 . He answered me -------------------[quick] than I
expected .
5 . She plays the piano --------------------[good] than
you .
6 . She also sings ----------------------[beautiful]
than you .
7 . The train arrived ------------------------[late]
than ever before .
8 . You can run -----------------------[fast] than all
of us .
9 . Harvard works -------------[hard] than other
students .
10 . You speak French ---------------------[good] than I
.
11 . Charles drives ---------------------[fast] than his
father .
12 . They go to the zoo ------------------[frequent]
than us .