adverb

adverb, a word or phrase that modifies a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a clause, or a sentence. It is one of eight parts of speech in English grammar.

Overview and examples

Adverbs supply information to a sentence or a context by describing where, when, how, or to what degree something happens. Some adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective (for example, the adverb carefully is formed from the adjective careful). Examples of adverbs include quickly, cheerfully, regularly, soon, however, very, and almost.

Types of adverbs

There are several types of adverbs, and one way to classify them is by the kind of information that they provide. Adverbs of manner, for example, describe how an action happens (“Mary listened carefully.”). Adverbs of time describe when an action occurs (“I returned the library book yesterday.”). Adverbs of frequency relate how often an action occurs (“She plays the guitar every day.”). Adverbs of place describe where an action occurs (“We rearranged the furniture upstairs.”). Adverbs of degree describe the intensity of an adjective, adverb, or action (“It is very cold out there.”).

Sentence adverbs, such as apparently, luckily, and seriously, modify an entire sentence or a clause within a sentence by expressing the writer’s point of view about the overall message of the sentence or clause (“Unfortunately, we missed the performance.”). Conjunctive adverbs, such as however and therefore, connect two thoughts, as in the sentences “He is a talented singer; moreover, he is a great dancer” and “He went to the grocery store; meanwhile, I took the car to the repair shop.” Interrogative adverbs, such as how, where, when, and why, are placed at the beginning of a question and are used to elicit information about manner, place, time, frequency, or purpose (“When will you finish the class?”).