ESL001: Elementary English as a Second Language

When we look at adverbs in more detail, we can easily see how they have a special relationship with verbs. We already learned that adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. 

When adverbs describe verbs, they can appear before or after the verb. However, when describing adjectives or other adverbs, they appear before these parts of speech.

• They always go to work together. (adverb before verb)    | They walk fast. (adverb after verb)

• This is a very useful arrangement. (adverb before adjective) They walk quite fast. (adverb before adverb)

Adverbs are usually easy to identify because they commonly end in -ly. They form by adding -ly to an adjective. These adverbs are called regular adverbs.

• creative → creatively               | nice → nicely

• happy → happily                      | warm → warmly

Sometimes, however, adverbs do not follow the -ly rule. These adverbs are called irregular adverbs. For example, some adverbs and adjectives look exactly the same. Although they look the same, it is easy to know the difference because adjectives describe nouns while adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.

• The early bird gets the worm. (adjective)

• He always arrives early. (adverb)

• Those daily emails are too long. (adjective)

• She writes emails daily. (adverb)

Also, some adjectives look completely different when they change to an adverb form. Here is a list of the most common irregular adverbs:

good → well

fast → fast

far → far

hard → hard (not hardly, as this word has a different meaning)

late → late

straight → straight

Let's see what we can add to that to learn more about adverbs.