Grammar Notes: Adverbs
Name: __________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
ADVERBS- Notes & Reinforcement
Adverbs: An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Modifying a verb:
Denise always shops at the mall.
Modifying an adjective:
She is usually particular about what she buys.
Modifying an adverb:
She comes to the mall very early.
Adverbs answer the questions how, when, where, or to what extent. Intensifiers (such as “very”) are
adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs. They usually come directly before the word they
modify. Intensifiers usually answer the question “To what extent?”
Adverbs- What do they do?
(answers) “How?” “In what manner?”
(answers) “When?”
(answers) “Where?”
(answers) “To what extent?”
Intensifiers (make words stronger)
Adverbs- Examples:
slowly, quickly, quietly
today, rarely, annually, yesterday, daily
nearby, there, around, outside, inside
rather, quite, extremely, very
almost, extremely, quite, so, usually, especially, nearly,
really, too, very
Many adverbs are formed by adding the suffix –ly to adjectives. Sometimes a base word’s spelling
changes when –ly is added. For example:
Adjectives: strong
immediate
easy
happy
Adverbs:
immediately
easily
________
strongly
sad
________
near
________
PART A: Underline the adverbs in the following sentences. Draw an arrow from each adverb to the
word that it modifies. THESE ADVERBS ARE ONLY MODIFYING VERBS. (Remember, verbs are
action words or “state-of-being words” such as am, are, or is.)
1. She bought an expensive necklace cheaply.
2. A load of salmon arrived on the docks yesterday.
3. People who shop wisely can save a great deal of money.
4. There is a big sale at the mall today.
5. Denise always goes to sales.
6. Our space probe landed softly on the moon today.
7. Quickly, we gathered our gear.
Suggested “Steps”:
1. Read the sentence.
2. Find all of the verbs in
the sentence
3. Find the adverbs (ask
yourself these questions)
Grammar Notes: Adverbs
PART B: Underline the adverbs in the following sentences. Draw an arrow from each adverb to the
word that it modifies. THESE ADVERBS ARE ONLY MODIFYING ADJECTIVES. (Remember,
adjectives are descriptive words that describe or modify nouns.)
Suggested “Steps”:
1. In the past, she has been very lucky with her buys.
2. For example, she bought a nearly new tent at the outdoors store.
3. She is amazingly skillful in both spending and saving money.
4. In its place, was a brand new store.
5. On the other hand, where can you get a really tasty ice cream cone?
6. The boys were extremely nice to the new student.
7. The football game was rather fun.
1. Read the sentence.
2. Find all of the nouns or
pronouns (in order to find
the adjectives describing
them)
3. Find the adjectives (in
order to find any adverbs
describing them)
4. Find the adverbs (ask
yourself these questions)
PART C: Underline the adverbs in the following sentences. Draw an arrow from each adverb to the
word that it modifies. THESE ADVERBS ARE MODIFYING VERBS, ADJECTIVES AND OTHER
ADVERBS.
How did he
How
walk?
cautiously?
1. The guard walked very cautiously into the building.
(cautiously)
(very)
2. The lifeguard swam extremely fast.
3. The busy beaver gnawed quite furiously on the tree trunk.
4. The boy is rather talented; he’ll go far if he works hard.
5. Quite suddenly, the horse bolted across the field.
6. She will rather proudly show you the suitcase that she bought
for next to nothing.
7. Yesterday, they stepped inside, and the clerk asked if she could
help them.
PART D: Write four sentences that contain an adverb. Underline the
adverb, and draw an arrow to the word(s) being modified.
1. _________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________
Suggested “Steps”:
1. Read the sentence.
2. Find all of the nouns or
pronouns (in order to find the
adjectives describing them)
3. Find all the verbs.
4. Find the adjectives describing
the nouns or pronouns (in order to
find any adverbs describing them)
5. Find the adverbs modifying the
verbs and/or adjectives you found
(ask yourself these questions)
6. Look for MORE adverbs
modifying the adverb you already
found (ask yourself these
questions again)
3. ____________________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________________
For additional notes, reference or assistance, visit
http://nordoniaenglish9cp.wikispaces.com/Grammar
to view the “Adverb Notes PowerPoint Show”