INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & COMMERCE

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

SEMESTER – II

E- MATERIAL

UNIT-IV

Grammar: ADVERBS
Adverbs are words that are used in sentences to describe or change the meaning of a Verb or
Adjective or even another Adverb. They add a description to the sentence to make it more
detailed and interesting. For example:

 He walked slowly across the square.

Here, one can see that the Adverb ‘slowly’ is describing the Verb ‘walk’ by telling that the
person was walking slowly.

There are five types of adverbs you should familiarize yourself with: adverbs of degree,
frequency, manner, place, and time.

Adverbs of degree tell us more about the intensity of the verb in the sentence, in other words,
they describe how much, or to what degree. They can be categorized as low degree (e.g.
somewhat), medium degree (e.g. fairly), and high degree (e.g. extremely). Adverbs of degree can
also modify adjectives and other adverbs and are placed before the word they modify. Popular
adverbs of degree include:
 almost
 enough
 hardly
 just
 nearly
 quite
 simply
 so
 too
Let's look at some sample sentences:
 This short essay is hardly sufficient.
 It's simply not enough.
 I'm so excited to move to Ireland.
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of frequency let us know how often the verb occurs. Therefore they mostly modify
verbs. These adverbs tend to appear right before the main verb in the sentence. Popular adverbs
in this category include:
 again
 always
 never
 normally
 rarely
 seldom
 sometimes
 usually
Here they are in action:
 I always read a book before bed.
 Does he normally walk his dog at this time?
 She usually shops at the Korean market in town.
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of manner tell us how, or in what manner, something was carried out. They mostly
modify verbs and can often be found at the end of a clause. This category comprises the most
common adverbs - the ones that end in -ly. Here are some examples of adverbs of manner:
 beautifully
 generously
 happily
 neatly
 patiently
 softly
 quickly
 well
And here are some example sentences:
 He trimmed the white roses neatly.
 I combed my dog's fur carefully because it had lots of tangles.
 There's no reason why you can't discuss the topic with me calmly.
Adverbs of Place
Adverbs of place tell us more about where the verb took place. These tend to pop up after
the main verb or direct object of the sentence. Here are some common adverbs of place:
 above
 below
 everywhere
 here
 in
 inside
 into
 nowhere
 out
 outside
 there
Let's take a look at them in action:
 In Ireland, there are thatched-roof cottages everywhere.
 Clearly, there aren't any leprechauns here.
 I was so beguiled, I drove into a ditch.
Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time detail when the verb took place. We usually see these kinds of adverbs placed
at the beginning or end of a sentence. Adverbs of time include:
 annually
 daily
 monthly
 recently
 tomorrow
 weekly
 yearly
 yesterday
 Here they are at work:
 Lately, you've been rude to everyone around.
 They recently relocated to Santa Fe.
 The morning newspaper arrives daily.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They can add to or change the meaning of a
word. A great way to spot adverbs is to look for words that end in -ly.
Let's take a look at a few examples:
 Abruptly: I thought the movie ended abruptly.
 Beautifully: The beautifully painted landscape is a wonderful addition to my living room decor.
 Delicately: Grandma's crystal vase is a priceless antique that must be handled delicately.
 Delightfully: Her outfit showcased her delightfully quirky personality.
 Firmly: The teacher firmly disciplined the students for their misbehavior.
 Lightly: She lightly dusted the brownies with a layer of powdered sugar before serving.
 Truthfully: She truthfully answered the police officer's questions.
 Quickly: Quickly finish the grocery shopping so we can get to the party in time.
 Wearily: At the end of a long day, she wearily headed to bed.
 Willfully: I sent my son to bed early for willfully refusing to eat his vegetables.

Adverbs are part of a category of descriptive language because they describe how something was
done. For example:
 Briskly: Kristen briskly walked to the library, eager to complete her homework.
 Brutally: It was brutally clear he was not interested in hearing my opinion.
 Cheerfully: April cheerfully greeted Mark each morning.
 Expertly: Adam expertly maneuvered the components of the machine into their proper
positions.
 Randomly: I love to randomly share interesting trivia with my friends and family.
 Sloppily: He writes sloppily, but insists his ideas are more important than having perfect
penmanship.
 Uneasily: Jemma sighed uneasily, knowing that the dark sky was a sign of the impending storm.
 Weirdly: She dances weirdly, but her quirky personality is what I love the most.
 Wholeheartedly: I wholeheartedly believe education is the key to a better future.
 Wickedly: "I don't think you want to know the whole story," he said wickedly.

Some adverbs describe the location of an action. Examples of adverbs like this would include:
 Downstairs: The public library often holds meetings downstairs.
 Everywhere: Jack looked everywhere for his missing keys.
 Here: She will plant her garden here.
 In: We stayed in to watch a movie instead of attending the party.
 Inside: When it's hot and humid, Anna likes to read inside.
 Outside: The children love to play outside.
 Somewhere: I want to go fishing somewhere warm and sunny.
 There: We went to Minnesota for my cousin's wedding and stayed there for three nights.
 Underground: The gopher began burrowing underground.
 Upstairs: I went upstairs to see my grandma who was on bed rest.

Examples of adverbs that describe when an action occurred include:

 Early: She arrived early for the meeting.
 First: When I bake, I make cookies first.
 Last: When I clean, I do laundry last.
 Later: I will stop by later to see how you are doing.
 Never: He never considers himself great.
 Now: The movie is starting now.
 Regularly: Writing regularly in my journal is soothing.
 Today: I have many things to accomplish today.
 Tomorrow: Tomorrow, we are going to the movies.
 Yesterday: She came over for a visit yesterday.

Adverbs also describe the extent to which something was done, including:
 Almost: I almost stopped at McDonald's for lunch, but I was running late.
 Also: A talented singer, Jamie also enjoys playing the saxophone.
 Enough: Daniel is finally tall enough to ride the roller coaster.
 Only: I only take the bus to work on Mondays.
 Not: He is not attending regularly.
 Quite: I was quite pleased to see my son's progress in school this year.
 Rather: I am rather tired after spending the day at the beach.
 So: I am so hungry, I could eat a horse.
 Too: It is too loud in here for me to concentrate.
 Very: Baby Emily was very tired after missing her afternoon nap.

Another function of adverbs is to intensify the meaning of the word it's modifying. It does this by
putting more or less emphasis on the word, amplifying the meaning of the word, or toning down
the feeling of the word.
Here are some sentences with the emphasizing adverb in bold:
 He literally wrecked his car.
 I am certain of the facts, for sure.
 You simply don't understand.
 I really don't care what you think.
Sentences that amplify would be like:
 She completely rejected his proposal.
 I heartily endorsed the new restaurant.
 He totally gets me.
 I absolutely refuse to stay here any longer.
Adverbs and adverb phrases that tone down the feeling or mood include:
 You can improve on this to some extent.
 The boss almost quit his job after that.
 I somewhat understand what you are saying.
 She mildly disapproved of his actions.
EXERCISE-I

Underline the adverbs in the following sentences and state their kind.

1. I went to the market in the morning.

2. The dog sat lazily in the shade of the tree.

3. The man grumbled loudly while cleaning the table.

4. I often visit my grandparents.

5. It is extremely hot today.

6. Please wait patiently.

7. The technician fixed the problem easily.

8. They serve hot pan cakes there.

9. I am waiting here for my daughter.

10. He laughed merrily.

11. We will leave today.

12. She is standing outside.

Answers

1. I went to the market in the morning. (Adverb of time)

2. The dog sat lazily in the shade of the tree. (Adverb of manner)

3. The man grumbled loudly while cleaning the table. (Adverb of manner)

4. I often visit my grandparents. (Adverb of frequency)

5. It is extremely hot today. (Adverb of degree)

 6. Please wait patiently. (Adverb of manner)

7. The technician fixed the problem easily. (Adverb of manner)

8. They serve hot pan cakes there. (Adverb of place)

9. I am waiting here for my daughter. (Adverb of place)

10. He laughed merrily. (Adverb of manner)

11. We will leave today. (Adverb of time)

12. She is standing outside. (Adverb of place)

EXERCISE-II

Find the adjective in the first sentence and fill the gap with the adverb.

1. Joanne is happy. She smiles ----------------

2. The boy is loud. He shouts -----------------
3. Her English is fluent. She speaks English -----------------
4. Our mum was angry. She spoke to us ---------------------
5. My neighbor is a careless driver. He drives ---------------
6. The painter is awful. He paints -----------
7. Jim is a wonderful piano player. He plays the piano --------------
8. This girl is very quiet. She often sneaks out of the house ------------------
9. She is a good dancer. She dances really -----------------
10. This exercise is simple. You --------------have to put one word in each space.
Answers: 1. Happily 2. Loudly 3.Fluently 4. Angrily 5.Carelessly 6.awfully 7.wonderfully
8.Quietly 9.Well 10.Simply

EXERCISE –III

DIRECTIONS for questions 1 - 8: Choose a verb (Box A) + an adverb (Box B) to complete the
sentences.

A come know sleep win

 explain listen think work

B carefully clearly hard well

carefully easily quickly well

1. I’m going to tell you something very important, so please ____________

2. Ann! I need your help. _____________ !
3. They _____________. At the end of the day they’re always tired.
4. I’m tired this morning. I didn’t ____________________ last night.
5. You’re a much better tennis player than me. When we play, you always _____________
6. _______________ before you answer the question.
7. I’ve met Alice a few times but I don’t __________ her very ____________
8. Our teacher isn’t very good. Sometimes he doesn’t _____________ things very __________

DIRECTIONS for questions 9 – 16: Identify the adverb in the following sentences.

9. He is little known outside India.

10. He works hard all day.
11. You can only guess.
12. She sings well enough.
13. He knows me better than you.
14. I came early this morning.
15. Arjun writes better than Rama.
16. Hari writes best of all.

DIRECTIONS for questions 17 – 20: Identify the adverb in the following sentences.

17. He invited me to visit him (often).

18. The train has left (just).
19. He is in time for meals (never).
20. That is not good (enough).

ANSWERS:
1. Listen carefully
2. Come Quickly
3. Work hard
4. Sleep well
5. Win easily
6. Think carefully
7. Know her very well
8. Explain things very clearly
9. Little
10. Hard
11. Only
 12. Well
13. Better
14. Early
15. Better
16. Best
17. He often invited me to visit him.
18. The train has just left.
19. He is never in time for meals.
20. That is not good enough.

VOCABULARY

PALINDROMES

A palindrome is a word, phrase, number or sequence of words that reads the same backward as
forward. Punctuation and spaces between the words or lettering is allowed. The longest single-
word palindrome in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is
the onomatopoeic 'tattarrattat', coined by James Joyce in Ulysses (1922) for a knock on the door.

Examples: Madam, Civic, Test, Radar, Refer, Level, Mom, Dad, Noon, Rotor, Kayak,
Malayalam, Racecar etc.

PRONUNCIATION

APPROXIMANTS

Approximant consonant sounds are made by bringing two articulators close together without
them touching as sound leaves the body. The result is a smooth, vowel-like sound. English
pronunciation has 3 approximant phonemes.

/w/: went, quite, once

/r/: road, red
/j/: yawn, fuel, few

/l/: late, palate, well

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------