Skip to Content

Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They usually answer questions such as how, when, where, why, or to what extent something is happening.

For example:

  • She sings beautifully. (beautifully modifies the verb “sings”)
  • He runs quickly. (quickly modifies the verb “runs”)
  • The car is very fast. (very modifies the adjective “fast”)
  • He speaks very softly. (very modifies the adverb “softly”)

Adverbs can be formed by adding -ly to adjectives (e.g. quick → quickly), but there are also many irregular adverbs that don’t follow this pattern (e.g. well, fast, often). Adverbs can be placed in different positions in a sentence, depending on the emphasis or meaning the speaker wants to convey.