Adverbs

Use of Adverbs for Class 5 English

Adverbs add extra information about an adjective, a verb or another adverb. Use of adverbs in a sentence lend a rhythm and texture to it. In this chapter students of class 5 will revise adverbs and know the general mistakes to avoid and the exceptions to consider while using adverbs.

In this learning concept, students will learn:

• Types of adverb with examples.
• Difference between adjective and adverb.
• Adverbs of manner definition with examples.
• Adverb of time definition with examples.
• Adverb of place definition with examples.
• Adverb of frequency definition with examples.
• Adverb of degree definition with examples.

All the learning concepts of class 5 have used vivid examples, illustrations and mind maps to make it interesting. Students can also access the adverb worksheet for class 5 to check their understanding of the topic. The solutions to these are also available in easily downloadable PDF format.

Definition:

• An adverb modifies adjective or a verb or an adverb or a complete sentence.
• They describe when, where, when, or how the action happens.
• Adverbs are usually formed by adding ‘ly’ with an adjective.

Types of Adverbs

There are five types of adverbs.

1. Adverbs of Manner tell an action is performed. They are used at the end of a clause or just before the verb it modifies. Most of the adverbs of manner are words that end with ‘ly’.

   Example:

   He trimmed the plants neatly.
   (How did he trim the plants? The answer is ‘neatly’.)

2. Adverbs of Time tell when an action is performed. They are usually placed at the start or end of a sentence.

   Example:

   They recently shifted to Noida. (When did they shift?)

3. Adverb of Place tells where an action is performed. They are placed after the main verb or the clause that they change. They do not modify other adverbs or adjectives.

   Example:

   I always drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed. (How often do you drink milk before bed?)

4. Adverb of Degree indicates the intensity of something. They are placed before the word they change, although sometimes, they follow the word (for instance, the word ‘enough’).

   Example:

   I’m so excited about the trip. (How excited are you about the trip?)

Difference between an Adjective and an Adverb

Students tend to confuse adjectives and adverbs as both are modifiers. Let us have a look at how they differ.

Common Mistakes

1. For adjectives that end with ‘y’, we usually replace the ‘y’ with an ‘i’ and then add ‘ly’ to change it to an adverb.

   Example:

   
2. If the adjective ends in ‘le’, change the ‘e’ to a ‘y’ to make it an adverb.

   Example:

   
3. If an adjective ends in ‘ic’, add ‘ally’ to make it an adverb.

   Example:

   
4. Adverbs of place are sometimes confused with prepositions that define the noun’s location. Just remember that prepositions are followed by objects, and adverbs of place indicate movement in a direction. After a preposition, there is always a noun or a pronoun.

   Example:

   Is your mother in? (Adverb)
   Is your mother in the house? (Preposition).

5. Students tend to confuse adjectives and adverbs. Remember, if you are changing a noun or pronoun, use an adjective. If you are changing anything else apart from a noun or pronoun, use an adverb.
   One of the most commonly confused adjective/adverb pairs is well and good. The word ‘well’ is an adverb and ‘good’ is an adjective.

   Example:

   He plays violin good.
   She’s doing good.
   In the first sentence, good is modifying the verb plays; therefore the use of good which is an adjective, is wrong.
   He plays violin well.
   She’s doing well.
   In the second sentence, good modifies the verb ‘doing’. This means that well, which is an adverb—must be used.

Note: The sentence “she’s doing good” is not grammatically incorrect, but only when it means “She is doing good things” rather than when it explains how a person feels.

Exceptions

1. Sometimes adverbs may not have the suffix ‘ly’ added at the end. Particularly adverbs of time and place may not necessarily follow this rule.

   Example:

   1. She has arrived now.
   2. She plays the guitar well.

   Here ‘now’ is an adverb that does not contain ‘ly’.

2. Some adjectives like jolly, silly, ugly do end in ‘ly’. Check the word that is being modified to identify if it is an adverb or an adjective.

   Example:

   She is a jolly girl. (In this sentence, jolly modifies the word girl. The word ‘girl’ is a noun, which means the word ‘jolly’ is not an adverb though it has a suffix -ly.).
   Below are examples of adjectives that end in ‘ly’.

   Adjectives with ‘ly’ ending
   bubbly	brotherly
   chilly	costly
   homely	cowardly
   friendly	lonely

3. Similarly, there are some nouns which end in ‘ly’ but are not adverbs. Below is a list of nouns that end in ‘ly’ but are not adverbs.

   Nouns with ‘ly’ Suffix
   bully	ally
   Italy	melancholy
   anomaly	assembly
   belly	family
   butterfly	dragonfly
   jelly	monopoly
   potbelly	rally
   tally	firefly

Likewise, there are some verbs which end in ‘ly’ but are not adverbs. Below given a list of verbs that end in ‘ly’ but are not adverbs.

Take a look at the mind map below for quick understanding.