Unit 2: Grammar and Usage

Adverbs

Adverbs are used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Most adverbs are formed by adding ly to an adjective.

Examples :    clean ( cleanly )     perfect ( perfectly )

An adjective that ends in y changes y to an i and adds ly to from the adverb.

Examples :    ready ( readily )     merry ( merrily )

Nearly all adverbs ending in ly are compared with the help of more and most.

Examples :    happily ( more happily )     happily ( most happily )

More happily is the comparitive form and most happily is the superlative form.

A common error is to use an adjective instead of an adverb to modify another adjective.

Incorrect : He is considerable better than others I know.

Correct : He is considerably better than others I know.

Important : A word that is used to complete the meaning of a condition verb must be an adjective, and not an adverb. The principal condition verbs are, be, seem, smell, taste, become, appear, feel, sound.

Correct : I feel bad. She seems cheerful.

The word very is an adverb which modifies only adjectives and adverbs - not verbs.

Incorrect : We are very pleased to hear from you.

Correct : We are very much pleased to hear from you.

The adverb only is often incorrectly placed in sentences. It should be written just before the word it modifies.

Incorrect : I only saw three women.

Correct : I saw only three women.