AdverbsEnglish level A2
Adverbs of manner
Say how something happens: most manner adverbs are adjective + -ly and follow the verb.
Rule
Add -ly to an adjective to describe the action: quick -> quickly. The adverb usually comes after the verb or its object. Some are irregular: good -> well; fast and hard stay unchanged.
Formula
| Regular | adjective + -ly | slow -> slowlyquiet -> quietlycareful -> carefully |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling | -y -> -ily · -le -> -ly | happy -> happilyeasy -> easilysimple -> simply |
| Irregular | learn these | good -> wellfast -> fasthard -> hardlate -> late |
Common mistakes
Wrong: She sings good.Correct: She sings well.Wrong: He drives very fastly.Correct: He drives very fast.
Notes
- Adjective describes a noun, adverb describes a verb: a slow train / the train moves slowly
- hardly is not "hard": hardly = almost not
- Not every -ly word is an adverb: friendly, lovely, silly are adjectives — say "in a friendly way", not
she smiled friendly - After look, feel, smell, taste, sound use an adjective: It smells good (not
well).
Practice
She sings really missing word.
He drives too missing word.
Please speak more missing word.