Parts of Speech: Adverbs

Adverbs are words that modify a verb, adjective or even another adverb. Adverbs typically end in -ly, however this is not always the case. Adverbs answer one of four questions: When? Where? In what fashion? and To what extent?

Where

A word is considered an adverb if it answers the question “where?”. For example:

I walked under the bridge.

The dog walked between the fences.

In both of these sentences, an adverb answers the question “where?”.

When

A word is considered an adverb if it answers the question “when?”. For example:

I often read the newspaper.

The doctor rarely has free time.

In both of these sentences, an adverb answers the question “when?”.

In What Fashion

A word is considered an adverb if it answers the question “in what fashion?”. For example:

You silently nodded to me.

I positively accepted the invitation.

In both of these sentences, an adverb answers the question “in what fashion?”.

To What Extent

A word is considered an adverb if it answers the question “to what extent?”. For example:

The story was widely read.

I barely escaped.

In both of these sentences, an adverb answers the question “to what extent?”. When an adverb is modifying an adjective or another adverb, it also answers the question “to what extent?”. For example:

Adjective: The car was very slow.

Adverb: The car moved very slowly.

In the first sentence, the adverb very modifies the adjective slow. In the second sentence, the adverb very modifies the adverb slowly.

Nouns as Adverbs

Some words that typically are nouns can be used as adverbs if they answer the questions “where?” or “when?”. For example:

Let’s go home.

In this sentence, home is an adverb because it is not part of a prepositional phrase and answers the question “where?”.

I work days at my new job.

In this sentence, days is an adverb because it answers the question “when?”.