CHAPTER FIVE: ADVERBS.
DEFINITION AND CATEGORIES OF ADVERBS
Adverbs describe the action (of the verb).
There are several kinds of adverbs.
(i) Adverbs of manner:
These explain how a particular action took place.
e.g. He quickly ran to class.
The ball slowly rolled from the roof. E.t.c
(ii) Adverbs of place
These adverbs give information about where a particular action took place.
They sat here
They went inside
He was thrown up e.t.c.
(iii) Adverbs of time
These give information about time that a particular action took place. They
answer the question when?
e.g. I have seen him now.
He soon found out the truth.
(iv) Adverbs of frequency
These adverbs explain ‘how often’ a particular action took place.
They include such adverbs as always, often, seldom, never, ever e.t.c
e.g. She seldom goes to hospital
Jane always shouts in class.
(vi) Adverbs of degree
These adverbs explain the extend of a particular action.
Adverbs of degree include fairly, rather, too e.t.c
e.g. I was too exhausted to go to class.
, 2. COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF ADVERBS
(a) Adverbs like adjectives have comparative and superlative forms.
The rules of forming these are more or less the same as those of
adjectives.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Hard harder hardest
Quickly more quickly most quickly
Well better best
Badly worse worst
Little less least
Much more most
(b) Constructions with comparisons:
(i) With positive form, we use as… as with an affirmative verb and as/so… as
with a
negative.
e.g. He ran as fast as a deer.
He doesn’t sing so well as you do.
(ii) With comparative form we use than.
e.g. He washes more quickly than I do.
She arrived earlier than mi expected.
The comparative …the + comparative is also possible.
e.g. The faster you run, the sooner you’ll get there.
(iii) With superlatives we use of + noun or of + all.
He went the farthest of the scouts or
He went the farthest of all.
(c) Positions and functions of adverbs
DEFINITION AND CATEGORIES OF ADVERBS
Adverbs describe the action (of the verb).
There are several kinds of adverbs.
(i) Adverbs of manner:
These explain how a particular action took place.
e.g. He quickly ran to class.
The ball slowly rolled from the roof. E.t.c
(ii) Adverbs of place
These adverbs give information about where a particular action took place.
They sat here
They went inside
He was thrown up e.t.c.
(iii) Adverbs of time
These give information about time that a particular action took place. They
answer the question when?
e.g. I have seen him now.
He soon found out the truth.
(iv) Adverbs of frequency
These adverbs explain ‘how often’ a particular action took place.
They include such adverbs as always, often, seldom, never, ever e.t.c
e.g. She seldom goes to hospital
Jane always shouts in class.
(vi) Adverbs of degree
These adverbs explain the extend of a particular action.
Adverbs of degree include fairly, rather, too e.t.c
e.g. I was too exhausted to go to class.
, 2. COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF ADVERBS
(a) Adverbs like adjectives have comparative and superlative forms.
The rules of forming these are more or less the same as those of
adjectives.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Hard harder hardest
Quickly more quickly most quickly
Well better best
Badly worse worst
Little less least
Much more most
(b) Constructions with comparisons:
(i) With positive form, we use as… as with an affirmative verb and as/so… as
with a
negative.
e.g. He ran as fast as a deer.
He doesn’t sing so well as you do.
(ii) With comparative form we use than.
e.g. He washes more quickly than I do.
She arrived earlier than mi expected.
The comparative …the + comparative is also possible.
e.g. The faster you run, the sooner you’ll get there.
(iii) With superlatives we use of + noun or of + all.
He went the farthest of the scouts or
He went the farthest of all.
(c) Positions and functions of adverbs
