درس في الانجليزية The adverbs

The adverbs

Adjectives tell us something about a person or a thing. Adjectives can modify nouns (here: girl) or pronouns (here: she).

Adverbs tell us in what way someone does something. Adverbs can modify verbs (here: drive), adjectives or other adverbs.

Adjective	Adverb
Mandy is a careful girls.	Mandy drives carefully.
She is very careful.	She drives carefully.

Mandy is a careful driver. This sentence is about Mandy, the driver, so use the adjective.

Mandy drives carefully. This sentence is about her way of driving, so use the adverb.

1. Form

Adjective + -ly

Irregular forms:

If the adjective ends in –y, change –y to –i. then add –ly:

• Happy – happily but: shy – shyly.

If the adjective ends in –le, the adverb ends in –ly.

• Terrible – terribly.

If the adjective ends in –e, then add –ly:

• Safe – safely.

Not all words ending in –ly are adverbs:

• Adjectives ending in –ly: friendly, silly, lonely, ugly.

• Nouns, ending in –ly: ally, bully, Italy, melancholy.

• Verbs, ending in –ly: apply, rely, supply.

There is no adverb for an adjective ending in –ly.

2. Types of adverbs:

2.1. Adverbs of manner: quickly- kindly- scientifically … etc.

2.2. Adverbs of degree: very- rather- every- …etc.

2.3. Adverbs of frequency: often- sometimes- usually…etc.

2.4. Adverbs of time: now- today- yesterday…etc.

2.5. Adverbs of place: here- nowhere- there…etc.

4. How do know whether to use an adjective or an adverb?

John is a careful driver.—in this sentence we say how John is carful. If we want to say that the careful John did not drive the usual way yesterday – we have to use the adverb:

• John did not drive carefully yesterday.

Here is another example:

• I am a slow walker. (How am I?        Slow       adjective).

• I walk slowly. (How do I walk?       Slowly        adverb). 

5. Adjective or Adverb after special verbs

Both adjectives and adverbs may be used after: look, smell and taste.

Mind the change in meaning.

Do not get confused with: good/well.

• Linda looks good. (What type of person is she?).

• Linda looks well. (How is Linda?—She may have been ill, but now she is fit again.).

• How are you?—I'm good, thank you. (Emotional state).

• How are you?—I'm well, thank you. (Physical state).

One can assume that in the second/third sentence the adverb well is used, but this is wrong – well can be an adjective (meaning fith/healthy), or an adverb of the adjective good.

Conclusion:

• Use the adjective when you say something about the person itself.

• Use the adverb, when you want to say about the action.