How to Identify Adverbs in a Sentence in English Communication? List of Adverbs from A to Z

English communication is a vast subject. So, you have to get the right vocabulary for adverbs. Before going to the technical aspects of what is an adverb? Let us know the basics with the help of real life examples. You hear your mom shouting loudly to your younger brother for the mistake he made. What is your mother doing? Shouting, which is the verb. How did she shout? Loudly which is your adverb. Read on to learn more about the use of adverbs in sentence formation in the English language.

Why Do You Need to Learn Vocabulary for Adverbs?

While we pronounce adverbs, it sounds like, add+verbs. The name says it all, but to describe a situation well there is going to be a use of adverbs. Adverbs are grammar concepts. What you need to learn is which adverb fits right to describe your verb in the most appropriate way. While you have a conversation it is important that you speak fluently with proper vocabulary. The first thing you need to know is how to identify an adverb.

How to Identify an Adverb in a Sentence?

The first thing you need to learn about adverbs is to identify them in a sentence. We try to understand it with some basic rules:

Basic Rules to Identify Adverbs

Rule 1

Many adverbs end in -ly but many do not.

Example 1: We performed badly. ( You need to ask the question How? How was the performance?)

Adverb- Badly ( It describes how the performance was.)

Example 2: The lion roared ferociously. (How did the lion roar?)

Adverb- Ferociously (It tells us how the lion roar)

Rule 2

It isn’t compulsory that an adverb has to end in -ly.

Example 1: She flew the plane yesterday. (You need to ask the question When? When did she fly the plane?)

Adverb- yesterday (It mentions when the job was done.)

Example 2: Anil rode his horse last Tuesday. (You need to ask the question When? When did he ride the horse?)

Adverb- Last Tuesday (It states when the job was done.) (Note: You can make a mistake by thinking that only Tuesday is the adverb but it is ‘Last Tuesday’.)

Rule 3

Adverbs are identified with the verbs or the types.

Example 1: I looked for it everywhere. (You need to ask the question Where? Where did I look for it?)

Adverb- everywhere (It states where they have searched.)

Example 2: There are many flowers outside. (You need to ask the question Where? Where are many flowers?)

Adverb- outside (It states where is the object.)

How to Use Adverbs in a Sentence?

Now after understanding the basic rules of how to identify the adverbs we need to know how to use the adverbs. We try to understand this with the help of a scenario:

Scenario: An emergency situation in a zoo.

I can see the fire spreading on the streets. Sir, We should take due action or else there could be a worse situation. It isn’t easy for Raju to shift all the animals from the zoo. Cheetahs can run very quickly. Bhalu cannot run fast. Birds will fly higher but the baby species cannot fly high. It is a critical situation where we need to think twice about Raju.

Adverbs used- worse, quickly, fast, higher, high, critical.

Also Read: How to Use Verbs Like Is, Are, Was, Were? Check Out the Best Information for Learning Excellently!

List of Adverbs from A to Z

A to F

B

C

D

E

F

Also Read: Practice Modal Verbs in Grammar: Let’s Grab the Knowledge of the Functions of the Verbs!

G to Q

H

I

J

K

I

M

N

O

P

Q

R to Z

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Practice Questions on Adverbs

Here you will have to identify the adverb. Pick the right answer from the below MCQs:

Q1-Q3

Q1. Never underestimate the power of a woman.

1. Never
2. underestimate
3. power
4. woman

Q2. The New York State motto “Excelsior” is a Latin word meaning “ever upward.”

1. New York State
2. motto and Latin
3. word and meaning
4. ever and upward

Q3. You are in reverse gear. Do not step on the gas. Shift to drive forward.

1. reverse

2. step on

3. forward

4. to drive

Q4-Q6

Q4. She was so happy because she had finished her test early.

1. so and early
2. so and happy
3. had and finished
4. because and early

Q5. “I never met a man I didn’t like.” (Will Rogers)

1. met
2. man
3. never
4. like

Q6. “Man was made at the end of the week’s work, when God was tired.” (Mark Twain)

1. when

2. at the end

3. of the week

4. tired

Q7-Q10

Q7. I realize today is rainy, but can you do it tomorrow when it will be sunny?

1. today and tomorrow
2. tomorrow and when
3. tomorrow and sunny
4. rainy and sunny

Q8. The doctor was pleasantly surprised at his patients’ responses to the experimental treatment.

1. patients’
2. surprised
3. experimental
4. pleasantly

Q9. “Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.” (Satchel Paige)

1. sometimes and just
2. sits and thinks
3. just and I
4. and and sits

Q10. “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father, and refuse thy name….”

1. art

2. thou

3. wherefore

4. thy

Answers

To find the adverb in the given questions, first you will have to look for the verb and then you have to check if there is a word that denotes how the action (verb) is being done.

Q1. A

Q2. D

Q3. C

Q4. A

Q5. C

Q6. A

Q7. B

Q8. D

Q9. A

Q10. C

Conclusion

Adverbs are a necessary part of any excellent writer’s arsenal. They aid in the development of emotional depths, clarity, and motivations. They can be thought of as emojis that aid in the recipient’s understanding of the message by displaying all of the displayed emotions. Furthermore, adverbs can improve any sentence by adding rhythm and texture.

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Also Read: Basics of Past Tense in English: Practise Questions with Answers