What Is an Adverb?
Everything You Ever Wanted to KnowWhat is an adverb? An adverb is a word that describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.Adverbs are describing words. Let's look at some examples of them describing verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. 
Yesterday this very cute bird flew gracefully.
More Examples of Adverbs: will eat there (describing the verb will eat)extremely red (describing the adjective red) very slowly (describing the adverb slowly) To see more examples of adverbs, click here.
The Adverb QuestionsNow that you know the answer to the question, "What is an adverb?", there are a few questions that you should memorize. Knowing these questions will help you know for certain whether any word is acting as an adverb. Every adverb answers one of these adverb questions. 1. How? (happily, really, quite, peacefully)2. When? ( tomorrow, now, yesterday, never) 3. Where? (here, there, everywhere) 4. Why? (because he wanted soup- These adverbs are typically more than one word... like an adverb clause)
The Adverb Questions at Work
What is an adverb? It's a word that describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
For example, let's look at this lovely little bird here. First, let's look at some examples of adverbs modifying the verb flew.
1. The bird flew crazily. (How?)
2. Yesterday, the bird flew. (When?) 3. The bird flew here. (Where?) 4. The bird flew because it needed food. (Why?) Here is an adverb modifying the adjective green. 1. The bird is dark green. (How green?) And here is an adverb modifying the adverb quietly. 1. The bird flew very quietly. (How quietly?)
Comparatives and SuperlativesMany adverbs can have different degrees. You may find that your dog can run quickly, your cat can run more quickly, and the mouse that they are chasing can run most quickly. | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | quickly | more quickly | most quickly |
You've just used the comparative and superlative forms of adverbs to show different degrees. Use the comparative form when you are comparing two actions or qualities. Most comparative adverbs end in -er or begin with more (harder, more easily...). But, there are irregular comparatives which do not end in -er (better, worse...). Use the superlative form when you are comparing three or more things. Most superlative adverbs end in -est or begin with most. (hardest, most easily...). But, just like comparative adverbs, there are some irregularities (best, worst...). Regular Comparatives and Superlatives | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | hard | harder | hardest | | brightly | more brightly | most brightly | | quietly | more quietly | most quietly |
Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | well | better | best | | much | more | most | | badly | worse | worst |
Start Basic Sentence Diagramming!Do you know your stuff? Click here to learn how to diagram adverbs. When you see how adverbs are diagrammed, it will be easy to see how they describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
Back to Parts of Speech Still asking "What is an adverb?" Click here to see a list of adverbs. Back to English Grammar Home Page
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