Adverb: classification, usage and modification of/by adverbs); degrees of comparison Flashcards
CLASSIFICATION (ADVERBS)
- adverbs of manner: accurately, beautifully, carefully, clearly, closely, quietly, tenderly, gracefully, bitterly, calmly.
- adverbs of place: abroad, ahead, aloft, anywhere, downstairs, everywhere, here, indoors
-adverbs of time: ago, before, at three o clock, last month.
-interrogative adverbs: how, when, where, why (often used to begin a question).
e.g How is it that I am the last to know about it?
Where do you live?
-connective/linking/relative adverbs: also, as well, besides, furthermore, moreover.
e.g These shoes are expensive; besides, they are too small.
My brother was taught to read by my mother, and similarly so was I.
It rained, but even so we enjoyed the day.
adverbs of degree: absolutely, almost, completely, just, hardly, really, etc
e.g Your story is fairly interesting (= less than the highest degree).
The painting is quite unique.
It was rather warm today.
I am pretty hungry.
You go too slowly.
She hardly ever leaves her house.
in what degree?
- focus adverbs: alone, merely, moslty, notably, only, principally, solely
e.g Even Mary could do that exercise.
Only Nick smelt the flower.
pe cine ma focusez?
-viewpoint adverbs: certainly, clearly, naturally. E.g Obviously, I will need some help with this.
anyhow,, anyway, in bried, briefly: I do not think you can do it but you can try anyhow.
-adverbs of indefinite frequency: always, frequently, generally, hardly ever, never, normally, often, rarely, sometimes, usually
USAGE
- The most common use of adverbs is to modify adjectives; the adverb usually comes before the adjective.
I thought his answers were pretty good on the whole. - We use adverbs to add more information about a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a clause or a whole sentence and, less commonly, about a noun phrase.
Can you move it carefully? It’s fragile.
Quickly! We’re late.
She swims really well.
-A key use of adverbs is to add information about the time, manner or place of an action or state described in a sentence (0 24.3): He hit the ball hard and this time it flew into the back of the net.
-Adverb of Manner: indicate not only the way in which sth is done, but also the feelings of the person who does it. May also indicate the circumstances in which an action takes place (accidently, directly, illegally, indirectly). Answer to ”how?” ”in what manner/way?”
-Adverbs of Place: give info about the place (location, position, direction, destinations). Answer to ”where?”, ”Where to?”, ”where from?”
-Adverbs of Time: can refer to definite time (when?) or to duration (since when/ for how long?) + indefinite time.
-Adverbs of Degree:
-Connective Adverbs: to introd. a clause
-Focus Adverbs: precede the word they qualify to focus attention on it.
-Viewpoint Adverbs: to indicate the spk’s attitude to the fact or event he is talking about.
MODIFICATIONS
-modifying a verb: She sang that song beautifully
-modifying an adjective: That problem was extremely difficult.
-modifying an adverb: He understood us very well
-modifying a Prep.Phr: Her watch was completely out of order
-modifying a complete sentence: Strangely enough, she left without saying a word.
-modifying a noun or a noun equivalent: The girl over there is my sister.
The words that can be modified by adverbs of degree may be:
adjectives: rather difficult
adverbs: quite fluently
verbs: I did not quite understand
nouns (very rarely): That was quite an experience.
COMPARATION
- Adverbs with the same form as adjectives (early, fast, hard, high, late, long, near) = form their comparative and superlative with the suffixes -er and -est: faster, the fastest
- Adverbs made up of adj+-ly (carefully, easily, nicely) = add more and most: more nicely, the most nicely
- Some adjectives (cheap, loud, quick, slow) can be used instead of adverbs in informal English: He should drive slower today.
Irregular Comparison of Adverbs: well - better - best / badly - worse- worst / far - further - furthest.
