English Grammar Guide for ESL

ADVERBS

On this page: Description, Exercises

Description

Adverbs

Adverbs give more information about a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. They often tell us how, when, where, or how often something happens.

Examples:

  • She speaks quickly. (how?)

  • They arrived early. (when?)

  • Please sit here. (where?)

  • I often read before bed. (how often?)

Common Adverbs

Here are some common adverbs:

  • here

  • there

  • sometimes

  • early

  • late

  • never

  • often

  • quickly

Examples:

  • Come here.

  • We sometimes eat out.

  • He never drinks coffee.

  • She finished the test quickly.

How to Form Adverbs

Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective.

Adjective Adverb
quick quickly
nice nicely
careful carefully
happy happily

Examples:

  • She speaks nicely.

  • He worked carefully.

Irregular Adverbs

Some common adverbs have special forms.

Adjective Adverb
good well
bad poorly

Examples:

  • She is a good singer. → She sings well.

  • He did a bad job. → He performed poorly.

⚠️ Do not write goodly.

❌ He sings goodly.
✅ He sings well.

Adverb Word Order

1. Adverbs of Manner (How?)

Adverbs of manner often come:

  • before the main verb, or

  • at the end of the sentence.

Examples:

  • I quickly read the book.

  • I read the book quickly.

Do not put the adverb between the verb and its object.

❌ I read quickly the book.
✅ I quickly read the book.
✅ I read the book quickly.

2. Adverbs of Time (When?)

Adverbs of time usually come at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Examples:

  • Yesterday, I saw your brother.

  • I saw your brother yesterday.

Do not put them between the subject and the verb or between the verb and the object.

❌ I yesterday saw your brother.
❌ I saw yesterday your brother.
✅ Yesterday, I saw your brother.
✅ I saw your brother yesterday.

3. Sentences with Auxiliary Verbs

When a sentence has an auxiliary verb (will, can, have, is, are, etc.) and a main verb, place the adverb between them.

Examples:

  • I will happily help you.

  • She has carefully checked her work.

  • They are currently studying English.

Pattern:

auxiliary verb + adverb + main verb

  • will quickly finish

  • has carefully prepared

  • can easily understand

Remember

  • Many adverbs end in -ly.

  • Adverbs often describe how, when, where, or how often.

  • Do not place an adverb between a verb and its object.

  • With auxiliary verbs, put the adverb between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.

Exercises

Choose the correct form:

She speaks (clear, clearly, clearness) during presentations.
The children played (happy, happily, happiness) in the park.
Please drive (careful, carefully, care) on icy roads.
He finished the test (quick, quickly, quickness).
We (often, frequent, frequency) go hiking on weekends.
The baby is sleeping (peaceful, peacefully, peace) upstairs.
She sings very (good, well, better) for her age.
I have (never, don't, no) been to Australia.
They arrived (late, lately, lateness) because of the traffic.
The students listened (careful, carefully, care) to the teacher.
He answered the question (correct, correctly, correction).
My grandparents (always, all, every) eat breakfast together.
She completed the project (successful, successfully, success) before the deadline.
The train left (early, earlier, earliest) this morning.
Please wait (quiet, quietly, quietness) outside the office.

Translate the following and look up the answer in a dictionary (French answers are provided):

after .
often .
quickly .
soon .
now .
maybe .
enough .
however .
actually .
too many .
sometimes .
slowly .
almost .
near .
far .
very .
few .
somewhere .
fortunately .
inspite of .
unfortunately .
therefore .
so .
always .
none .
never .
early .
late .
everywhere .
still .
even .
nowhere .
finally .
before .
during .
really .

Translate the following (French provided):

I have too many books > .
I want to leave, but I am too busy > .
Actually, we arrive tomorrow > .
We go there often > .

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