Introduction to Adverbs ( Features and Functions – JSS1 English Lesson Note (First Term)

An adverb is a word that tells us more about a verb, an adjective or another adverb. It tells us how, when, where, how often or how much something happens or is done. In “The girl sang sweetly”, the word sweetly is an adverb because it tells us how she sang.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• define an adverb;
• pick out adverbs in sentences;
• name the main types of adverb: manner, time, place, frequency, degree and certainty;
• place adverbs correctly in a sentence;
• fill gaps in sentences with suitable adverbs.

What are the features of an adverb?

• An adverb does not change its form for singular or plural.
• Many adverbs of manner are made by adding -ly to an adjective: quick, quickly; slow, slowly; neat, neatly; happy, happily (the y changes to i).
• Not every adverb ends in -ly. Examples: often, tomorrow, upstairs, very, fast.
• Not every word ending in -ly is an adverb. In “She is a friendly girl”, friendly describes a noun, so it is an adjective.

What are the types of adverb?

What are the functions of an adverb?

An adverb can modify (add meaning to) three kinds of word.

• A verb: Tunde ran quickly.
• An adjective: The soup is very hot.
• Another adverb: She speaks quite softly.

Where does an adverb go in a sentence?

• Manner and place: usually after the verb or after the object. Examples: She read the letter slowly. The children are playing outside.
• Time: usually at the end or the beginning. Examples: We will travel tomorrow. Tomorrow we will travel.
• Frequency: usually before the main verb, but after the verb to be. Examples: He always wears a coat. She is always early.
• Degree: before the adjective or adverb it modifies. Example: Bola is very tall.
• Certainty: usually before the main verb. Example: It will probably rain this evening.

Evaluation

Fill each gap with a suitable adverb from the box. Use each word once.

slowly, quickly, upstairs, tomorrow, often, neatly, happily, completely, probably

1. The old man walked ……………… because his leg was painful.
2. The thief ran ……………… to escape from the police.
3. Our classroom is on the first floor, so we go ……………… after assembly.
4. Today is Monday. We will have our test ……………… , on Tuesday.
5. I ……………… have headaches, almost every week.
6. She arranged her books ……………… on the shelf, each one in a straight line.
7. The children laughed ……………… as they played.
8. The house was ……………… burnt down. Nothing was left.
9. It is not certain, but it will ……………… rain this evening.

Answer key

1. slowly
2. quickly
3. upstairs
4. tomorrow
5. often
6. neatly
7. happily
8. completely
9. probably

Assignment

Write down the one adverb in each sentence.

1. Chidi spoke softly.
2. The bus arrives early.
3. Bola is very tall.
4. We looked everywhere for the key.
5. Ngozi always sings in the choir.

Answer key

1. softly
2. early
3. very
4. everywhere
5. always