Types of Adverb – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

An adverb is a word that modifies (tells more about) a verb, an adjective or another adverb. Adverbs answer questions such as how, when, where, how much and how often. This note covers five types: manner, time, place, degree and frequency.

Behavioural objectives

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

• define an adverb;
• name the five types of adverb: manner, time, place, degree and frequency;
• state the question that each type of adverb answers;
• give examples of each type and use them in sentences;
• write the adverb that matches a given adjective.

What is an adverb?

An adverb is a word that is used to modify (to tell more about) a verb, an adjective or another adverb.

What are the types of adverb?

Adverbs of manner

Adverbs of manner answer the question “How?” They show how something, such as an action, is done. In a sentence, manner adverbs typically follow the verb, which is a word that shows a state or action, such as “sing”.

An example of an adverb of manner is “beautifully” in the sentence “He sings beautifully.” More examples are: swiftly, slowly, sluggishly, etc.

Adverbs of time

Adverbs of time show when something, such as an action, happens or is done. They answer the question “When?” A speaker or writer usually places an adverb of time at the beginning or the end of a sentence.

An example of an adverb of time is “yesterday” in the sentence “I saw you yesterday.” More examples are: later, before, ago, when, etc.

Adverbs of place

Adverbs of place show a listener or reader where something, such as an action like “walk”, happens or is done. They answer the question “Where?” In a sentence, adverbs of place follow the verb.

A simple example is “here” in the sentence “I live here.” A longer example is the phrase “in the restaurant” in the sentence “We met her in the restaurant.” More examples are: there, in, outside, inside, etc.

Adverbs of degree

Adverbs of degree, or quantity, answer the question “How much?” or “To what extent?” In a sentence, they are placed before the adjective (a word that describes a noun) or the adverb that they describe.

An example is “nearly” in the sentence “The glass is nearly full.” More examples are: fully, extremely, etc.

Adverbs of frequency

Adverbs of frequency answer the question “How often?” Examples include “never”, “seldom”, “usually”, “hardly ever”, “sometimes”, “occasionally” and “rarely”. These adverbs follow the verb “to be” and are placed before the main verb in the simple tenses.

An example is “often” in the sentence “He is often happy.”

Evaluation

Find the adjective in the first sentence and fill in the blank with the corresponding adverb.

1. James is careful. He drives ________.
2. The girl is slow. She walks ________.
3. Her English is perfect. She speaks English ________.
4. Our teacher is angry. She shouts ________.
5. My neighbour is a loudspeaker. He speaks ________.

Assignment

1. Define an adverb.
2. Write one sentence for each type of adverb: manner, time, place, degree and frequency. Underline the adverb in each sentence.