How to Form an Adverb

The Grammar HELP!  Student Handbook - Online!

In today's Grammar HELP! Student Handbook - Online! lesson we focus on how to form an adverb. 

Two Categories

How Do You Form an Adverb?

There are two categories. 

Category One:
Adverb Whose Base Form Has ONE (1) Syllable

base form --> Add ~ly
new --> The guests have to give money to the newly-married couple.
quick --> We left quickly.
shy --> I acted very shyly at first.
   
Exceptions  
good --> comparative: well
bad --> comparative: badly
 

Category One:
Multi-syllable Adverb Whose Base Form Does Not End in the Letter ~y
e.g. serious
base form Add ~ ly
serious He was seriously injured.
 

Category Two:
Multi-syllable Adverb Whose Base Form Ends in the Letter ~y
e.g. heavy
   
base form 1) First, eliminate the ~y.
2) Then:  add ~ily.
heavy She was crying heavily.
 

Word Order

When using two or more superlative adjectives in a phrase:

  • place the adjectives that use an adjective ending (~est) first.

  • place the adjectives that use a helping word (more, most, etc.) last.

What's Wrong With This Sentence?
Life here is
more expensive and harder than life in my native country.
Solution:  
Life here is
harder and more expensive than life in my native country.

Next... Superlative Forms of Adjectives

Continue with us for our next lesson, "Superlative Forms of Adjectives".

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