Grammar
Adverbs: add information about actions and descriptions
Sign in to saveDo you describe actions with the wrong word? This lesson helps you choose a clearer form.
This kind of word can describe an action or another part of a sentence. This guide shows how common forms work and where to put them.
Try what you have learned
Listen to a recording, type what you hear, and check your answer.
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She speaks English clearly. shee-speeks-ING-glish-KLEER-lee
Listen for how the s at the end of speaks joins English.
The short answer
An adverb (a word that adds information) can change an action or description. It can also affect a whole sentence, and its form and position depend on the meaning.
She walked quickly to catch her train.
Why it works: Quickly describes how she walked.
3 more examples
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At an interview
He speaks English fluently.
The word fluently describes how he speaks.
Not this:He speaks
fluentlyEnglish. What changes: The adverb (a word that describes an action) separates speaks from English. -
At the office
They worked hard to finish the app.
Hard means with great effort.
Not this:They worked
hardlyto finish the app. What changes: Hardly means they almost did no work at all. -
On the road
She drove home carefully.
Carefully tells how she drove.
Not this:She drove home
careful. What changes: Careful describes a person or thing, so it does not tell how she drove here.
Quick check
Choose the sentence that describes the action correctly.
Answer: She speaks English clearly.
Show the answer
Answer: She speaks English clearly.
Add -ly to describe how she speaks. Place it after English.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exerciseYou write a message to your boss about a project. You want to say the team worked with care. The right word makes your message sound natural and clear.
See what these words describe
The problem: I know the rule but I still choose the wrong form when I speak.
These words do more than tell how an action happens. They can also change descriptions and whole sentences.
This word adds information about an action.
He runs quickly.
Changes the strength of an adjective.
The soup is very hot.
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We arrived early for the meeting.
Why it works: Early tells when we arrived.
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The keys are upstairs.
Why it works: Upstairs tells where the keys are.
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I usually walk to work.
Why it works: Usually tells how often I walk to work.
Your turn
Choose the correct word to finish the sentence: She answered the phone ___.
Answer: politely
Show the answer
Answer: politely
Use politely to tell how she answered the phone.
Spot words that do not change
The problem: I added -ly to a word that keeps its form.
Many words of manner add -ly to an adjective. For example, slow becomes slowly.
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Not this:
He runs very fastly.Say: He runs very fast.
Fast stays fast. English doesn't use fastly.
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Not this:
She arrived lately for class.Say: She arrived late for class.
Late keeps the same form when it tells when she arrived. Lately has a different meaning.
Your turn
Which sentence uses the correct word for the action?
Answer: He drove fast to reach the hospital.
Show the answer
Answer: He drove fast to reach the hospital.
Fast stays fast when describing how someone drove.
Keep hard and hardly apart
The problem: I mix it up with a phrase that looks almost the same.
Your colleague sits at her desk all day with huge files. You want to praise her strong effort. Say she works with great effort, not almost nothing.
Shows someone puts in strong energy.
She worked hard on the report.
Shows almost nothing happened at all.
She hardly worked today.
Your turn
Fill in the gap to show that Sam worked with big effort.
Answer: Sam studied hard for his driving exam.
Show the answer
Answer: hard
Use hard to show strong effort. Hardly means almost not.
Place the word after the object
The problem: I know the meaning but I never know when to use it.
In a sentence, keep these two parts together. Put the describing word before the verb or after the object.
-
Not this:
She speaks fluently English.Say: She speaks English fluently.
Don't split the verb and its noun. Put fluently at the end.
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Tom closed the heavy door quietly.
Why it works: Quietly tells how Tom closed the door and comes after the object.
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I usually take the bus.
Why it works: Usually tells how often and comes before the main verb take.
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We met there yesterday.
Why it works: There tells place, and yesterday tells time. Both can go near the end.
Your turn
Arrange the words to make a natural sentence.
Answer: Maria plays the guitar beautifully
Show the answer
Answer: Maria plays the guitar beautifully
Put beautifully at the end, after the guitar.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Choose the correct sentence to describe how the team played.
Answer: The team played carefully today.
Show the answer
Answer: The team played carefully today.
Carefully tells how the team played.
Remember this
Choose the word for the meaning you need. Try one sentence about how something happens and one about how often it happens.
Listen first
Listen and write
Listen, type what you hear, then choose Check my answer. Use a hint when you get stuck.
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Listening 1 of 5
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Read the transcript
He drives safely in heavy rain.
Safely describes how he drives in bad weather.
Listening 2 of 5
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She finished the English test quickly.
Quickly tells how fast she finished the exam.
Listening 3 of 5
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They worked hard all morning today.
Hard means with strong effort and does not take -ly.
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 4 of 5
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Our team solved the customer problem easily yesterday. We sent the final report on time. Everyone was very happy with our quick work.
Easily describes how the team solved the customer problem.
This clip is longer. Follow the instruction above the answer field.
Listening 5 of 5
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
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Tom cleaned the kitchen quietly because the baby was asleep in the bedroom. He washed every dirty plate and glass with warm water. He dried the glasses gently with a clean white towel. Then he put everything away carefully in the tall wooden cupboard. His partner thanked him warmly for the kind help.
Quietly, gently, and carefully describe Tom's kitchen work. Warmly describes his partner's thanks.
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Test yourself
Listen to a new clip and write what you hear. You can replay it, but hints stay off and the transcript opens after you check your answer.
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Listening 1 of 2
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Waiting on the train platform
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The morning train arrived late again.
Late stays late when describing an arrival time.
Listening 2 of 2
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Discussing language learning at university
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She speaks three languages clearly at university. Her younger sister learns new words very fast too. They practice together at home every single night.
Clearly and fast describe how the sisters speak and learn.
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Save my progressQuestions about "Adverbs: add information about actions and descriptions"
What can an adverb modify?
An adverb can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence. It may tell how, when, where, how often, or how much.
She runs quickly.
The room is very quiet.
Fortunately, we arrived early.
Do all adverbs end in -ly?
No. Many manner adverbs use adjective plus -ly, but common adverbs such as fast, hard, late, early, straight, right, and wrong keep the same form as adjectives.
He worked hard.
He finished early.
How do I choose between an adjective and an adverb?
Use an adjective to describe a noun or to follow a linking verb. Use an adverb when you need to describe an action or change another description.
She is a careful driver.
She drives carefully.
What is the difference between hard and hardly?
Hard can mean with strong effort or force. Hardly means almost not, so adding -ly changes the meaning instead of making the ordinary adverb form.
She worked hard.
She hardly spoke.
Where should I put an adverb in a sentence?
Position depends on the adverb type. Manner adverbs often follow the verb or its object. Frequency adverbs often come before the main verb. Time and place adverbs commonly appear near the end.
I usually finish my work carefully at home in the evening.