Practice
Adverbs exercise 2: show how, when, and how often
Maya speaks quietly in the library, calls her brother later, and usually walks to work. The small words quietly, later, and usually each add a different detail to the action.
Choose and place common adverbs that show manner, time, and frequency in clear everyday sentences.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
She usually speaks quite clearly. /ʃiː ˈjuːʒuəli spiːks kwaɪt ˈklɪəli/
The short answer
Use an adverb to add a detail to a verb. Put frequency adverbs before most main verbs, put them after be, and place many manner or time adverbs after the verb or object.
Leo usually checks his calendar before breakfast.
Why it works: Usually tells us how often Leo checks it.
5 more examples
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Please carry the glass carefully.
Carefully says how to carry the glass.
Not this:Please carry the glass
carelessly. What changes: Carelessly changes the meaning: it suggests a lack of attention. -
We often meet at the market on Saturdays.
Often says the meetings happen many times, but not every Saturday.
Not this:We
rarelymeet at the market on Saturdays. What changes: Rarely says the meetings do not happen very often. -
The children are usually ready by eight.
Usually comes after are because are is a form of be.
Not this:The children
are alwaysready by eight. What changes: Always makes the schedule sound regular with no exceptions. -
I will send the photos tomorrow.
Tomorrow gives the time of the action.
Not this:I sent the photos
yesterday. What changes: Yesterday moves the action to the past. -
Nora answered the question confidently.
Confidently describes the way Nora answered.
Not this:Nora answered the question
nervously. What changes: Nervously gives a different picture of how she felt while answering.
Read the full guide
Read the verb first. Then ask which extra detail you need: how, when, or how often. That question will help you choose both the adverb and its position.
Start with the detail you want to add
An adverb adds information to an action. Before choosing a word, ask a simple question: how did it happen, when did it happen, or how often does it happen?
The bus arrived late.
Late tells us when the bus arrived compared with the expected time.
The driver spoke politely.
Politely tells us how the driver spoke.
Which question does often answer: how, when, or how often?
It answers how often. For example, I often take this bus.
Use manner adverbs to show how an action happens
Many manner adverbs are formed from an adjective plus -ly: quiet becomes quietly and careful becomes carefully. They often come after the verb or after the verb's object.
Please carry the glass carefully.
Carefully describes the action carry, so it follows the object the glass.
He listened patiently to the instructions.
Patiently tells us how he listened.
For adjectives ending in -y, change y to i before adding -ly: happy becomes happily. Some words are irregular: good becomes well, not goodly.
Put frequency adverbs in their usual place
Always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, and never tell us how often something happens. With most verbs, put them before the main verb.
My neighbours usually water the plants in the evening.
Usually comes before water, the main verb.
We do not often order dessert.
Often still comes before order after the auxiliary do not.
Choose the natural order: They always are late, or They are always late?
Use They are always late. With be, the frequency adverb follows be.
Place time adverbs where the sentence finishes naturally
Time adverbs such as today, yesterday, soon, and later often come at the end of a statement. This placement makes the action clear first and adds the time after it.
I will send the photos tomorrow.
Tomorrow tells us when the speaker plans to send the photos.
The shop closed early yesterday.
Early describes how the shop closed, while yesterday gives the day.
A time adverb can move to the beginning for emphasis: Tomorrow, I will send the photos. The meaning stays the same, but tomorrow receives more attention.
Keep the adverb close to the word it describes
Word order can change the meaning. Put an adverb near the verb or adjective it modifies so that the reader does not need to guess its job.
Nora answered the question confidently.
Confidently belongs with answered and explains Nora's manner.
This soup is extremely hot.
Extremely modifies the adjective hot, not the noun soup.
Which word does very describe in The room is very quiet?
Very describes quiet. Together, they show the degree of quietness.
Notice words that look similar but work differently
Some adverbs have the same form as an adjective. We can say a fast train and The train travels fast. Other pairs have different meanings: hard means with effort, while hardly means almost not.
Ravi works hard before each exam.
Hard describes the effort Ravi makes.
Ravi hardly sleeps before an important exam.
Hardly means almost not, so the sentence says he gets very little sleep.
Check a learner's dictionary when a familiar adjective gains -ly. The spelling may be easy, but the meaning can change.
Before you go
Remember this
Choose an adverb for the detail you need. Put frequency adverbs before a main verb but after be. Put manner and many time adverbs where the sentence sounds complete, often after the action or at the end. Read the sentence aloud to check that the adverb sits close to the word it describes.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Adverbs exercise 2: show how, when, and how often"
What does an adverb do in a sentence?
An adverb adds detail to an action, an adjective, or another adverb. In Please carry the glass carefully, carefully explains how to carry it. In This soup is extremely hot, extremely changes the degree of hot.
Please carry the glass carefully.
Where do frequency adverbs go?
Put always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, and never before a main verb: We often meet at the market. Put them after be: The children are usually ready by eight. With do not, put the frequency adverb before the main verb.
Please carry the glass carelessly.
Do adverbs always end in -ly?
No. Many manner adverbs end in -ly, such as confidently, but common adverbs also include fast, hard, late, and well. Friendly is usually an adjective, as in a friendly neighbour, rather than an adverb.
We often meet at the market on Saturdays.
Where should I put an adverb of time?
Time adverbs such as tomorrow, yesterday, later, and soon often go at the end of a sentence: I will send the photos tomorrow. You can move a time word to the beginning when you want to emphasize it.
We rarely meet at the market on Saturdays.
What is the difference between hard and hardly?
Hard means with a lot of effort: Ravi works hard before each exam. Hardly means almost not: Ravi hardly sleeps before an important exam. The extra -ly changes the meaning, so learn both words in full sentences.
The children are usually ready by eight.
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