Parts of Speech · Today with Benny

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I'm Benny, and I modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. I tell how, when, where, and to what extent. Stick with me, because the right detail protects the play.

Meet the Adverbs!

An adverb describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Many adverbs add -ly to an adjective, like quick becoming quickly, but not all of them do. An adverb answers one of four questions: how, when, where, or to what extent.

One sentence tells how, one tells where, and one tells when.

Tells How

I studied all the answers carefully.

Tells When

Dany will celebrate her birthday tomorrow.

Tells Where

The apple fell nearby.

To What Extent

Julian whispered very quietly.

One sentence tells how, one tells where, and one tells when.

Speak softly and listen closely.

Victor hurried home.

The bake sale ends tomorrow.

Adverbs Tell How

An adverb that tells how shows the way an action happens, like carefully or loudly. Ask how the action got done, and the word that answers is the adverb.

In a sentence

Ask how each action happened. The highlighted words have the answer.

I studied all the answers carefully.

Silvia jumped high.

Library

Now you try

An adverb that tells how the duck quacked. You could try loudly, or softly, or fast. You've got this.

Adverbs Tell Where and When

Where

Adverbs of place tell where something happens, like here, there, or outside.

The apple fell nearby.

When

Adverbs of time tell when something happens, like today, tomorrow, or never.

Dany will celebrate her birthday tomorrow.

Now you try

An adverb that tells when we eat lunch. You could try today, or soon, or first. You've got this.

Where the Adverb Sits

An adverb can come before or after the word it modifies, and the meaning stays the same. Read the sentence both ways and pick the seat that sounds best.

In a sentence

Watch regularly do its job from both sides of the verb.

The postman regularly delivers the mail.

The postman delivers the mail regularly.

Now you try

An adverb that fits after the verb and tells how the cat naps. You could try quietly, or slowly, or happily. You've got this.

Building Adverbs with -ly

Many adverbs are built by adding -ly to an adjective: quick becomes quickly, and careful becomes carefully. Some spellings shift first, like happy becoming happily.

In a sentence

Slow became slowly, and glad became gladly. Both started as adjectives.

The turtle crossed the road slowly.

Pip gladly shared his banana.

Now you try

Take the adjective and build the adverb off it. You could try softly, or slowly, or clearly. Just add -ly, recruit.