Adverbs and Adverbials

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ADVERBS AND ADVERBIALS DEFINITION Adverbs are words that modify: • A verb (He drove slowly.) • An adjective (He drove a very fast car.) • Another adverb (He drove quite slowly.) • Entire sentence (Frankly, I don’t think you’re right.) Adverbs can also serve to join two clauses or sentences (They did nothing to upgrade their products and consequently, they went out of business.) Phrases or clauses can serve as adverbs and they are then called ‘adverbials’ She works on holidays. When this class is over, we’ll go to the café. FORM Adverbs formed from adjectives frequently end in –ly, although the ending –ly is not a guarantee that a word is an adverb. E.g. This lovely girl is very friendly. We do not form adverbs from adjectives ending in –ly. Instead, we use the adverbial ‘in a –ly way’ He looked at us in a friendly way. If an adjective ends in –ic, we add –al- before the ending –ly (economically, theoretically). Many adverbs do not end in –ly (fast, straight), and some pairs of adverbs have a different meaning with and without –ly: ♣ hard/hardly She works hard. (= she works a lot) She hardly works. (= she does almost no work) ♣ deep/deeply The submarine travels deep (= far down or in) below the surface of the water. People here feel very deeply (= intensely) about the issue. ♣ free/freely Railway employees travel free (= without paying). Everyone can talk freely (= without restriction). ♣ high/highly You should always aim high (= a lot above a level). We need highly (= very, to a high degree) skilled employees. ♣ late/lately Do you often go out late (= after the usual/expected time)? Have you been going out lately (= recently)? ♣ most/mostly Which course do you like most? (= Which is your favourite?) I mostly (= most of the time, in most cases) work as a researcher. ♣ right/rightly, wrong/wrongly I’m
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