The Use of Adverbs
An adverb modifies an action or an adjective.
Adverbs are often formed by adding "ly" to an adjective.
e.g. He sings beautifully.
e.g. Please talk slowly.
e.g. She is driving carefully.
Some adverbs take the comparative and superlative forms
with more and most.
e.g. My father walks more slowly than my mother (does).
e.g. He is the most talented student in the class.
Exceptions to the rule are: fast, faster, fastest; hard, harder, hardest; soon, sooner, soonest.
e.g. I can run faster (not more fast)
than you (do).
e.g. She is the hardest working
student in the class.
e.g. We can get there soonest by plane.
Certain adjectives do not require adverbs to
modify them.
e.g. essential (NOT absolutely essential: essential means
“absolutely necessary”)
e.g. unique (NOT most unique
or extremely unique: unique means “one of a kind”)
e.g. universe (NOT most universal:
there is only one universe.)
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
