Adverb
An adverb is
a word which modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective or an adverb.
For
example
Rama runs quickly.
Govinda
reads quite clearly.
Kinds
of Adverb:
(a)
According to meaning:
1)
Adverbs of Time : They are the adverbs which tell us when an
action takes place. For example,
I
shall meet you tomorrow.
Rule
: Time adverbs cannot be used in
the present perfect, instead the past indefinite is used for them.
Incorrect : I have seen a 3D movie last night.
Correct : I saw a 3D movie last night.
2)
Adverbs of Place : They are the adverbs which tell us where an
action takes place. For example,
He
left his bag there.
3)
Adverbs of Manner : They are the adverbs which tell us how an action takes
place or in what manner. For example, Gautam Buddha left his family stealthily.
4)
Adverbs of Frequency : They are the adverbs which tell us how often an
action takes place. For example, The Delhi Police is always with you .
5)
Adverbs of Degree or Quantity : They are the adverbs which tell
us how much or in what degree or to what extent. For example,
I
have pleaded enough and now I give up.
Rule
: The
adverb “so” as an adverb of degree must not be used absolutely.
Incorrect
: He is so rich.
Correct
: He is very rich.
Rule
: That
“should not be used instead of ” so “as an adverb”.
Incorrect
: He went only that far.
Correct
: He went only so far.
Rule
: The
adverb “too” should not be used instead of “very” or “much” and vice versa.
Incorrect
: She is too intelligent.
Correct
: she is very intelligent.
Rule
: Much
is used with past participles used as adjectives not with present participles.
Incorrect
: The match became much interesting.
Correct
: The match became very interesting.
Rule
: Adverb
of degree comes just before the adjective it qualifies.
Incorrect
: He too is weak to run.
Correct
: He is too weak to run.
They
are so honest that they cannot tell a lie.
6)
Adverbs of Affirmation and Negation : They are the adverbs which tell
us whether an action is done or not. For example,
He
has not left the place.
7)
Adverbs of Reason : They are the adverbs which tell us why an action takes
place. For example,
She
therefore decided to be a rich woman.
(b)
According to use:
1)
Simple Adverb : It only modifies some words (verb, adjective or
an adverb). All the above examples belong to this category.
2)
Interrogative Adverb : It not only modifies some words but also
introduces a question. For example, How did you come here?
3)
Relative Adverb : It not only modifies some words but also refers back
to some antecedent. For example,
How
can I forget the day when happiness was
showered
on me from all sides?
Forms
of adverb
Rule
: Adjective
should not be used for adverb.
Incorrect: The
moon shone bright in the sky.
Correct: The
moon shone brightly in the sky.
Rule
: Some
adverbs have two forms, the form ending in-ly and the form which is the same as
adjective. For example, loud, quick, high, hard, near, late, pretty.
Incorrect: He
fought hardly for the No. 1 spot.
Correct: He
fought hard for the No. 1 spot.
Similarly,
Incorrect: It would hard rain today.
Correct
: It would hardly rain today.
Comparison
of adverbs :
Rule
: If
the adverb is of one syllable, the comparative is formed by adding-er and the
superlative by add ingest to the positive.
Incorrect
: The hare ran more fast than the dog.
Correct
: The hare ran faster than the dog.
Rule
: Adverbs
ending in -ly form the comparative by adding more and the superlative by adding
most.
Incorrect
: The petrol price hike issue has been debated hotlier than the urea scam.
Correct
: The petrol price hike issue has been debated more hotly than the urea
scam.
Position
of adverbs :
Rule
: Adverbs
of manner, place and time are generally placed after the verb or after the
object if there is one.
Incorrect: He
wrote last year a book.
Correct: He
wrote a book last year.
Rule
: When
there are two or more adverbs after a verb (and its object), the normal order
is; adverb of manner, adverb of place, adverb of time.
Incorrect: I
read the proof yesterday meticulously at home.
Correct: I
read the proof meticulously at home yesterday.
Rule
: Adverbs
of frequency and most of the adverbs of quantity are
i) normally
put between the subject and the verb if the verb consists of only one word;
ii) put
after the first word if there is more than one word in the verb;
iii) put
after the verb if the verb is am/are/is/was/were;
Some
more rules :
Rule
: Two
negatives should not be used in the same sentence unless we wish to make an
affirmation.
Incorrect: she
did not despise none of her lovers.
Correct: She
did not despise any of her lovers.
Rule
: Ever
should not be used for never.
Incorrect: She
seldom or ever has sweet talks with her son.
Correct: She
seldom or never has sweet talks with her son.
Rule
: Else
should be followed by but.
Incorrect: It
is nothing else than fatigue.
Correct: It
is nothing else but fatigue.
Rule
: Never
should not be used for not.
Incorrect: She
met her friend after a long time and her friend never recognised her.
Correct: She
met her friend after a long time and her friend did not recognise her.
Exercise:
Directions:
Find out the error in each of the following sentences, if any. If there is no
error, the answer is ‘d’.
1. She
behaved in a cowardly manner (a)/ before the
headmaster (b)/ and hesitated to do the work. (c)/ No
error (d)
2. The
girl refused (a)/ not to (b)/ return the articles.
(c)/ No error (d)
3. The
real important thing (a)/ of our life is our
livelihood (b)/ which discriminates us from animals.
(c)/ No error (d)
4. She
is too much beautiful (a)/ so most of the boys (b)/ run after
her and want to influence her. (c)/ No error (d)
5. The
taxi driver who had come (a)/ to receive us at (b)/ the
airport was speaking fluently French. (c)/ No error (d)
6. The
observers feel that (a)/ the stronger team has to face
defeat (b)/ because the players don’t play whole hearted.
(c)/ No error (d)
7. Although
he is usually (a)/ rude with everyone, (b)/ he behaved nice
with all of us today. (c)/ No error (d)
8. He
ran so fastly (a)/ that he reached first and (b)/ realised
that he had (c)/ not earned anything substantial. (d)/ No
error (e)
9. In
spite of toiling (a)/ very hardly he (b)/ realised that he
had not earned anything substantial. (c)/ No error (d)
10. We
were very much (a)/ carefully in our approach (b)/ and
hence we would complete the complicated task. (c) No error (d)
Answers..
1.
d; No error
2.
b; Omit the word “not”
3.
a; Replace “real” with “really”
4.
a; Replace “too much” with “very”
5.
c; Replace “fluently French” with “French fluently”
6.
c; Replace “whole-hearted” with “whole-heartedly”
7.
c; Replace “nice” with “nicely”
8.
a; Replace “fastly” with “fast”
9.
b; Replace “hardly” with “hard”
10.
b; Replace “carefully” with “careful”
