Adverbs of manner: how to say how
Short answer: An adverb of manner tells how something is done. Many are made by adding -ly to an adjective: slow → slowly, careful → carefully. If the adjective ends in y, change y to i: happy → happily. Three are special: good → well, and fast and hard stay the same. Put the adverb after the verb: She sings well.
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At a glance
| Adjective | Adverb | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| slow, quick, sweet | slowly, quickly, sweetly | add -ly |
| happy, easy | happily, easily | y → -ily |
| careful, quiet | carefully, quietly | add -ly |
| good | well | special |
| fast, hard | fast, hard | same form |
In short
- An adverb says how an action is done.
- Many add -ly: slowly, quickly, carefully.
- Special: well, fast, hard. Do not say sings good.
What is the rule for “How we do things: adverbs of manner”?
The rule
An adverb of manner says how an action is done. Many add -ly to the describing word.
How it looks
slow → slowly · quick → quickly · careful → carefully · good → well
What it means
It answers: How?
When to use it
Use it after the action word to say how.
How it works
- Ask How? about the action: how does she sing? The answer is the adverb.
- Take the adjective and add -ly. Change y to i first.
- Put the adverb after the verb, or after the object: He opened the door slowly.
- Remember the special ones: well, fast, hard.
Examples of “How we do things: adverbs of manner”
- He runs fast.
fast stays the same. - He works hard.
hard = with effort. - The bird sings sweetly.
sweet + ly. - She answered the question correctly.
correct + ly tells how she answered. - He drives carefully.
careful + ly. - They talked quietly.
quiet + ly. - She learns quickly.
quick + ly.
Common mistakes with “How we do things: adverbs of manner”
She sings good.→ She sings well.
To say how, use well, not good.He runs quick.→ He runs quickly.
Add -ly to say how.He walks slow.→ He walks slowly.
Add -ly to say how.She answered happyly.→ She answered happily.
happy changes y to i: happily.He worked hardly.→ He worked hard.
Hard stays hard. Hardly means almost not.
Exceptions: watch out
- hard and hardly
hard means with effort. hardly means almost not: I can hardly see.
Adjective or adverb?
Adjectives describe nouns. Adverbs describe actions. Use an adjective after be, and an adverb after an action verb.
| Word | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| quick (adjective) | describes a noun | a quick answer |
| quickly (adverb) | describes an action | She answered quickly. |
| good (adjective) | describes a noun | a good singer |
| well (adverb) | describes an action | She sings well. |
See also: Adjectives describe nouns
Check yourself
- Make the adverb: “quick”
Show the answer
quickly Add -ly.
- Make the adverb: “happy”
Show the answer
happily y → -ily.
- Fix: “She sings good.”
Show the answer
She sings well. Use well for how.
How to practice “How we do things: adverbs of manner”
The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.
- Practice lesson: How we do things: adverbs of manner
Questions
Is “well” always an adverb?
Mostly. Well can also be an adjective meaning healthy: I am well, thank you.
What about “fast”?
Fast is both an adjective and an adverb: a fast car, He runs fast. Do not say fastly.
Where do I put the adverb?
Usually after the verb or at the end: She sings beautifully. Sometimes before the verb: She carefully opened the box.
More Linking Ideas Further rules
- before and after: before and after put two events in time order. Each part needs its own subject and verb.
- Past continuous: was / were + -ing: was or were + -ing tells what was happening at a time in the past.
- when and while in stories: while goes with the longer action (was / were + -ing). when goes with the short action that interrupts.
- Why we do things: to and so that: To give a reason for an action, use to + the plain action word. so that can be followed by a full idea.
- Describing people with who: who adds information about a person. It takes the place of he or she, so do not say it twice.
- Describing things with that and which: that and which add information about a thing. Do not say the thing twice.
Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G5: Linking Ideas Further. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30
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