What is an adverb? Types and examples
Short answer: An adverb is a word that tells you more about a verb, an adjective or another adverb. Most adverbs answer the questions how, when, where or how often: She sings beautifully. We arrive tomorrow. Many adverbs end in -ly, but not all: fast, well, often and very are adverbs too.
At a glance
| Type | Answers | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| manner | How? | slowly, well, carefully, fast |
| time | When? | now, yesterday, soon, later |
| place | Where? | here, there, outside, upstairs |
| frequency | How often? | always, usually, sometimes, never |
| degree | How much? | very, quite, too, almost |
How to tell
- Ask a question about the action: How? When? Where? How often? The answer is often an adverb.
- Look for -ly: slowly, quickly, happily. Many adverbs are made from an adjective this way.
- Remember the common ones without -ly: fast, hard, well, often, very, soon.
- An adverb can also describe an adjective: very tall, quite expensive.
Examples
- She speaks quietly.
quietly says how she speaks. - We will meet tomorrow.
tomorrow says when. - The cat is sleeping outside.
outside says where. - He never eats fish.
never says how often. - This soup is very hot.
very describes the adjective hot. - She runs fast.
fast says how she runs. It has no -ly. - They worked hard.
hard means with a lot of effort. - Please come here.
here says where.
Common mistakes
She sings good.→ She sings well.
Use the adverb well, not the adjective good, to say how.He runs quick.→ He runs quickly.
Add -ly to say how.I very like music.→ I like music very much.
Very does not go before a verb. Use very much after it.She is a quickly runner.→ She is a quick runner.
Before a noun, use the adjective quick, not the adverb.He is always is late.→ He is always late.
Do not repeat the verb.
Adjective or adverb?
Adjectives describe nouns. Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. The same idea often has two forms.
| Word | Describes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| quick (adjective) | a noun | a quick answer |
| quickly (adverb) | a verb | She answered quickly. |
| fast | both | a fast car / He runs fast. |
| good (adjective) / well (adverb) | a noun / a verb | a good singer / She sings well. |
Check yourself
- Which word is the adverb? “She walks slowly.”
Show the answer
slowly It says how she walks.
- Make an adverb from “careful”.
Show the answer
carefully Add -ly.
- Fix: “He runs quick.”
Show the answer
He runs quickly. Add -ly to say how.
The other parts of speech
Questions
Do all adverbs end in -ly?
No. Fast, hard, well, often, very, soon, here and now are adverbs without -ly. And some words ending in -ly, such as friendly, are adjectives.
Where does an adverb go in a sentence?
Manner and place adverbs usually come after the verb or the object. Frequency adverbs go before the main verb. Degree adverbs go before the word they describe.
What is the difference between “very” and “too”?
Very makes an adjective stronger: very hot. Too means more than is good or possible: too hot to drink.
Part of the Parts of speech guide in the 📘 Grammar tool. 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