LESSON 7: ADVERBS Relevant Review Lesson Words can be separated into eight groups called the parts of speech. Verbs tell what the subject is or does. Adjectives are words that modify nouns and pronouns. In the last lesson, you learned about adjectives. Adjectives are a kind of modifier. They modify nouns and pronouns. In this lesson, you ll learn about another kind of modifier: adverbs. Adverbs are words that describe (or modify) verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Examples: gracefully walk, extremely happy, very slowly Adverbs are one of the parts of speech. The Parts of Speech 1. Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas. Nouns can be subjects. 2. Pronouns take the place of nouns. Pronouns can be subjects. 3. Verbs tell us what the subject is or does. 4. Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. 5. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. 6. Prepositions 7. Conjunctions 8. Interjections These four adverb questions will help you identify adverbs. Words that answer these questions about verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, are adverbs. All adverbs answer one of these questions. The Adverb Questions Memorize these! 1. How? 2. When? 3. Where? 4. To what extent? 5. Why? * * The adverb question why is answered by more than one word (an adverbial clause or phrase). Because we are only learning about one-word adverbs right now, we won t use this question now, but I still suggest memorizing it. GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 1
Adverbs are a little more complicated than adjectives. When adverbs modify verbs, they're easy to spot. But it can be a little more difficult to identify an adverb that is modifying an adjective or another adverb. Let's look at some examples! Adverb + Verb/ Verb + Adverb gracefully walk walk slowly never walk walk tomorrow walk here walk everywhere Adverb Question How? Walk how? When? Walk when? Where? Walk where? Adverbs gracefully slowly never tomorrow here everywhere Adverb + Adjective Adverb Question Adverbs extremely cute not cute How? How cute? extremely not Adverb + Adverb Adverb Question Adverbs very slowly rather slowly How? How slowly? very rather Diagramming Adverbs Diagram adverbs by placing them on slanted lines under the verb, adjective, or adverb that they modify. That makes sense because adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Sentence diagramming really shows us that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs! Rover howled rather loudly. 2 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com
Tip: The following sentences that you're about to diagram contain adjectives and adverbs. Use the adjective and adverb questions to help you figure out what kind of word you are dealing with. You may want to write these questions on the board, and you should definitely quiz your students on both questions! Adjective Questions Adverb Questions 1. Which one? 1. How? 2. What kind? 2. When? 3. How many? 3. Where? 4. Whose? 4. To what extent? 5. Why? Lesson 7 Sentence Diagramming Exercises 1. The boy smiled happily. The boy smiled happily. boy smiled The happily sentence statement verb adjective modifying boy answers Which one? adverb modifying smiled GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 3
2. Maria s bright blue dress was skillfully made. Maria s bright blue dress was skillfully made. dress was made was made Maria s blue bright skillfully sentence statement verb phrase helping verb main verb adjective modifying dress answers Whose? adjective modifying dress answers Which one? adverb modifying blue adverb modifying was made 4 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com
3. Where* did she go? * Where is an adverb question. The adverb questions themselves are adverbs. Where did she go? She did go where. she did go did go Where sentence question sentence statement verb phrase helping verb main verb adverb modifying did go answers Where? Tip Keep using the adverb and adjective questions with your students. Quiz them sometime soon! Adverb Questions 1. How? 2. When? 3. Where? 4. Why? 5. To what extent? Adjective Questions 1. Which one? 2. What kind? 3. How many? 4. Whose? GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 5
4. Yesterday, Henry sang very passionately. Yesterday Henry sang very passionately. Henry sang Yesterday passionately very sentence - statement verb adverb modifying sang answers When? adverb modifying sang adverb modifying passionately Adverb & Adjective Question Quiz Two Choices 1. Call on students randomly and have them tell you the questions. 2. Have all students write the questions on a sheet of paper and hand it in or correct their papers as a class. 6 GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com
5. Five rather sad clowns frowned. Five rather sad clowns frowned. clowns frowned Five sad rather sentence - statement verb adjective modifying clowns answers How many? adjective modifying clowns answers What kind? adverb modifying sad Extra Practice: Identifying Adverbs Don t worry about diagramming the following sentences. Only focus on finding the adverbs within the sentences. Remember, adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. 1. Underline the adverbs in the following sentences. a. He never answers the questions accurately. b. The doctor very skillfully operated on the sick patient. c. Suddenly, I realized that I must sleep upstairs. d. Drive carefully! The road is quite slippery. e. I always feed the dog daily. 2. Give three examples of adverbs modifying verbs, adjectives, or adverbs. Answers will vary. quickly run, walk here, happily dance, drive very slowly GET SMART (INSTRUCTOR) LESSON 7 www.english-grammar-revolution.com 7