Adverbs – Adverbs of Manner (How?) – 23 Common Grammar Topics in the Cambridge Starters Exam

An adverb is a word that modifies or gives more information about a verb, an adjective, or even another adverb. It tells us more about how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. For example, adverbs of manner describe how an action is done (e.g., “quickly”), while adverbs of time tell when (e.g., “now”). Adverbs of place show where something happens (e.g., “here”), and adverbs of degree indicate intensity or extent (e.g., “very”). They provide extra detail to a sentence, making the meaning clearer and more specific. Most adverbs of manner are formed by adding “-ly” to adjectives.

Let’s break down the key types of adverbs to make it clear: Adverbs of Manner (How?); Adverbs of Time (When?); Adverbs of Place (Where?); Adverbs of Degree (To what extent?)

In this article, we will discover about Adverbs of Manner (How?).
Adverbs of Manner describe how an action is performed. They give more information about the verb by showing the way the action happens. Most of these adverbs are formed by adding “-ly” to adjectives, but not all.

1. Forming Adverbs of Manner:
▶️ Most are created by adding “-ly” to an adjective.
Examples: Quick → Quickly; Slow → Slowly; Loud → Loudly; Careful → Carefully; Gentle → Gently; Bright → Brightly; Quiet → Quietly; Comfortable → Comfortably; Safe → Safely; Polite → Politely; Smooth → Smoothly; Terrible → Terribly; Creative → Creatively; Honest → Honestly; Rude → Rudely; Calm → Calmly; Beautiful → Beautifully

▶️ For adjectives ending in “-y,” change the “y” to “i” and add “-ly.”
Examples: Happy → Happily; Easy → Easily; Angry → Angrily; Lazy → Lazily; Busy → Busily; Hungry → Hungrily; Noisy → Noisily; Greedy → Greedily; Lucky → Luckily; Messy → Messily

▶️ Some adverbs have the same form as the adjective.
Examples: Fast; Hard; Late; Early; Straight; Right; Wrong; High; Deep

2. Usage in Sentences:
▶️ Usually placed after the verb or the object, when there is no object, the adverb comes directly after the verb.
Examples:
🎤 She sang beautifully at the concert last night, and everyone in the audience gave her a standing ovation after the performance.
🏃‍♂️ He ran quickly to catch the bus, but it had already left by the time he arrived at the stop.
👩‍🏫 The teacher explained clearly how to solve the math problem, making sure all the students could understand the difficult concept.
🐕 The dog barked loudly when it saw the stranger approaching the house, warning its owner of someone near the door.
🍽️ They ate slowly to savor the delicious meal that the chef had prepared, enjoying every bite of the gourmet dinner.
✍️ She wrote neatly in her notebook, ensuring that all her notes were well-organized and easy to read for later study.
🎤 She sings the national anthem beautifully, making everyone feel emotional.
🏃‍♂️ The athlete completed the marathon quickly, surprising all the spectators.
📚 He read the entire book slowly, taking time to understand every detail.
🐕 They trained the dog patiently, and now it follows commands perfectly.
✍️ She wrote the essay carefully, ensuring no mistakes were made.
🎶 He played the piano softly, creating a peaceful atmosphere in the room.

▶️ Special Cases: Some adverbs change their form or meaning when used in different contexts.
Some words can have two adverb forms, and their meanings differ based on how they’re used.
🔶 Hard / Hardly
🔸Hard: means with a lot of effort or difficulty.
💪 She works hard every day to achieve her goals, even when tired.
📚 He worked hard on his project, determined to finish it before the deadline.
🔸Hardly: means almost not or barely.
➡️I can hardly believe the news (I can barely believe it).
🙉 I can hardly hear you; could you please speak a little louder?
🥄 He hardly touched his food because he wasn’t feeling well during dinner.
🔶 Late / Lately
🔸Late: means after the expected time.
⏰ He arrived late to the meeting, missing the important announcements at the beginning.
🕰️ She stayed up late last night working on a presentation for her boss.
🔸Lately: means recently.
➡️ I’ve been feeling tired lately (I’ve been feeling tired in recent times).
📅 Lately, the weather has been unusually cold for this time of year.
💬 Lately, I’ve been thinking about changing my career path for something more fulfilling.
🔶 Near / Nearly
🔸 Near: means close to something.
➡️ She sat near the window (She was physically close to the window).
🏞️ They sat near the river, enjoying the peaceful sound of the flowing water.
🏖️ We sat near the beach, enjoying the fresh breeze and beautiful sunset.
🔸 Nearly: means almost.
➡️ He nearly missed the train (He almost missed it).
🚪 He nearly forgot his keys but remembered just as he reached the door.
🚄 He nearly missed the train, but managed to catch it just in time.
🔶 Free / Freely
🔸 Free: without cost or restrictions.
🎟️ You can enter the art gallery for free on the first Sunday of every month.
📱 You can download the app for free from the official website or app store.
🔸 Freely: without constraints or restrictions.
🐬 The dolphins swam freely in the ocean, jumping and playing near the boat.
🕊️ The birds fly freely in the open sky, soaring without any obstacles.
🔶 High / Highly
🔸 High: refers to a great height or level.
🛫 The airplane flew high above the clouds, almost disappearing into the blue sky.
🌉 The bridge stands high above the river, offering a magnificent view of the city.
🔸 Highly: means very or extremely.
➡️ She is highly respected in her field (She is very respected).
🌟 The movie was highly praised by critics for its exceptional storyline and visuals.
🏆 She is highly regarded for her expertise in managing complex projects efficiently.
🔶 Short / Shortly
🔸 Short: refers to a small amount of time or space.
➡️ He stopped short of saying anything rude (He did not say something rude).
🛑 He stopped short of criticizing his colleague, choosing to remain professional and calm.
🚗 The car stopped short to avoid hitting a stray animal on the road.
🔸 Shortly: means soon.
📨 I will send you the report shortly, as soon as I finish the final edits.
🚍 The bus will arrive shortly, so please wait at the bus stop patiently.