Adverbs

1. The bird flies swiftly.

2. John came to-day.

3. The man worked here.

In these sentences the word swiftly tells how the bird flies; to-day tells when John came, and here tells where the man worked.

A word used to show how, when, or where actions take place, is said to modify the meaning of the action expressed by the verb.

Words used to modify the meaning of verbs are called adverbs.

1. The boy was very sick. 2. The apples were perfectly ripe.

In these sentences the word very tells how sick the boy was, and perfectly tells how ripe the apples were.

Very modifies the meaning of the adjective sick, and perfectly modifies the meaning of the adjective ripe.

Words like very and perfectly used to modify the meaning of adjectives are called adverbs.

1. Alice talked too fast. 2. Sow swiftly the dog runs.

In these sentences the word too calls attention to the word fast, and shows that Alice talked faster than she ought.

How calls attention to the word swiftly, and indicates that the dog was running at a very rapid rate. It has the force of very. The words too and how modify the meaning of the adverbs fast and swiftly.

Words like too and how used to modify the meaning of adverbs are also called adverbs.

An adverb is a word used to modify the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.

An adverb is a part of speech.

Point out in the following sentences the adverbs, and indicate the verbs, adjectives, and adverbs which they severally modify:

1. The farmer drove rapidly up the hill.

2. The sun was sinking slowly behind the trees.

3. Henceforth I will study more diligently,

4. The hall was very brilliantly illuminated.

5. She is almost always cheerful. .

6. The mills of the Gods grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small.

7. He was merely faint, not dead.

8. Men are fearfully and wonderfully made.

9. Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.

Write three sentences using adverbs to modify verbs, three using adverbs to modify adjectives, and three using adverbs to modify adverbs.

Write three sentences telling when something happened, three telling where, three telling how. Then write three sentences telling how much you were pleased, sorry, or injured by something that happened yesterday.