Adverbs - Function and Placement in Academic Writing

Writers use adverbs to add clarity and

Centenarians represent the most resilient
precision to sentences. Adverbs not only
genetic strain within each generation.
give information about how, when, where,
and why things happen, they are also used
Centenarians probably represent the most
to control the strength of general
resilient genetic strain within each
generation.
statements. Writers who use adverbs well
are very aware of who their audience is and
what types of general statements or claims
they will accept and what types of general
statements or claims will need to limit in
some way. Notice the difference meaning
between the two sentences given as
examples--all because of the writers
strategic placement of one adverb.
Writers need to consider three important things when choosing and using adverbs:
*
whether the audience will accept the general statement without some limits or
adverbs will be needed to control the strength of the generalization.
*
what kind of information the adverb adds to a sentence. There are several
typical types of information adverbs add: how (adverbs of manner), when (adverbs
of time), where (adverbs of place), how much (adverbs of degree or intensifiers).
*

where to place an adverb in a sentence.

The following charts provide some examples of types of adverbs commonly found in
academic writing and where they can be placed in a sentence.

Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of manner are typically formed by adding -ly to the adjective form of a word.
(neat-ly, quick-ly, general-ly) They usually modify the verb or the whole sentence. Some
common adverbs found in this category are: generally, typically, actually, rapidly,
potentially, probably, (not) necessarily, substantially, and widely.
Before the main verb

Centenarians probably represent the most

resilient genetic strain. For this reason, they
actually tend to be healthier than some
people thirty years younger than they are.

Between the auxiliary and the main verb

Men and women were randomly assigned

to one of the three different

conditions: Some subjects had a chance to

verbally aggress. Other subjects had to
physically aggress against him.
After the main verb (emphasizes the
adverb rather than the verb)

During the experiment, heart rate was

monitored continuously, and blood
pressure was measured every two minutes

At the beginning of the sentence

Actually, they are not only not natural,

they are not even very common,
worldwide.

Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of degree add information about how much or how complete. Some adverbs of
degree modify adverbs and adjectives. Others, like for the most part, can modify an entire
sentence. Adverbs of degree that add information about how complete (completely)
modify adjectives. Some even modify nouns.
Adverbs

What They Modify

Examples

for the most part

entire sentence

And employees for the most part accepted

eagerly.

to some extent

entire sentence

To some extent, older workers can

compensate for their slower reactions by
experience.

partly

adjectives, adverbs,
verbs

The prediction that there will be 1 million

centenarians worldwide is based partly on the
fact that several people now reach 100 every
month.

relatively

adjectives, adverbs

For example, it was once believed that those

who achieved the age of 100 would tend to be
calm, serene Type B personalities who had
led relatively stress-free lives.

Emphasizing Adverbs
These adverbs emphasize particular words or grammatical constructions. They appear
immediately before the words or constructions they modify.

Adverbs

Examples

only

These cardiovascular changes occur only when people are

watching violence carried out by someone of the same sex,
suggesting that they identify more with the character.

simply

But more difficulties arise for the catharsis hypothesis than

simply that it has limitations.

merely

In the No-frustration group, the experimenter merely praised

students when they reached 0.

just

For one thing, he says hes finding that blood pressure goes up
when people are exposed to violence--not just to the real-life
kind thats known to cause fight -or-flight hormones to surge, but
also to Rambo-style movies.

even

Not even a war seems to purge a peoples aggressive feelings.

really

Since that day, I've had the feeling that nothing can really harm
me and have lived completely without fear.

actually

Centenarians actually lived through many of the historical events

or social changes that most of us know only from history books.

Time Adverbs
These adverbs add information about the time or frequency with which something
happens. Some of the most common time adverbs include: frequently, regularly, rarely,
recently, currently, newly, and suddenly.
Beginning of the sentence

Recently, studies of longevity have pointed

to the keys to a long life.

Before the verb or between the auxiliary

and the participle

She frequently travels, going to two or

three places each year.