TOEIC Grammar GLOBAL EDUCATION VIETNAM

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ADVERBS

1. Introduction

An adverb usually modifies a verb or a verb phrase and provides information about the manner (cách thức),
time (thời gian), place (nơi chốn) or circumstances of the activity (tình huống của hành động) or state
(trạng thái) denoted by the verb or verb phrase. It can also modify an adjective or another adverb.

 He walked slowly. (The adverb ‘slowly’ modifies the verb ‘walked’.)

 He spoke quite loudly. (The adverb ‘quite’ modifies the adverb ‘loudly’.)

 It was a very delightful function. (The adverb ‘very’ modifies the adjective ‘delightful’.)

2. Formation of Adverbs

Most adverbs are formed by adding -ly to their corresponding adjectives.

Examples are: kindly (kind), slowly (slow), hardly (hard), sweetly (sweet) etc.

 She is very beautiful (adjective).

 She is beautifully (adverb) dressed.

 He is a strange (adjective) person.

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 He behaved strangely (adverb).

Points to be noted

1. If the adjective ends in -y, replace it with -i and then add -ly.

Adjective Adverb

happy happily

angry angrily

lucky luckily

2. If the adjective ends in -able, -ible, or -le, replace the -e with -y.

Adjective Adverb

probable probably

gentle gently

humble humbly

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3. If the adjective ends in -ic, add -ally.

Adjective Adverb

basic basically

economic economically

Note: This rule, however, has an exception. The adverb formed from public is publicly, and not publically.

4. Some adverbs have the same form as the adjective:

Adjective/Adverb

early late
fast near
hard straight
high wrong

Compare:

 It is a fast car.
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 He drives very fast.

 This is a hard exercise.

 He works hard.

 We saw many high buildings.

 The bird flew high in the sky.

3. Adjectives or Adverbs? Confusing cases

Some words ending in -ly are adjectives, and not normally adverbs.

Common examples are: costly, cowardly, deadly, friendly, likely, lively, lonely, lovely, silly, ugly and unlikely.

 She has a lovely daughter.

 Don't be silly.

 It was a lively discussion.

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4. Kinds of Adverbs

1. Adverbs of Certainty

2. Adverbs of Degree

3. Adverbs of Indefinite Frequency

4. Adverbs of Manner

5. Adverbs of Place

6. Adverbs of Time and Definite Frequency

4.1. Adverbs of Certainty

Adverbs of certainty (Trạng từ chỉ độ chắc chắn) express how certain (nhất định) or sure (chắc chắn) we
feel about an action or event.

Common adverbs of certainty: certainly, definitely, probably, undoubtedly, clearly, obviously etc.

 He is undoubtedly a great leader.

 There is clearly something wrong.

 She is definitely taller than you.

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Position

Adverbs of certainty go before the main verb but after the verb 'to be':

 He definitely left the house this morning.

 He is probably in the park.

With other auxiliary verb, these adverbs go between the auxiliary and the main verb:

 He has certainly forgotten the meeting.

 He will probably remember tomorrow.

Sometimes these adverbs can be placed at the beginning of the sentence:

 Undoubtedly, Winston Churchill was a great politician.

Exceptions

Perhaps and may be are exceptions to this rule. They usually go at the beginning of a clause.

 Perhaps she will come.

 May be you are right.

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Surely means the speaker thinks something is true, but is looking for confirmation (sự xác nhận) when it is
placed at the beginning of the sentence.

Example:

 Surely you've got a bicycle?

4.2. Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree (Trạng từ chỉ mức độ) tell us about the degree or extent of an action (mức độ hay quy
mô của hành động), quality or manner.

Common adverbs of degree: Almost, nearly, quite, just, too, enough, hardly, scarcely, completely, very,
extremely.

 She is very beautiful.

 I am extremely sorry.

 She is quite strong.

 They are fully prepared.

Position

Adverbs of degree normally come in mid position with the verb. They are placed after the auxiliary verbs (trợ 4
từ) and before other verbs. If there are two auxiliary verbs, the adverb comes after the first.

 He had hardly begun.

 My work is almost finished.

 I just asked.

 She hardly realized what she was doing.

 He is entirely right.

 She was rather busy.

An adverb of degree qualifying an adjective or another adverb normally goes before it.

 She is very beautiful.

 Those mangoes were very sweet.

 I am extremely sorry.

Exceptions

Enough is an exception to this rule. It is placed after the adjective or adverb it qualifies.

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 You are not old enough to marry.

 This is good enough to be true.

Points to be noted

1. Enough as an adverb meaning 'to the necessary degree' (mức độ cần thiết) goes after adjectives and
adverbs.

Example:

 Is your coffee hot enough? (adjective)

 He didn't work hard enough. (adverb)

It also goes before nouns, and means 'as much as is necessary' (đủ dùng). In this case it is not an adverb, but
a 'determiner' (từ hạn định).

Example:

 We have enough bread.

 They don't have enough food.

2. Too as an adverb meaning 'more than is necessary or useful' (nhiều hơn cần thiết) goes before adjectives
and adverbs, e.g. 5

 This coffee is too hot. (adjective)

 He works too hard. (adverb)

Enough and too with adjectives can be followed by 'for someone/something'.

Example:

 The dress was big enough for me.

 She's not experienced enough for this job.

 The coffee was too hot for me.

 The dress was too small for her.

We can also use 'to + infinitive' after enough and too with adjectives/adverb.

Example:

 The coffee was too hot to drink.

 He didn't work hard enough to pass the exam.

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 She's not old enough to get married.

 You're too young to have grandchildren!

3. Very goes before an adverb or adjective to make it stronger.

Example:

 The girl was very beautiful. (adjective)

 He worked very quickly. (adverb)

If we want to make a negative form of an adjective or adverb, we can use a word of opposite meaning, or not
very.

Example:

 The girl was ugly OR The girl was not very beautiful

 He worked slowly OR He didn't work very quickly.

Other adverbs like very

These common adverbs are used like very and not very, and are listed in order of strength, from positive to
negative: extremely, especially, particularly, pretty, rather, quite, fairly, rather, not especially, not particularly.

Note: rather can be positive or negative, depending on the adjective or adverb that follows:
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Positive: The teacher was rather nice.

Negative: The film was rather disappointing.

4.3. Adverbs of Indefinite Frequency

Adverbs of indefinite frequency (Trạng từ chỉ tần suất) tell us how often something happens.

Common adverbs of indefinite frequency: always, ever, usually, normally, often, frequently, seldom, never etc.

 I am never late for office.

 Have you ever been to the US?

 I often work late.

Position

Adverbs of indefinite frequency go in mid position. They are normally placed after the auxiliary verbs (trợ từ)
and before other verbs. When there are two auxiliary verbs, the adverb goes after the first.

 I always get up early.

 I am seldom late for work.

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 We frequently visit them.

 I often read comics.

 I have never seen a dolphin.

Points to be noted

1. Usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes and occasionally can also go at the beginning or end of
a clause (mệnh đề).

 We visit them occasionally.

 Often we trust the wrong person.

2. Always, ever, rarely, seldom and never can go only in mid position.

 They never admitted their fault.

 You can always trust him.

However, always and never can begin imperative clauses.

 Always look before you leap.

 Never ask her about her age.

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4.4. Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner (Trạng từ chỉ cách thức) say how something happens or is done.

Common adverbs of manner: happily, angrily, slowly, carefully, fast etc.

 She walked slowly.

 John drove carefully.

 The soldiers fought bravely.

Position

Adverbs of manner normally go in end position (at the end of a clause).

 She sang well.

 He talked loudly.

 She walked slowly.

 He managed it skillfully.

 She speaks English well.

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An adverb of manner modifying (bổ nghĩa) an adjective or another adverb normally goes before it.

 She is seriously ill.

 I was terribly busy.

Points to be noted

1. Adverbs of manner can come in mid position if the adverb is not important to the meaning of the verb.

 She angrily tore up the letter.

 His health slowly began to improve.

2. If there is a preposition before the object, we can place the adverb either before the preposition or after the
object.

 The man walked happily towards his home.

 The man walked towards his home happily.

3. To emphasize the point, sometimes, an adverb of manner is placed before the main verb.

 He gently woke up the woman.

4. Some writers put adverbs of manner at the beginning of a sentence to catch our attention (thu hút sự chú
ý).
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 Happily Tom went home.

 Slowly he walked away.

4.5. Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of Place (Trạng từ chỉ nơi chốn) tell us where something happens.

Examples are: upstairs, here, there, nearby, everywhere, in, out etc.

 She looked for him everywhere.

 Please come in.

 They bought a house nearby.

 He lives here.

 The boss has gone out.

 He was seen nowhere.

Certain adverbs of place express both movement (chuyển động) and location (vị trí).

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Examples are: ahead, abroad, overseas, uphill, downhill, sideways, indoor, outdoors etc.

 My parents live abroad.

 They climbed uphill.

 She fell backwards.

Position

They are normally placed at the end of a clause.

 She took him out.

 They all went away.

 We went ahead.

 The children were playing upstairs.

 He jumped out.

They can also come at the beginning of a clause. This is common in literary writing.

 On the hilltop an old castle stood majestically.

 At around the corner there is a big banyan tree.

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 Out he jumped.

 Upstairs the children were playing.

4.6. Adverbs of Time and Definite Frequency

Adverbs of time and definite frequency (Trạng từ chỉ thời gian và mức độ thường xuyên) tell us when
something happens.

Examples are: today, yesterday, later, now, all day, not long, for a while, since, last year, sometimes,
frequently, never, often, yearly etc.

 I shall go there tomorrow.

 You must get up early.

 I have seen him before.

 Let us start now.

Position

Most of them go in end position.

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 I met him yesterday.

 He died last year.

 They are leaving for England tomorrow.

 He visits us daily.

 I haven't seen him lately.

Initial position is also common.

 Yesterday I met him.

 Tomorrow I am leaving for the US.

Exceptions

Finally, already, soon, and last can also go in mid position.

 She has finally got a job.

 They soon realized their mistake.

Still and just can only go in mid position.

 I just asked.
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 He is still working for the same firm.

Note that a mid position adverb is placed after the auxiliary verbs and before other verbs. When there are two
auxiliary verbs, the adverb normally comes after the first.

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