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List of Adverbs

List of Adverbs

Scroll halfway down to go straight to the big list of adverbs. We have compiled this list to kick-start your child's language learning experience!

Why do you need a list of adverbs?

If you watched Schoolhouse Rock as a child, you probably remember the song Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, get your adverbs here. This catchy song told you how adverbs were at your service to enrich your language in various ways. Now that you have the tune stuck in your head, keep reading to brush up on adverbs via the handy list of adverbs.

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An adverb is a modifying part of speech. It describes verbs, other adverbs, adjectives, and phrases. They are used to describe how, where, when, how often, and why something happens. Here are a few examples:

Verb- The cat climbed quickly up the tree. (quickly describes how the cat climbed)

Adverb- Mike worked very carefully on his paper. (very shows how carefully he worked) Adjective- She is nearly ready to go. (nearly tells to what extent she is ready)

Adverbs of manner

Certain adverbs can describe how something happens. Where there are two or more verbs in a sentence, adverb placement affects the meaning. Some commonly used adverbs of manner include:

carefully
correctly
eagerly
easily
fast
loudly
patiently
quickly
quietly
and well.

Consider the following example:

She decided to write her paper. (no adverbs)
She quickly decided to write her paper. (her decision was quick)
She decided to write her paper quickly. (her writing was quick)

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Adverbs of place

Adverbs of a place can describe where something happens. Most adverbs of place are also used as prepositions. Some commonly used examples include the following:

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abroad
anywhere
downstairs
here
home
in
nowhere
out
outside
somewhere
there
underground
upstairs.

I wanted to go upstairs.
She has lived in the city since June. (in the city – prepositional phrase)

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Adverbs of purpose

Describe why something happens. Here are some common examples:

so
so that
to
in order to
because
since
accidentally
intentionally
and purposely.

Jenny walks carefully to avoid falling.
Bob accidentally broke the vase.

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Adverbs of frequency

Describe how often something happens. The following adverbs are commonly used in this way:

always
every
never
often
rarely
seldom
sometimes
and usually.

Mackenzie gets a ride from her brother every day.
The fish usually swims near the top of its tank.

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Adverbs of time

Describe when something happens. These examples are commonly used:

after
already
during
finally
just
last
later
next
now
recently
soon
then
tomorrow
when
while
and yesterday.

He came home before dark.
It will be too dark to play outside soon.
Jessica finished her supper first.
Andy left school early.

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Some adverbs often get overused, such as very, extremely, and really. Using there is/are or it is at the beginning of a sentence adds nothing. Sentences with these adverb phrases become wordy, boring, and less clear. Look at some examples:

  • There are many bird species living in the sanctuary. Many bird species live in the sanctuary.
  • It is important to hold hands when crossing the street. Holding hands when crossing the street is important.
  • There may be more than one way to solve the problem. The problem may be solved in more than one way.

Well, did you catch all that? Recognizing the various adverbs used in the English language can take practice. Using them properly can make writing and speaking far more interesting.

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Now you have a list of adverbs because you read this article carefully and thoroughly…

Adverbs of Completeness

Everywhere
here
there

List of Common Adverbs

A

 

 

abnormally
absentmindedly
accidentally
acidly
actually
adventurously
afterwards
almost
always
angrily
annually
anxiously
arrogantly
awkwardly

B

 

 

badly
bashfully
beautifully
bitterly
bleakly
blindly
blissfully
boastfully
boldly
bravely
briefly
brightly
briskly
broadly
busily

C

 

 

calmly
carefully
carelessly
cautiously
certainly
cheerfully
clearly
cleverly
closely
coaxingly
colorfully
commonly
continually
coolly
correctly
courageously
crossly
cruelly
curiously

D

 

 

daily
daintily
dearly
deceivingly
delightfully
deeply
defiantly
deliberately
delightfully
diligently
dimly
doubtfully
dreamily

E

 

 

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easily
elegantly
energetically
enormously
enthusiastically
equally
especially
even
evenly
eventually
exactly
excitedly
extremely

F

 

 

fairly
faithfully
famously
far
fast
fatally
ferociously
fervently
fiercely
fondly
foolishly
fortunately
frankly
frantically
freely
frenetically
frightfully
fully
furiously

G

 

 

generally
generously
gently
gladly
gleefully
gracefully
gratefully
greatly
greedily

H

 

 

happily
hastily
healthily
heavily
helpfully
helplessly
highly
honestly
hopelessly
hourly
hungrily

I

 

 

immediately
innocently
inquisitively
instantly
intensely
intently
interestingly
inwardly
irritably

J

 

 

jaggedly
jealously
joshingly
joyfully
joyously
jovially
jubilantly
judgementally
justly

K

 

 

keenly
kiddingly
kindheartedly
kindly
kissingly
knavishly
knottily
knowingly
knowledgeably
kookily

L

 

 

lazily
less
lightly
likely
limply
lively
loftily
longingly
loosely
lovingly
loudly
loyally

M

 

 

madly
majestically
meaningfully
mechanically
merrily
miserably
mockingly
monthly
more
mortally
mostly
mysteriously

N

 

 

naturally
nearly
neatly
needily
nervously
never
nicely
noisily
not

O

 

 

obediently
obnoxiously
oddly
offensively
officially
often
only
openly
optimistically
overconfidently
owlishly

P

 

 

painfully
partially
patiently
perfectly
physically
playfully
politely
poorly
positively
potentially
powerfully
promptly
properly
punctually

Q

 

 

quaintly
quarrelsomely
queasily
queerly
questionably
questioningly
quicker
quickly
quietly
quirkily
quizzically

R

 

 

rapidly
rarely
readily
really
reassuringly
recklessly
regularly
reluctantly
repeatedly
reproachfully
restfully
righteously
rightfully
rigidly
roughly
rudely

S

 

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sadly
safely
scarcely
scarily
searchingly
sedately
seemingly
seldom
selfishly
separately
seriously
shakily
sharply
sheepishly
shrilly
shyly
silently
sleepily
slowly
smoothly
softly
solemnly
solidly
sometimes
soon
speedily
stealthily
sternly
strictly
successfully
suddenly
surprisingly
suspiciously
sweetly
swiftly
sympathetically

T

 

 

tenderly
tensely
terribly
thankfully
thoroughly
thoughtfully
tightly
tomorrow
too
tremendously
triumphantly
truly
truthfully

U

 

 

ultimately
unabashedly
unaccountably
unbearably
unethically
unexpectedly
unfortunately
unimpressively
unnaturally
unnecessarily
utterly
upbeat
upliftingly
upright
upside-down
upward
upwardly
urgently
usefully
uselessly
usually
utterly

V

 

 

vacantly
vaguely
vainly
valiantly
vastly
verbally
very
viciously
victoriously
violently
vivaciously
voluntarily

W

 

 

warmly
weakly
wearily
well
wetly
wholly
wildly
willfully
wisely
woefully
wonderfully
worriedly
wrongly

Y

 

 

yawningly
yearly
yearningly
yesterday
yieldingly
youthfully

Z

 

 

zealously
zestfully
zestily

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