Adverbs for Manner 1 (Word Forms)
Telling how something is done
An adjective versus an adverb for manner
| AN ADJECTIVE |
|---|
Use an adjective to modify the quality or character of a noun. |
| MODIFIES THE NOUN |
He is an excellent tennis player. |
He is a graceful athlete. |
He is a smart player. |
He is a defensive player. |
He is a professional athlete. |
He is an expert player. |
| ADVERB OF MANNER |
|---|
Use an adverb to modify how a person performs an action or activity. A similar meaning may be expressed with a prepositional phrase. "in this … manner" |
| MODIFIES THE VERB |
He plays tennis excellently. (adverb) |
He moves gracefully. |
He dresses smartly. (fashionably) |
He will play defensively in tomorrow's game. |
He appears professionally at fundraisers. (appear – take part in a public event) dynamic verb) |
He plays expertly. |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
For word order, see: Adverb of Manner 2
Adverbs of Manner
With Dynamic Verbs
With dynamic verbs only!
| DYNAMIC VERB |
|---|
Adverbs modify the action of "dynamic verbs" (action verbs). Some dynamic verbs have an equivalent stative verb form which cannot be modified by an adverb. |
Alberto is quietly looking at you. (to see with eyes focused)* |
Alberto Benigni possibly is appearing on stage tonight. (is performing) |
Alberto is rapidly becoming a good technician. (is working to become, self-actualizing) |
Robert DeNiro is proudly acting in this movie. (is performing) |
You are slowly getting better each day. (are improving in health or are taking action to improve) |
| STATIC VERB |
|---|
An adverb is not used with a "state of being" verb. There is no action happening! |
Alberto looks tired.(Alberto = tired.) |
Alberto appears pleased. (Alberto = pleased.) |
Alberto becomes excited. (Alberto = excited.) |
Alberto acts strange. (Alberto behaves strangely.) |
BUT: Alberto gets¹ angry easily. (Alberto becomes angry.) |
¹Get is sometimes static or dynamic. It is changing in language use. (informal) See Get Passive.
Also see States of Being | Sensory States | Mental States | Possession States | Emotion States | Other States
Adverbs of Manner
Word Forms -ly
Changing Adjective Word Forms to Adverb Word Forms (suffixes)
| ADJ. FORM + LY | –Y to – ILY | – LE to – LY | – IC to – iCALLY |
|---|---|---|---|
For most words, add -ly to the end of an adjective form to create an adverb word form. |
For words with more than one syllable ending in -y, replace the -y with -ily. |
For words with more than one syllable ending in -le, replace the -le with -ly. |
For words ending in –ic, replace –ic with –ically. |
late – lately |
angry – angrily |
able – ably |
academic – academically |
right – rightly |
busy – busily |
capable – capably |
acoustic – acoustically |
hopeful – hopefully |
easy – easily |
idle – idly |
artistic – artistically |
complete – completely |
happy – happily |
noble – nobly |
classic – classically |
real – really |
lucky – luckily |
possible – possibly |
magic – magically |
definite – definitely |
ready – readily |
probably – probably |
politic – politically |
mature – maturely |
voluntary – voluntarily |
|
tragic – tragically |
| EXCEPTIONS | ONE SYLLABLE | EXCEPTIONS | EXCEPTION |
true – truly |
dry – dryly (One syllable - no change.) |
subtle – subtly – not easily noticed |
public – publicly |
full – fully |
coy – coyly |
smile – smiley |
|
whole – wholly |
sly – slyly |
hole – holey |
|
|
shy – shyly |
rule – unruly "an unruly crowd" |
|
Adverbs for Manner (just a few)
abnormally |
accidentally |
accurately |
affectionately |
anxiously |
artfully |
awkwardly |
awesomely |
badly |
beautifully |
briskly |
brutally |
busily |
calmly |
carefully |
cautiously |
cheerfully |
clearly |
cleverly |
colorfully |
comfortably |
competitively |
confidently |
cowardly |
crazily |
customarily |
deliberately |
delightfully |
desperately |
dependably |
distinctly |
doubtfully |
eagerly |
easily |
extraordinarily |
expertly |
famously |
fashionably |
freely |
furiously |
gently |
gracefully |
guiltily |
happily |
harshly |
helpfully |
hurriedly |
imaginatively |
irresponsibly |
jealously |
jokingly |
joyfully |
justly |
kindly |
knowledgeably |
lawfully |
leisurely |
lifelessly |
luckily |
lovingly |
loyally |
magnificently |
maturely |
mechanically |
mindlessly |
miraculously |
miserably |
musically |
naturally |
neatly |
noisily |
oddly |
officially |
painfully |
personally |
proudly |
punctually |
purposefully |
quickly |
readily |
regretfully |
religiously |
romantically |
sadly |
safely |
secretly |
silently |
skillfully |
sleepily |
steadily |
suspiciously |
tastefully |
tenderly |
terribly |
thoroughly |
uniquely |
universally |
untruthfully |
vocally |
voluntarily |
warmly |
watchfully |
weakly |
willingly |
External Resources: " Adverbs List". ESL Desk. http://www.esldesk.com/vocabulary/adverbs
LDOCE. (word definitions) http://www.ldoceonline.com (Note in most cases the adjective form appears in the dictionary with the adverb form entry at the bottom.)
Adverbs of Manner
Word Forms -ways and -wize
Adverbs of manner ending in -ways and -wise
| ADVERB FOR MANNER |
|---|
In the examples below, the -wise adverb modifies the verb. "in this/that way" |
He turned the dial clockwise. "in the circular direction that the hands of a clock turn" |
She folds her towels lengthwise. "with the fold as the length of the item" |
They placed the box on the shelf sideways. "with the side facing you" |
| ADVERB FOR OPINION |
|---|
In these examples, the adverb ending in -wise modifies the idea of the clause, and it limits the viewpoint of the speaker to a specific viewpoint, area or domain. See Adv for Opinion. |
Weatherwise, it will be a great day for surfing. "In the way or view to the weather…" |
The weather is cold and it is windy. Otherwise, it is a great day for surfing. "In other ways…" |
Pricewise, it's a good deal. "In the way or view of the price…" |
Other -Wise Words
| IN THIS WAY | FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE¹ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
clockwise/ |
counterclockwise |
otherwise |
job-wise |
lengthwise / ways |
edgewise / ways |
pricewise |
time-wise |
sideway / |
crosswise |
healthwise |
money-wise |
sideways/ sidewize |
|
likewise |
weatherwise |
It's hard to get a word in edgewise — to succeed in entering a conversation or expressing one's opinion in spite of competition or opposition
¹The suffix -wise can be added to a number of words to limit the specific area or domain. A hyphen is used with a new term that is created for a specific use. See Hyphens.
††always - is not related to the -ways and -wize suffixed words
Adverbs of Manner
Other Forms
Word Form Exceptions
| UNCOMMON ADVERB FORMS | |
|---|---|
In these words, the adjective and adverb word forms are the same, or already end in -ly. |
|
good–well |
He is a good runner. (adj.) |
fast–fast |
He is a fast runner. (adj.) |
hard–hard |
It was a hard game. (adj.) |
loud–loud or loudly |
He is a loud speaker. (adj.) |
early – early (already ends in -ly) |
It is the early/ daily edition of the newspaper. (adj.) |
friendly – in a friendly manner |
He is friendly. (adj.) |
lovely – in a lovely way |
Her dancing is lovely. (adj.) |
| SHIFT IN MEANING | |
|---|---|
In these words the adjective and adverb differ in meaning. |
|
hard (tough) –hardly (barely) |
A desk has a hard surface. (adj.) |
late (tardy) –lately (recently) |
He arrived late to work. (adj.) |
high (related to height) –highly (very much) |
The picture is high on the wall. (adj.) |
free (no cost) –freely (without restriction) |
Water is free. (adj.) |
pretty (beautiful) –pretty (rather) |
She is a pretty child. (adj.) |
short (not tall) –shortly (soon) |
The distance is short. (adj.) |
right (correct, direction) –right (just, exactly, completely) |
You are right. (adj.) |
Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions
Common Mistakes
| ERROR | SOLUTION |
|---|---|
*He was breathing hardly. |
He was hardly breathing. (adv of degree – barely, not much) |
*She arrived lately. |
She arrived late. (She was not on time.) |
*The car goes extremely fastly. |
The car goes extremely fast. (adv of degree – extremely, very; adv of manner –fast.) |
He feels badly about the matter. |
I feels bad. He is "not well" (Use an adjective with a state-of-being verb.) |
He becomes happily when he sees her. |
He becomes happy when he sees her. See States of Being |
The crowd went wildly. |
The crowd went wild. went (stative verb) – behaved, acted; wild (adj.) – out of control) |
He is very successfully and earns a lot of money. |
He is very successful and ...be + (adj) . (stative verb) |
Practice 1
Golfer Hits Gopher
Read for Word Choice
James, a golfer, was playing a round golf the other day when he (accidental–accidently) hit his ball into a hole off the golfing greens. James made an (accidental–accidently) shot. Unexpectedly, an (angry–angrily) gopher appeared. The gopher (angry–angrily) pushed the ball out out of its hole. The gopher complained (loud–loudly). The gopher made a (loud–loudly) complaint. The ball hit him (hard–hardly) on the head. James could (hard–hardly) believe that a gopher was making its home on the golf course. Normally, James has (good–well) eyesight. However, he didn't see (good–well) this time because his ball did land anywhere near the golf green.
The gopher probably had a (painful–painfully) headache. The gopher lay still for a moment and then blinked its eyes (painful–painfully). The (guilty–guiltily) golfer, James, reached for his ball. "Sorry, little guy!" James said (guilty–guiltily) . The gopher disappeared (quick–quickly) into its hole — with the ball! So James (quick–quickly) left the golfing green without his ball. After this experience, James (wise–wisely) wore his glasses whenever he played golf. The (wise–wisely) gopher found a new hole to live in.
a round of golf – a quantifier for 18 holes of golf
make a shot (n.) – hit the golf ball (to a precise location)
complain (v.) – protest, express dissatisfaction
complaint (n.) – saying that someone is unhappy or unsatisfied
eyesight (n.) – ability to see well
golfer (n.) – a person who plays golf –gɒlf, gɔlf–
guilty (adj) – feeling ashamed or sad because you know that you have done something wrong
off the greens – outside of the official grass area of a golf course
wise (adj.) – clever, smart
Select the word form — adjective or adverb?
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Practice 2
"Fourno" Lamb
Read and Reword
Each year, we roast a spring lamb in the traditional way. That is to say, the lamb is prepared in a careful way as it has been for hundreds of years.
After we select a side of lamb, we take it home, and prepare the "fourno", a stone oven. First, my father builds a fire in a skillful way with dried wood from old fruit trees. It takes a while for the wood and the oven to get hot. In a happy way, he sits outside, "feeds" the oven, and talks to my uncle. He checks the burning wood frequently to see if it is turning a light gray color.
Meanwhile, we prepare the lamb. First, we wash it with water and lemon and pat it dry in a thorough manner. Then, we slice garlic in a fine way and insert in a gentle way under the skin of the lamb.
We sprinkle the lamb in a light manner with salt, pepper and oregano and place it in a large pan.
If needed, we tie the lamb in a secure way so that it won't fall apart. Then, we place the pan in the oven with the side facing out. As the lamb cooks, he adds twigs of rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano into the flames in a quick manner.
The wonderful smell of the roasting lamb and the smoky herbs causes us to wait in an impatient manner. In the last half hour of cooking, we arrange cut potatoes in a neat manner around the lamb in the pan.
When the lamb is ready, we take our places at the table and await our first bite in an eager manner. We sit together as a family and eat in a joyful manner.
fourno (n.) – a Mediterranean outdoor brick or stone oven
herbs (n.) – plants that give flavor to food in cooking such as oregano, rosemary and thyme
roast (v.) – cook slowly aside a fire
secure (adj.) – tight or firm, not moving
skillful (adj.) – having knowledge, practice and experience; expert
smoky (adj.) – having the character or appearance of smoke, the dark gray gas given off by something, such as wood, burning
sprinkle (v.) – pour something in drops or small particles
thorough (adj.) – complete, careful in detail
twig (n.) – a small, dry, woody piece fallen from a branch
Reword the sentence so that the prepositional phrase of manner is an adverb of manner.
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