Writing Pro: Adverb Lesson 2

Welcome to the advanced discourse on adverb. You may like to check our first lesson on adverb, if you do, click here.

Sequel to the first lesson on this topic, it will be complementing that you know that adverbs may have some forms, comparison and markers as well, apart from its mere structural identification and spelling conventions which metamorphose some from adjectives. Our description of adverbs in this lesson will be centered on forms and comparison, including distinguishing between adverbial words that may also function as adjectives. Happy study!

     Forms and Comparison of Adverbs

In the area of form, adverbs can be classified into regular/irregular. The regular adverbs are formed by adding suffix -ly to some adjectives while the irregular are not formed from this standard and regular English spelling convention. See lesson 1 for more information on that.

From the angle of comparison, adverbs are classified into three segments: positive, comparative and superlative. There are regular and irregular comparisons of adverbs as well. In the regular comparison, some adverbs that end in -ly allow some inflections like suffixes -er and -est at their comparative and superlative levels respectively. Examples:

• Early/earlier/earliest
• Pridefully/pridefullier/pridefulliest
• Sadly/sadlier/sadliest

Ex.: Mitchell arrived early. Mary arrived earlier. Charles arrived earliest.

Some monosyllabic adverbs also take -er and -est

• Late/later/latest
• Fast/faster/fastest
• Hard/harder/hardest.

Ex.: he came late to school. You may come later. That guy came latest.

Walk fast (adverb). He's fast (adjective).

Hit it hard (adverb). That's too hard for her milk teeth (adjective). In the first example, fast modifies walk because it tells how you should walk but in the second example, fast is related to the subject He. Adverb is usually related to an action, therefore fast in the 2nd example is an adjective that qualifies He. The same applies to examples 3&4.

Some polysyllabic adverbs take additional words, such as: more and most at their comparative and superlative levels respectively.

• Beautifully/more beautifully/most beautifully.
• Impressively/more impressively/most impressively. Ex.: she dances beautifully. They dance more beautifully. Mary dances most beautifully.

Having looked critically into the regular comparison of adverbs, the irregular adverbs change completely at their comparative and superlative levels, that is, the words are no longer the same. See the examples below:

• Well/better/best
• Much/more/most. Ex.: Christian: how're you doing? Doss: I'm doing well. It is well. I'm better now (adjective). I'm feeling better now (adverb).

After this study, you'll be better off at it if you can meditate and use some adverbs in your own style. Check the grammaticality and acceptability of your write-ups by seeking the opinion of a teacher of the language or anyone who understands English better. Did you notice how that better was used? Do you realise it is an adverb? Yes, it is! It modifies the verb, "understands". Click to find our lesson 3 on adverb and learn more.