How to Form Adverbs from Adjectives

Content:

1. What are Adjectives and Adverbs

– Definitions and Examples

2. How to Form Adverbs from Adjectives

– Grammar Rules for Different Word Ending

What are Adjectives and Adverbs

An adjective is a word or a set of words that modify or describe a noun or pronoun. Adjectives usually come before the noun they modify although they can be used after the noun as well. An adverb is a word or a group of words that modify adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs. They add descriptions regarding time, place, manner, cause, extent, and degree.

Examples of Adjectives: bad, simple, good, clean, neat, beautiful, pretty, fast, loud, happy, sudden, sad, basic,etc.

Examples of Adverbs: simply, sadly, loudly, happily, quietly, easily, basically, strongly, quickly, cheaply, etc.

What are the Kinds of Adjectives

What are the Kinds of Adverbs

Difference Between Adverb and Adjective

As seen from the above examples, many adverbs end in ‘ly’. Most of the adverbs that end with ‘ly’ are adverbs of manner. Adverbs and adjectives are formed from the same word and adverbs are usually formed by adding ‘ly’ to the adjective.

Grammar Rule 1

Most adverbs are formed by simply adding ‘ly’ to the adjective.

Bad → Badly

Strong → Strongly

Cheap → Cheaply

Slow → Slowly

Sudden → Suddenly

Adjective	Adverb
It’s a slow dance.	He danced slowly.
His death was sudden.	He died suddenly.
His acting is bad.	He acted badly.

Grammar Rule 2

If the adjective ends in y, it should be replaced with ily

Happy → Happily

Easy → Easily

Lazy → Lazily

Angry → Angrily

Ready → Readily

Adjective	Adverb
His happy smile welcomed.	He smiled happily.
It was an easy exercise.	He completed the exercise easily.
He was ready to accept the challenge.	He readily accepted the challenge.

They played happily.

Grammar Rule 3

If the adjective ends in able, ible, or le, the e should be replaced with y.

Terrible → Terribly

Gentle → Gently

Comfortable → Comfortably

Possible → Possibly

Adjective	Adverb
His gentle touch woke her.	He touched her gently.
He sat on the comfortable chair.	He sat comfortably.

Grammar Rule 4

If the adjective ends in l, the adverb has double l.

Beautiful → Beautifully

Careful → Carefully

Historical → Historically

Adjective	Adverb
Your house is beautiful.	Your house is decorated beautifully.
She is a careful driver.	She listened carefully.

Grammar Rule 5

If the adjective ends in ic, the adverb should end in ally.

Basic → Basically

Tragic → Tragically

Adjective	Adverb
He died in a tragic accident.	He died tragically.
The room had basic amenities.	She is basically being nice.

*Public is an exception. Its adverb is publicly.

Grammar Rule 6

Some adverbs have the same form as their adjectives.

Fast, hard, early, near, wrong, high

Adjective	Adverb
He has a fast car.	Don’t drive too fast.
The test was too hard.	He didn’t work hard.
He gave a wrong answer.	He behaved wrong.

He drove fast.

Grammar Rule 7

The adverb of good is well.

Grammar Rule 8

Adjectives that end in ly cannot be formed into adverbs by adding ly. Different forms have to be used to use these words as adverbs.

Friendly → in a friendly manner

Summary

Many adverbs of manner end with ly.
When the adjective ends in y, it should be replaced with ily.
When the adjective ends in able, ible, or le, the e should be replaced with y.
When the adjective ends in l, the adverb has double l.
When the adjective ends in ic, the adverb should end in ally.
Some adverbs have the same form as their adjectives.