46e. Adverbs

46eAdverbs

An adverb is a word used to modify, or qualify, a verb (or verbal), an adjective, or another adverb. It usually answers one of these questions: When? Where? How? Why? Under what conditions? To what degree?

Pull firmly on the emergency handle. [Pull how?]

Read the text first and then complete the exercises. [Read when? Complete when?]

Place the flowers here. [Place where?]

Adverbs modifying adjectives or other adverbs usually intensify or limit the intensity of the word they modify.

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The words not and never are classified as adverbs. A word such as cannot contains the helping verb can and the adverb not. The word can’t contains the helping verb can and a contracted form of not (see 36c).

tip: You can find more details about using adverbs in 26b–26d. Multilingual writers can find more about the placement of adverbs in 30f.