Manner adverbs describe how an action happens. They answer questions like “How did it happen?” or “In what way?” They usually modify a verb, but they can also modify an adjective or another adverb.

Many manner adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective. Spelling sometimes changes: -y often becomes -ily, and adjectives ending in -le often become -ly. Some adverbs do not use -ly and must be learned as fixed forms.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
adjective + -ly	most common way to form a manner adverb	She spoke calmly.
happy → happily	-y changes to -ily	He smiled happily.
gentle → gently	-le often changes to -ly	Please hold it gently.
fast	adverb and adjective have the same form	They work fast.
well	irregular adverb of good	She sings well.

Manner adverbs can appear in several positions, but meaning and naturalness depend on placement. They often go after the verb or after the object. They can also go before the main verb for emphasis, but they usually do not go between a verb and its object.

Rule	Example
Common position is after the verb	He laughed loudly.
Often go after the object when there is one	She closed the door quietly.
Avoid placing the adverb between verb and object	She quietly closed the door.
Can go at the beginning for emphasis or style	Quietly, she closed the door.

Manner adverbs most often modify verbs, describing the way an action is done. They can also modify adjectives or other adverbs to describe degree or style, especially with adverbs like extremely, surprisingly, and unusually. Not every -ly word is a manner adverb, so check what it modifies in the sentence.

Rule	Example
Modify a verb to show how an action happens	They answered politely.
Modify an adjective to describe intensity or evaluation	It is unusually cold.
Modify another adverb	She ran incredibly quickly.

A few very common manner adverbs are irregular or look identical to adjectives. Good becomes well when it means “in a good way.” Some words like fast, hard, and late can be adjectives or adverbs depending on their role, so context is important.

Rule	Example
Use well, not good, to modify most verbs	He plays the piano well.
Some adverbs have no -ly form in common use	Drive fast.
Some words can be adjective or adverb	She works hard.

Adjectives describe nouns, while manner adverbs describe actions or the way something happens. If you are describing the subject itself, use an adjective after linking verbs like be, seem, feel, look, sound, taste, and smell. If you are describing the action, use an adverb.

Rule	Example
After linking verbs, use an adjective	She looks happy.
With action verbs, use an adverb for manner	She smiled happily.
Same word can change meaning depending on verb type	He feels bad. He behaved badly.

Changing the manner adverb can change the speaker’s evaluation, not just the speed or style. Some adverbs describe speed, care, politeness, or emotion, while others suggest judgment such as rudely or carelessly. Choose an adverb that matches both the action and the tone you want.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
carefully	with attention and little risk	He packed the glass carefully.
quickly	fast, in a short time	She replied quickly.
politely	with good manners	They disagreed politely.
angrily	showing anger	He spoke angrily.
carelessly	without enough attention	She wrote it carelessly.

When a sentence has more than one adverbial idea, manner usually comes after place and time in the most typical end position. If you stack many adverbs at the end, the sentence can feel heavy, so writers often move one part earlier or rephrase. In natural speech, intonation can also highlight which adverb matters most.

Rule	Example
Typical end order is place, then time, then manner is often last or placed near the verb depending on emphasis	She worked at home yesterday quietly.
If the sentence sounds unnatural, move the manner adverb nearer the verb	She quietly worked at home yesterday.

Some manner adverbs fit naturally only with certain verbs and objects. If an adverb describes the action, it should be placed where it clearly attaches to the verb, especially when the object is long. When the object is a clause or a long phrase, end placement often sounds clearest.

Rule	Example
With a long object, place the adverb after the object for clarity	She explained the process in detail patiently.
Or place it before the verb to avoid confusion	She patiently explained the process in detail.

Manner adverbs explain how actions happen, most often by adding -ly to adjectives, with a few important irregular forms. Their placement usually comes after the verb or after the object, and adjectives are used instead after linking verbs. Choosing the right adverb and position helps your meaning sound clear and natural.