Manner Adverbs

Many adverbs of manner in English are formed by adding -ly to an adjective, but there are important exceptions and adverbs that do not follow this pattern. Adverbs tell how, when, where, why, or to what extent something happens.

Manner adverbs usually come after the verb or after the object if there is one. When they modify the whole sentence, they can move to the start or end for emphasis. Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs typically appear immediately before them.

Adverbs like quickly, slowly, carefully, and easily are among the most frequently used to describe manner. Each adds a small but important detail about how the action is performed.

Some common manner adverbs have the same form as adjectives and do not add -ly. These often sound more natural in certain contexts and can function as adverbs when placed after verbs like drive, work, or play.

Adverbs of manner describe how something is done, while adverbs of degree modify how much or to what extent. Adverbs of degree include words like very, too, quite, and almost, and they often appear before manner adverbs.

Manner adverbs enrich descriptions by showing how actions are performed. Learn the common -ly adverbs, note the exceptions that keep the adjective form, and practice placing them naturally after the verb or at the sentence edge for emphasis.