ADVERB OF MANNER [KIND OF MANNER]

WHAT ARE ADVERBS OF MANNER?

Adverbs of manner are the largest group of adverbs. Some of them can be used as either adjectives or adverbs. Adverbs of manner are formed by adding –ly to the corresponding adjectives.

EXAMPLES OF ADVERBS OF MANNER

bad – badly

clear – clearly

rapid – rapidly

complete – completely

surprising – surprisingly

RULES FOR FORMING ADVERB OF MANNER

1: ADJECTIVES ENDING IN -IC

When the adjective ends in –ic, the syllable al is usually added before the –ly ending.

For example:

drastic – drastically

frantic – frantically

specific – specifically

dramatic – dramatically

scientific – scientifically

enthusiastic – enthusiastically

2: ADJECTIVES ENDING IN -LE

3: WHEN THE ADJECTIVE ENDS IN -LE PRECEDED BY A CONSONANT, THE FINAL –E IS USUALLY CHANGED TO -Y.

For example:

simple – simply

preferable – preferably

gentle – gently

reasonable – reasonably

terrible – terribly

4: WHEN THE ADJECTIVE ENDS IN –LE PRECEDED BY A VOWEL, WE SIMPLY ADD –LY TO THE ADJECTIVE.

For example:

agile – agilely

sole – solely

Exception:

whole – wholly

5: ADJECTIVES ENDING IN -LL

When the adjective ends in –ll, only –y is added.

For example:

dull – dully

full – fully

shrill – shrilly

6: ADJECTIVES ENDING IN –UE

When the adjective ends in –ue, we omit the final –e and add –ly.

For example:

due – duly

true – truly

7: ADJECTIVES ENDING IN -Y

When the adjective ends in -y preceded by a consonant, the -y is usually changed to –i before –ly.

For example:

happy – happily

easy – easily

busy – busily

hungry – hungrily

lazy – lazily

Exception:

shy – shyly

sly – slyly

8: WHEN THE ADJECTIVE ENDS IN -Y PRECEDED BY A VOWEL, WE SIMPLY ADD –LY TO THE ADJECTIVE.

For example:

coy – coyly

grey – greyly

Exception:

gay – gaily

9: SOME SPECIAL CASES IN FORMING MANNER ADVERBS

A: Other Types of Adverb May also End in –ly

For example:

consequently – Connecting adverb

subsequently – Connecting adverb

frequently – Frequency adverb

generally – Frequency adverb

usually – Frequency adverb

rarely – Frequency adverb

B: Adverbs of Manner which Do Not Use the Ending –ly

For example:

fast – fast

hard – hard

little – little

loud – loud or loudly

much – much

straight – straight

good – well

C: Several Adjectives Ending in –ly Have No Corresponding Adverbs

For example:

friendly

likely

ugly

lively

silly

lonely

D: Pairs of Adverbs are Closely Related, but Have Different Meanings

The following pairs of adverbs are closely related, but have different meanings:

hard (with effort) – hardly (scarcely)

high (opposite of low) – highly (very)

late (opposite of early) – lately (recently)

near (opposite of far) – nearly (almost)

wide (opposite of narrow) – widely (commonly)