Uses of Adverbs

Using Adverbs to Compare and Use Why, What, Where 

We know that adverbs modify verbs. Adverbs can be used to compare verbs or actions. 

A comparative adverb is used to compare two actions. 

A superlative adverb compares how more than two actions are done. 

For example: He ran quickly. 

He ran quickly, but she won because she ran more quickly. 

Of all the pupils, she ran most quickly. 

Here “ran” is the verb. “Quickly” denotes how he ran. Quickly is the adverb and its comparative form is “more quickly.”“Most quickly” is the superlative form. 

Rules 

For adverbs with one syllable, the comparative adverb is formed by adding –er and superlative adverb by adding –est. 

For example: high – higher – highest 

For adverbs with more than one syllable,the comparative adverb is formed by adding more and most is added to get the superlative form. 

For example: slowly – more slowly – most slowly 

We can use less instead of more to reduce the action. 

For example: 

He comes often. 

He comes more often. 

He comes less often. 

Certain adverbs have irregular forms. 

For example: Badly– worse– worst 

Much- more- most 

Little- less- least 

Well- better- best 

Relative adverbs – When, where and why. 

When, where and why are the three important relative adverbs in English. 

Relative adverbs introduce a relative clause (group of words or clause that talks more about a noun). 

Relative adverbs modify adjectives or verbs like adverbs do. 

Adjectives modify nouns or noun phrases. 

For example: This is the place where I met you first. 

“Where I met you first” is a relative adjective clause that modifies the noun “place.” The word “where” is a relative adverb. 

The three relative adverbs are where, when and why. 

• Where is an adverb of place. It denotes the location of anything like a country, city, region, house or shop. 
• For example: This is the shop where I bought my shoes. 
• When is an adverb of time. It refers to any time of a day, a day, a week, a year or an era. 

• For example: Tomorrow is the day when I start going for a job. 
• Why is an adverb of reason. It says why something happened. 
• For example:The reason why I started working is that I want to earn. 

Relative adverbs introduce a relative clause, and they come after the noun they are modifying. 

(Sometimes, an adjective clause functions as an adjective in a sentence. It is a dependent clause.)