Learning English

Adverbs with adjectives

If we go just by the name, we might think that adverbs are only used to modify or give more information about verbs.

They are used with verbs, and you can read more about that here, but they are also used to modify adjectives.

When using an adverb to talk about adjectives, the adverb goes before the adjective.

I'm so glad you agreed to take the job.

I’ve had a very good day today.

It was a dark blue car that nearly hit me. 

Adverbs with adverbs

We also use adverbs to modify other adverbs. When we use adverbs like this, we put the modifying adverb before the other adverb. 

I'll probably never be able to buy the house of my dreams.

That hat was very brightly coloured indeed!

He was driving incredibly recklessly.

Read the text and complete the activity

A really useful adverb

The adverb really is interesting, in fact you could say it's really interesting. Its meaning changes depending on the postion you use it in a sentence.

When we use it before an adjective it has a meaning similiar to very.

I was really upset when she didn't come to my party.

'Really' is a really interesting adverb.

In other positions the meaning is different. It means something similar to actually or in fact, truly.

I really do want to go, I wasn't joking.

She really thought she'd passed this time, but I guess she'll have to take the exam again.

Is she really going out with him?

Yet

We usually put the adverb yet in the third position in questions and negatives.

Have you seen the doctor yet?

I haven't done it yet.

To do

See if you can spot correct uses of adverbs in our quiz. 

Next

Well done if you got all those right. We have some more information about different kinds of adverbs in the next activity.