ADVERBS
+71. Classes of Adverbs.+—Adverbs vary much as to their use and meaning. It is therefore impossible to make a very accurate classification, but we may divide them, according to use, into limiting, interrogative, and conjunctive adverbs.
Limiting adverbs modify the meaning of verbs, etc.: [He rows well].
Interrogative adverbs are used to ask questions: [When shall you come? He asked where we were going (indirect question)].
Conjunctive adverbs introduce clauses: [We went to the seashore, where we stayed a month]. Here where is used as a connective and also as a modifier of stayed.
Conjunctive adverbs introduce the following kinds of clauses:
1. Adverbial clauses: [Go where duty calls].
2. Adjective clauses: [This is the very spot where I put them].
3. Noun clause: [I do not know how he will succeed].
Adverbs may also be classified, according to meaning, into adverbs of manner, time, place, and degree. The classification is not, however, a rigid one.
Adverbs of manner answer the question How? Most of these terminate in -ly. A few, however, are identical in form with adjectives of like meaning: [She sang very loud].
Adverbs of time answer the question When?
Adverbs of place answer the question Where? This class, together with the preceding two classes, usually modify verbs.
Adverbs of degree answer the question To what extent? These adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
+72. Phrasal Adverbs.+—Certain phrases, adverbial in character, cannot easily be separated into parts. They have been called phrased adverbs; as, arm-in-arm, now-a-days, etc.
+73. Inflection.+—Some adverbs, like adjectives, are compared for the purpose of showing different degrees of quality or quantity.
The comparative and superlative degrees may be formed by adding the syllables er and est to the positive degree. The great majority of adverbs, however, make use of the words more and most or less and least to show a difference in degree: [Fast, faster, fastest; skillfully, more skillfully, most skillfully; carefully, less carefully, least carefully].
Some adverbs are compared irregularly:—
badly } worse worst ill (evil)} far } { farther { farthest forth } { further { furthest late later { latest { last little less least much more most nigh nigher { nigher { next well better best
+74. Suggestions and Cautions concerning the Use of Adverbs.+
1. Some words, as fast, little, much, more, and others, have the same form for both adjective and adverb, and use alone can determine what part of speech each is.
(Adjective) He is a fast driver. She looks well (in good health).
(Adverb) How fast he walks! I learned my lesson well.
2. Corresponding adjectives and adverbs usually have different forms which should not be confused.
(Adjective) She is a good student.
(Adverb) He works well.
3. The adjective, and not the adverbial, form should be used after a copulative verb, since adverbs cannot modify substantives: [I feel bad; not, I feel badly].
4. Two negatives imply an affirmative. Hence only one should be used to denote negation: [I have nothing to say. I have no patience with him].
+75. Equivalents for Adverbs.+
1. A phrase: [The child ran away with great glee].
2. A clause: [I will go canoeing when the lake is calm].
3. A noun: [Please come home. I will stay five minutes].