Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner tell us how something happens or how an action is performed. They help us understand the way in which someone does something. For example, when we say “she sang beautifully,” the word “beautifully” tells us how she sang. These adverbs add detail and clarity to our actions and make our descriptions more vivid.

Position in Sentences#

The placement of adverbs of manner in a sentence follows certain patterns that help maintain clarity and proper grammar.

Most commonly, adverbs of manner appear right after the main verb in a sentence. This is the simplest and most straightforward position. For instance:

• The chef cooked skillfully
• Sarah danced gracefully
• The wind blew gently

When we have a sentence with a direct object (the thing being acted upon), we have two correct options:

1. Place the adverb before the verb
2. Place it at the very end of the sentence

For example, if we’re saying that the chef prepared a meal, we could write:

• The chef skillfully prepared the meal
• The chef prepared the meal skillfully

Special Placement Rules#

Some adverbs have special rules. Words like “ well,” “ badly,” “ hard,” and “ fast” must always come after the verb:

• The pianist plays well (not “the pianist well plays”)
• The athletes train hard (not “the athletes hard train”)
• The horse runs fast (not “the horse fast runs”)

With Multiple Verbs#

When a sentence has multiple verbs, the position of the adverb becomes especially important because it can change the meaning of the sentence. Compare:

• The artist carefully decided to restore the painting (This means the decision was made carefully)
• The artist decided to restore the painting carefully (This means the restoration will be done carefully)

For Emphasis#

Sometimes, we might want to emphasize how something was done. In these cases, we can place the adverb at the beginning of the sentence:

• Elegantly, the figure skater spun across the ice
• Patiently, the teacher explained the complex formula

Common Examples#

In everyday language, we use many adverbs of manner. Here are some common ones organized by meaning:

Describing Speed#

• Quickly (She walks quickly)
• Slowly (He drives slowly)
• Rapidly (The situation changed rapidly)
• Hastily (They left hastily)

Describing Quality#

• Well (She sings well)
• Badly (He performed badly)
• Properly (They followed the instructions properly)
• Poorly (The team played poorly)

Describing Emotional State#

• Happily (The children played happily)
• Sadly (He spoke sadly)
• Angrily (She slammed the door angrily)
• Nervously (The student awaited the results nervously)

Describing Attention/Care#

• Carefully (She works carefully)
• Carelessly (He drove carelessly)
• Attentively (The audience listened attentively)
• Mindfully (She approached the task mindfully)

Describing Physical Movement#

• Gracefully (The swan moved gracefully)
• Awkwardly (He danced awkwardly)
• Smoothly (The car runs smoothly)
• Clumsily (She handled the delicate vase clumsily)

Describing Sound#

• Loudly (He laughs loudly)
• Quietly (She whispered quietly)
• Softly (The music played softly)
• Noisily (The children entered the room noisily)

Practice Exercises#

Exercise 1: Form Adverbs#

Convert these adjectives into adverbs of manner:

1. quick → _____
2. careful → _____
3. happy → _____
4. gentle → _____
5. loud → _____
6. elegant → _____

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks#

Complete these sentences with appropriate adverbs of manner from the box:

1. The ballerina _____ twirled across the stage.
2. The students _____ waited for their exam results.
3. She _____ opened the fragile package.
4. The cat _____ crept toward the mouse.
5. The children _____ ate their ice cream.
6. You must follow the instructions _____ to assemble this furniture.

Exercise 3: Position Practice#

Rewrite these sentences by placing the adverb of manner in a different correct position:

1. The chef prepared (skillfully) the meal.
2. The musician (beautifully) played the piano.
3. The children (quietly) did their homework.
4. She (carefully) wrapped the present.

Exercise 4: Identify the Error#

Find and correct the errors in adverb placement in these sentences:

1. The athlete hard trains every day.
2. The singer performed beautiful the song.
3. She quick solved the puzzle.
4. The dog barked angry at the mailman.
5. He careful drove the car.

Exercise 5: Meaning Change#

Observe how the placement of the adverb changes the meaning:

1. a. She carefully chose the gifts for her family.

   b. She chose the gifts carefully for her family.

2. a. The chef professionally agreed to cater the event.

   b. The chef agreed to cater the event professionally.