ADVERB 



65 



ADVERB 



3. Adverbs of degree, answering the question 

 to what extent ; as 



little sufficiently 



very 



quite 



too 



exceedingly 



almost 



Irregular Comparison. Just as there are some 

 adjectives that are compared irregularly, so 

 there is a similar list of adverbs ; as 



much 

 more 

 most 

 no 



last 

 least 

 scarcely 

 hardly 



The word the is also an adverb of degree in 

 constructions like "The earlier the better," where 

 it precedes the comparative form of the adjective. 



4. Adverbs of manner, answering the question 

 how or in what way ; as 



how ill fast 



s badly helpfully 



thus aloud one by one 



well quick little by little 



5. Adverbs of cause, answering the question 

 why; as 



why therefore hence 



thus wherefore whence 



6. Adverbs of number, answering the question 

 how many; as 



once twice secondly 



thrice first thirdly 



7. Adverbs of assertion, including the affirma- 

 tive adverbs j/.v. ./'" and aye, and the negative 

 adverbs no, nay, not, never. When yes or no 

 stands alone it is equivalent to a full sentence 

 and is called a sentence adverb. 



8. Modal adverbs, which modify not a single 

 word but an entire clause, MS in the sentence, 



haps he cannot find the way." The follow- 

 ing are the principal adverbs so used : 



ilnly probably nevertheless 



surely possibly consequently 



Comparison of Adverbs. Only the adverbs 

 of degree and manner, with a few adverbs of 

 time, like soon, often and early, are subject to 

 irison. Like adjectives, these are corn- 

 by three different methods: 



Comparison by Adverbs. The most frequent 

 of comparing adverbs is to prefix more 

 less (or the comparative and moat or least 

 the superlative ; as 



P08ITIVB COMHARATIVK 8UPERLAT 



; fully more cheerfully most cheerfully 

 rl.-ariy less clearly least clearly 



Comparison by Endings. A small number of 



i bs which have the same form as the corre- 

 sponding adjectives are compared by adding the 

 mifflx er or ef; as 



POSITIVE 

 deep 



tun 



high 

 long 



won 



COMPARATIVE 



i|, .],. ! 



earlier 

 harder 



SUPBRLATIVK 



I"T.i;- i- 



MTllMl 



BMUX 



l..ir.|. -t 



lii.ClM-l 



l..im. .' t 

 loudest 



oft. -IP t 



y ' M >iii t 



correct to say, "He dug deeprr. in 

 toad of "He dug more deeply ;'' "He sang loud- 



n stead of "He sang mo* loudly." 

 5 



Incapable of Comparison. It is evident that 

 there can be no comparison in the case of such 

 adverbs as here, then, thus, once, yesterday, and 

 others of similarly absolute meaning. See COM- 

 PARISON. 



Parsing the Adverb. In parsing an adverb 

 the three essentials are (1) its classification 

 whether an adverb of time, place, manner, or 

 belonging to one of the other groups; (2) its 

 degree of comparison, if it can be compared; 

 (3) its syntax, defining its function in the 

 sentence. 



Type Sentence : We were now slowly approach- 

 ing a far more pretentious city. 



Now is an adverb of time, modifying the predi- 

 cate, were approaching; it cannot be compared. 

 Slowly is an adverb of manner ; positive degree 

 (slowly, more slowly, most slowly) ; used to mod- 

 ify the predicate, were approaching. Far is an 

 adverb of degree ; positive degree, irregularly 

 compared (far, farther, farthest) ; used to mod- 

 ify the adverb more. More Is an adverb of de- 

 gree ; comparative degree, irregularly compared 

 anitch, more, most); used to modify the ad- 

 jective pretentious. 



Position of the Adverb. The general rule is 

 to keep the adverb as close as possible to the 

 word it modifies. If we say, "Look at the 

 flower you are holding closely," we convey an 

 i<l< a probably not intended. The adverb 

 should be placed next to its verb, making the 

 sent 'Look closely at thr ilower you 



are holding." This is particularly important 

 in the case of such words as only, almost, 

 already, c . and the like. 



Usually the adverb follows the vrrb; as, "He 

 spok- //y." Certain adverbs of ti 



n. Jr. ,iurntly, seldom and 

 is, arc gem nil v phuvd before the verb; 

 as, "We seldom speak of the matter and r>> 



to it in her presence." The adverb pre- 

 cedes a transit in order to avoid sepa- 

 rating it from its object, unlrss (he sentence is 

 short; a*. H : -wed the facts 

 th it had been brought out." 

 Where adverbs of different classes are em- 

 thr same sentence they should be 

 used in the following order: time, place, 



