use of adverb in creative writing

Strengthen Your Creative Writing with Extraordinary Adverbs

Writing styles ebb and flow and come and go. Currently, there is an all-out assault on adverbs.

Somehow, they’ve become a sign of unsophisticated writing. But the truth is, when you use them properly, they can crank up the quality of your work. Therefore, our team at Next Chapters thought it was essential to address the misconceptions around adverbs by answering some of your most frequently asked questions.

What is an Adverb?

Adverbs are words or phrases that modify or qualify an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group. In general, they express a relation of:

There are also conjunctive/linking adverbs that connect one clause to another. By doing so, they can show specific relationships between clauses, such as sequence, contrast, and cause and effect.

What Are Some Examples of Adverbs?

Let’s highlight a few adverb examples in sentences.

We’ve bolded the adverbs in the sentences below:

• No matter how many times I listen to “Let It Be,” I’ll always love it.
• She’s the only one who knows the password to the safe.
• I gently placed the old vase back on the shelf.
• I hid a note between two books in the library.
• Dinner will be ready soon .
• Naturally , John thought he was great at everything.

How can Adverbs Help to Foster Your Unique Writing Style?

Adverbs provide a great way to emphasize a particular point, emphasis certain verbs or adjectives, and add an extra layer of meaning and flair to your work. You can also use adverbs to create a sense of rhythm in your writing and evoke an emotion or atmosphere. By using adverbs in your writing, you can create a distinctive and memorable style that your readers will recognize.

What Are the Three Main Adverb Positions?

Depending on the adverb, you can include them at the beginning (front), middle (mid), or end of a sentence. People refer to these spots in the clause as “positions.”

• Suddenly I felt a hunger pang like a lightning bolt.
• Therefore , the real problem is plastic water bottles.
• Homemade cooking always tastes better than fast food.
• She quietly hummed a tune to herself.
• I’ll be home soon .
• You have to stop coming in so late .

While there are numerous exceptions to the following positions, this chart will give you a general sense of where each kind of adverb goes in a sentence.

How Can I Use Adverbs to Create Powerful Imagery?

Adverbs can help you paint a picture in the reader’s mind. They add detail to a sentence that shows the scene, character, or action more clearly.

For example: She ran quickly across the field.

The adverb “quickly” conveys the speed of her movements better than “She ran across the field.”

You can also use adverbs to express the intensity or mood of the action.

For example: “He shouted angrily.”

Through the use of this adverb, the reader knows the mood of the character. By combining adverbs with other descriptive language, writers can create more vivid and evocative images.

What Are Some Creative Ways To Use Adverbs In A Narrative?

Adverbs can be a great way to add color and detail to any narrative. Here are some creative ways to use adverbs:

• Use adverbs to describe the actions of your characters. For example, instead of saying, “he walked,” you could say, “he slowly sauntered” or “he eagerly scurried.” Using adverbs can help create vivid images in your readers’ minds and bring your story to life.
• Use adverbs to describe the setting. Instead of simply describing a place as “dark,” you could say “ominously dark” or “hauntingly dark.” Doing so will help create an atmosphere and mood for your narrative.
• Use adverbs to describe the emotions of your characters. For example, you could say, “She angrily slammed the door” or “She sadly sighed.” Adverbs can help your readers connect with the characters.

What Are The Differences Between Adjectives And Adverbs In Creative Writing?

Adjectives and adverbs are essential parts of creative writing but have different functions. Adjectives describe nouns, helping readers better understand the people, places, and things in the story.

Adverbs, on the other hand, describe verbs and are used to add more detail to the action in a scene. They can also provide context for the readers and give them insight into the feelings or emotions of the characters.

#1 Best Practice: Use Adverbs Sparingly

You’ll frequently hear authors, teachers, and other writing experts say that people only use adverbs when they haven’t found a strong enough verb. While in some instances, this expert advice is correct. But sometimes, it’s the detail of the adverb that truly sets the scene and immerses the reader.

That being said, the overall goal should be to use adverbs sparingly. Find and use strong verbs, and when there isn’t one that you think works in your writing, try adding an adverb for additional context.

Any Other Pointers?

Adverbs can be powerful tools for adding detail and texture to creative writing. Here are some tips for effectively incorporating adverbs into your writing:

• Vary the types of adverbs you use: There are many different categories of adverbs. Make sure you’re taking advantage of this variety to ensure your work doesn’t feel repetitive.
• Look for opportunities to use an action verb instead of an adverb: Action verbs can often convey the same meaning as an adverb and are often more evocative. For example, instead of saying, “I quickly ran upstairs,” you could say, “I sprinted upstairs.”
• Place adverbs strategically in your writing: Consider where you place adverbs in a sentence. Placing them at the end of a sentence or clause can add emphasis and draw attention to the adverb.
• Use them in dialogue: We speak much differently than we write. It’s one of the reasons it’s so hard to write good dialogue. Adverbs can add a certain level of “realness” to your dialogue, as we use them regularly in everyday speech.

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The student-run blog of chatham university's professional writing m.a. program, do adverbs belong in professional writing.

by Samantha Herrington

Adverbs are one of the most divisive writing tools in language. Some authors wish to see adverbs in a discarded heap along with sentence fragments and comma splicing. In his acclaimed work On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft Stephen King wrote , “I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs.” Other authors believe that adverbs enhance how a message is understood: in J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter , adverbs are prolific . Others still are accepting of adverbs in prose but not in the professional world. No matter the opinion one has on adverbs, they weaken professional writing when used in abundance. Here are some examples of when you should skip the adverbs:

• When They Waste Space

• When They Tell, Not Show

The English language is not lacking in expressive and vivid words. There is a way to say anything and everything without your message sounding weak. In order for writing to be clear, you must show your audience what you mean. Take this example: “Fred laughed loudly”. Here, the reader is explicitly told how Fred laughed. It’s lazy writing. Yes, it gives the reader all of the relevant information, but it doesn’t show the reader anything. Try:

• Fred’s laugh carried through the room.
• The sound of Fred’s laugh could be heard down the street.

See the difference?

• When They Promote Mistrust

When we use adverbs, we basically tell the reader, “Hey, I think you need help in understanding what I’m saying, because I don’t trust that you got it from the context of the writing itself.” Not only is the writer not trusting the reader, the writer is not trusting themselves and their writing ability. Adverbs like “very or “really” are signs of mistrust:

• The new product model is very efficient.

The writer should trust in their choice of the word “efficient” without having to use “very” as a modifier, and they should trust that the reader understands this as well. Writers, believe in your abilities.

So, When Can We Use Adverbs?

When what you are saying cannot be said without the use of an adverb, then use it. Adverbs do serve a purpose when used in moderation. Not all adverbs are bad; in many instances, they help to clarify writing or add stress to a particular thought. However, there are different ways to use adverbs and a professional writer should know when to use them and when not to use them.

Here is a helpful guide that shows the power of a well-placed adverb versus a lazy adverb.

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A Comprehensive List of Adverbs to Enhance Your Writing

In the world of language and writing, adverbs are the unsung heroes that add depth and nuance to our sentences. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting your writing journey, understanding and employing adverbs effectively can take your writing to new heights. In this article, we will explore a comprehensive list of adverbs, offering insights into their usage, and providing examples to help you master the art of descriptive writing. From adverbs of time to adverbs of manner, join us in uncovering the world of these versatile words.

Exploring Adverbs: A Deeper Understanding

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing information about how, when, where, or to what degree an action is performed. They are the detail-oriented words that breathe life into your sentences. Here are some common types of adverbs:

• Adverbs of Manner: These describe how an action is performed and are perhaps the most common adverbs. They often end in "-ly." undefined
• Adverbs of Time: These indicate when an action takes place or for how long. undefined
• Adverbs of Place: These specify where an action occurs. undefined
• Adverbs of Degree: These show the intensity or degree of an action. undefined

The Comprehensive List of Adverbs

Let's dive into the world of adverbs with a comprehensive list that covers various categories:

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of time.

• Occasionally

Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of degree, examples in context.

To truly understand the power of adverbs, let's see them in action:

• She sang gracefully at the concert.
• He arrived early for the meeting.
• They searched everywhere for the missing keys.
• It's extremely hot today; bring some water.
• She smiled warmly at her old friend.

Using Adverbs Effectively

When using adverbs, consider the following tips:

• Use adverbs sparingly to avoid cluttering your writing.
• Place adverbs before the verb or after the first auxiliary verb in a sentence.
• Avoid redundant adverbs that don't add meaningful information.

Adverbs are the spice that flavors your writing, making it vivid and engaging. By exploring this comprehensive list of adverbs and understanding their usage, you can elevate your writing to new heights. Whether you're crafting a story, writing an essay, or composing an email, adverbs will be your allies in effective communication.

To enhance your writing further and access professional writing services, including SEO content, expert assistance, and unlimited revisions, visit Strategically.co .

Frequently Asked Questions

What are adverbs, and why are they important in writing.

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing valuable information about how, when, where, or to what degree an action is performed. They are crucial for adding depth and nuance to your writing.

Can you provide more examples of adverbs of manner and time?

Certainly! Adverbs of manner include words like "carefully," "swiftly," and "loudly." Adverbs of time encompass "today," "soon," and "never."

Should I use adverbs in every sentence?

No, it's important to use adverbs judiciously. Overusing adverbs can clutter your writing. Use them when they add meaningful information or enhance clarity.

Where should I place adverbs in a sentence?

Adverbs are typically placed before the verb or after the first auxiliary verb in a sentence. For example, "She sang beautifully " or "He quickly finished his homework."

How can I improve my adverb usage in writing?

Practice is key. Read widely, pay attention to adverbs in published works, and experiment with using them in your writing. Additionally, seeking feedback from others can help refine your adverb usage.

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Adverbs in Writing: The Good, The Bad, and The Sometimes

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Adverbs in writing are just the worst! They are evil! Evil, I say!

Eh, well, sort of. Sometimes.

And sometimes not. Let me explain.

Adverbs have a pretty awful rap in the writ ing world. Many a writing teacher will get their red pen in hand at the very mention of an adverb, and actually seeing a rogue adverb running free through a student’s writing will send that red pen into a flurried frenzy of frustration.

“Adverbs are bad! They are weak! They are not to be used by proper writers! I have the red pen, so that makes these statements true!”

Again… well, sort of. Let’s look into this more closely.

1. What is an adverb?

First off, it’s important that we’re all on the same page as to what an adverb is. If you’re like me and hated English grammar class in elementary school, here’s the lowdown:

An adverb is a word that modifies verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. The shorthand many people are told is “they end in -ly”, which can be true but isn’t 100%.

Here’s some quick examples:

• Modifying a verb: I ran quickly . [The adverb tells how you ran , and run is a verb/action word.]
• Modifying an adjective: The man was extremely tall. [The adverb tells how tall he is, and tall is an adjective/descriptive word]
• Modifying another adverb: I ran very quickly. [The adverb tells how quickly you ran, and quickly is an adverb]

2. What’s so horrible about adverbs?

Well, if you look at the examples above, you’ll see that, while there’s nothing wrong with those sentences, they could be stronger. Adverbs, if used too much, can make your writing weaker.

What’s more interesting: “I ran quickly down the hall” or “I sprinted down the hall”? Or “I raced down the hall”? Or “I jogged down the hall”? Or “I bounded down the hall”?

All of those options give more detail and specificity. Running “quickly” is more generic and so a bit less interesting.

How about “The man was extremely tall”? We could use different adjectives that carried more weight, or we could change it from “telling” the reader the man is tall to “showing” the man’s height through his actions.

How about “The man was gigantic” or “He towered over his workmates” or “He had to duck to avoid hitting his head as he stepped through the doorway” or “I had to crane my neck up to look him in the eyes as he approached me.”?

3. So does this mean all adverbs are bad?

Not at all. Personally, I feel that certain adverbs of frequency (Ex: “He never goes outside anymore”) or of place (Ex: “There are squirrels everywhere !”) or of time (Ex: “He came over yesterday “) are perfectly fine and useful at times, though not every writer or writing teacher may agree with me.

However, there’s one major area where I’d argue they’re pretty much necessary or, at the very least, pretty much unavoidable.

People use adverbs constantly.

“That was so amazing!”

“I really don’t like that guy.”

“I will never do that again.”

“Why is he always late?”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard someone say, “Man, that cheesecake was so good! …wait, ‘so’ was an adverb. And ‘good’? That’s a pretty weak adjective. I should do better. Where’s my thesaurus?”

Like it or not, adverbs are incredibly common in speech.

While limiting adverbs in your narrative writing will make you a stronger writer, taking them out of your dialogue can make it sound stilted or awkward. This also is true when you’re writing something that is meant to sound like dialogue or a conversation.

Like, say, I don’t know, an instructional blog post on improving your writing.

4. Final Thoughts

Like so many things in life, “eliminate your adverbs” isn’t an absolute. It’s a good idea a lot of the time, but a good writer will also do their best to learn when this rule – like many other writing rules – can be bent or broken.

Happy Writing!

What are your thoughts on adverbs in writing, or on any other writing-related tips or rules? Please comment below. Also, for more information on writing dialogue, please check out my 3-part post series starting here .

Related posts:

• Writing Good Dialogue – What Makes Dialogue Fun to Listen to? (Part 2)
• The True Purpose of Dialogue! – Dialogue Writing Tips (Part 3)
• Dialogue Writing Tips Part 1 – What Makes Good Dialogue?
• “Give them Purple Hair!” – 5 Easy-to-Use Character Writing Tips

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How to tell if your writing has too many adverbs, and if so, how to prune them

By romeo (edited)

• January 9, 2020

In this post we first look at what adverbs are and what they do, along with some examples of adverbs in use. We’ll see how adverbs can be very useful in our writing and, conversely, how they can also be a problem -    especially if they are overused. Finally, we’ll look at when, and where, we should consider pruning them from our writing. 

INTRODUCTION

 “ It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife .” Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

As I was writing this post about the much-maligned adverb, and thinking about how valuable, or problematic, this part of language is for writers, it occurred to me that much like Jane Austen’s universally acknowledged truth about wealthy single men, it seems it’s a universally acknowledged truth that adverbs are a problem – that they should be avoided, entirely if possible, and sought out and ruthlessly pruned from our writing.

Perhaps an appropriately similar quote would go something like this… 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that writing in possession of too many adverbs must be in want of some pruning/editing!

I expect you have read a great deal of advice that recommends avoiding over-using adverbs in your writing, especially with regard to creative writing. 

Mark Twain complained of an “adverb plague”, and according to Kingsley Amis, if you are using an adverb, you have got the verb wrong. 

But probably the most quoted advice is from the writer Stephen King

I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout if from the rooftops. To put it another way, they’re like dandelions. If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day . . . fifty the day after that . . . and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions. By then you see them for the weeds they really are, but by then it’s — GASP!! — too late.

But are adverbs really such a problem? Should we purge them from our writing, or should we celebrate them as a perfectly good and useful part of language, and an essential part of the writer’s set of tools?

First, let’s take a quick look at what adverbs are, and what they do.

What are adverbs and what do they do?

Adverbs are words that modify (describe) verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

They provide us with additional information and describe the way something happens or happened. 

They can tell us things such as  how ,  when , and  where  something happens, and  to what extent  or under what conditions .

For example:

• She sings  beautifully .
• I write in my journal  daily .
• He writes  very  well.
• We saw her  yesterday  morning.
• We’re looking for  somewhere  to stay in France.
• We’ve  never  been to Paris.

Some examples of common adverbs

‘How’ adverbs 

‘When’ adverbs 

• afterwards – They met in May 2009 and got engaged shortly afterwards.
• today – Are you working today?

‘Where’ adverbs  

• here – The countdown to Christmas starts here.
• there – I emigrated from the UK in 1992 and I haven’t been back there since.

‘Adverbs showing the extent of something

• extremely – She did extremely well in her exams.
• terribly – Would you mind terribly if we didn’t come to your party next week?

Adverbs modifying verbs

• Our greenhouse was badly damaged in the storm.
• He walked home slowly .
• He gets up early every day.
• I’m sorry, I must go. My train will be arriving soon .
• She stepped carefully into the steaming bath.

Adverbs modifying adjectives 

• He drives a very fast car. 
• My grandfather was an extremely tall, thin man.
• Our boss expects us to work impossibly long hours.

Adverbs modifying other adverbs 

• My train arrived unexpectedly early.
• He ate his food extremely quickly.

Many adverbs end in -ly 

These are formed by adding  –ly  to an adjective.

• beautiful – beautifully
• bold – boldly
• eager - eagerly
• slow – slowly
• quiet - quietly

If the adjective ends in a ‘ y ’ you need to change the ‘ y ’ to an ‘ i ’ and then add - ly .

• angry – angrily
• cosy - cosily
• easy – easily
• moody – moodily
• ready - readily
• steady – steadily

Some adverbs have the same form as adjectives, for example:

• daily, weekly, monthly, yearly

For and against adverbs

The main argument against adverbs is that they can make your writing weak by littering it with unnecessary words.

However, as we have seen above, we need some adverbs - those that tell us things like how, when and where, and to what extent etc., something happens. 

We also need linking adverbs – these are words such as ‘therefore’, ‘however’, ‘nevertheless’, ‘whereas’, and ‘while’, that enable us to do things such as connect or contrast ideas and emphasize contrasting points or arguments.

Adverbs can add meaning, clarification, colour, depth and interest to your writing. Used properly, they strengthen your writing. 

If a character in your story is singing, you can give your reader more information with adverbs…

• Elsie sang quietly to herself as she folded her baby’s clothes.

You can use adverbs to create sentences that create a picture for your readers, or that evoke an emotion: 

“Tread softly because you tread on my dreams” – from The Cloths of Heaven, W.B. Yeats

“…or if your wish be to close me, i and my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly…” – from somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond , by e. e. cummings

How to identify and cut unnecessary adverbs from your writing 

Locate the adverbs in your writing – and see how removing each one affects its sentence. 

Ask yourself whether, without the adverb, the sentence has less impact and its meaning is now less clear. If so, keep the adverb in, or think of a stronger word or expression to replace the adverb. 

Conversely, if by removing an adverb you feel a sentence’s clarity and impact for your reader has now improved, feel free to unceremoniously eject the offending adverb from your writing.

Here are a few things to look out for…

Adverb/verb combinations

Adverb/verb combinations can sometimes be better written with a single (stronger) verb, e.g.

• ‘She ran quickly up the stairs’ could be ‘She sprinted up the stairs.’.  
• ‘He walked quickly through the graveyard and into the church’. Depending on your character and the effect you want, perhaps this could be better written as…
• ‘He strode through the graveyard and into the church.’
• walked slowly – ambled
• smiled cheerfully – grinned

Intensifiers

Intensifiers are words such as, absolutely, completely, definitely, extremely, highly, really, so, totally, truly, and utterly.

They are very common in speech…

• Oh my God, this song is totally amazing.
• Her wedding dress was absolutely gorgeous.

…but ‘amazing’, and ‘gorgeous’ are strong descriptive words that most likely don’t need those modifiers in your writing, unless you are writing very informally, or you are writing a character’s speech. 

• My father was extremely angry when I got home late.

Here, ‘extremely angry’ could be replaced with a strong adjective like ‘livid’.

• The hurricane completely obliterated the town.

The intensifier ‘totally’ is redundant here because if something is obliterated it is already wiped out or utterly destroyed.

Redundant or repetitive adverbs

Other redundant or repetitive adverbs include descriptors such as:

• she screamed loudly – ‘loudly’ is redundant because a scream is usually understood to be loud
• he smiled happily – ‘happily’ is redundant because it’s generally accepted that a smile is happy. An adverb would be an appropriate addition to ‘smile’ if you want to convey something other than happiness, e.g. sarcasm, malice, or fear.

Very often, adverbs are useful because they are helping you define and clarify meaning. But sometimes they are redundant, and excessive, and are simply literary litter to be deleted posthaste.

It’s impossible to completely avoid using adverbs, but when you check for them in your writing consider each one’s value and the work it’s doing for you and your reader. 

Consider which ones are unnecessary and can be removed where doing so will improve your writing, and which ones should stay because they are earning their keep.

Don’t automatically assume that adverbs must be avoided at all costs – after all, it’s your writing, your unique style, and your audience. But certainly, do use adverbs wisely and remove them judiciously – use them, but don’t overuse them.

Finally, let’s finish with a positive shout-out for adverbs…

“I adore adverbs; they are the only qualifications I very much respect.” Henry James

Edited January 9, 2020 by romeo

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When to Use Adverbs: A Guide on Using Adverbs Correctly

Know when to use adverbs well and how to avoid over-using them to make your English writing strong.

Adverbs are some of the most confusing modifiers in the English language. Because they can modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, and even prepositional phrases and the entire sentence, the use of adverbs can be confusing. Here is a closer look at when and how to use adverbs correctly.

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When to Use Adverbs?

English writers use adverbs to modify a verb (ran fast), adjective (very happy), or another adverb (very happily). In some instances, they can also modify prepositional phrases and entire sentences. They often end in -ly.

Adverbial phrases do the same thing but have several words grouped in a phrase. Whether individual words or phrases, this part of speech is one that writers often overuse, so knowing when to use them and when to avoid them is essential.

The 5 Types of Adverbs

To know when to use adverbs, you must first understand the different types of adverbs you can have in a sentence. Here is a closer look at each.

1. Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner answer the question “how.” Often these adverbs end in the suffix -ly and have a position near the word they modify in the sentence. For example:

• They ran rapidly to win the race. (Rapidly tells how they ran.)
• He deliberately lied to protect his reputation. (Deliberately tells how he lied.)

2. Adverbs of Place

These adverbs answer “where” action takes place. They are different than prepositions, which show a relationship between two words in the sentence. Here are some examples of adverbs of place:

• They put the suitcase downstairs. (Downstairs tells where they put it.)
• The dog went outside to hide the bone. (Outside tells where the dog went.)

3. Adverbs of Frequency

Frequency adverbs answer “how often.” They include words that involve times but not necessarily time frames. Here are some examples of adverbs of frequency:

• He often spells his wife’s name wrong. (Often tells how often he misspells his wife’s name.)
• They will sometimes skip school for a family day. (Sometimes tells how often they skip school.)

4. Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time answer the question “when.” These words often have a time period involved with them. They will show up at the end of a sentence or the beginning in many instances. Here are some examples:

• We will go to the fair tomorrow. (Tomorrow tells when they will go.)
• Now, take out your math books and turn to page 74. (Now, tells the students when to take out their math books.)

5. Adverbs of Emphasis

Adverbs of emphasis also end in -ly. These tell “to what extent” the action takes place or how intense another modifier is. Superlatives and intensifiers often fall into this category. Here are some examples:

• Samantha moved the least elegantly of all the dancers. (Both least and elegantly are adverbs. Least is a superlative describing elegantly, making it an adverb of emphasis. Elegantly tells how she moved.)
• Stephen King writes some very intense novels. (Very is an adverb that intensifies the adjective intense.)

Where to Use Adverbs

There are several ways to use adverbs well in your sentences. Here are some examples:

At the Beginning of a Sentence

I the adverb is going to modify the whole sentence, it will show up at the beginning and be set off by a comma. Here are some examples of sentence adverbs:

• Clearly, the weather was not conducive to a trip to the amusement park. (Clearly describes the entire sentence.)
• Suddenly, nothing else in the world seemed important. (Suddenly describes the rest of the sentence.)

At the End of a Sentence to Modify the Verb

If an adverb is at the end of the sentence, it usually modifies the verb. Here are some examples:

• When given the reward of a treat, the children did their chores happily. (Happily describes how they did their chores.)
• The teenager woke up groggily. (Groggily describes how the teen woke up.)

In the Middle of a Sentence to Modify the Adjective or Another Adverb

If the adverb modifies another modifier, it usually comes somewhere in the middle of the sentence and before modifying the other word. They will also come after the determiners , including articles a, an, and the. Here are some examples:

• The shiny silver necklace caught the infant’s attention. (Shiny modifies the adjective silver.)
• The very dirty children had to hose off before coming into the house. (Very is an adverb modifying the adjective dirty.)

As an Adverbial Phrase to Modify Other Parts of the Sentence

An adverbial phrase is a group of words that performs the role of an adverb in a sentence. They typically modify the verb or the entire sentence. These phrases significantly impact the meaning of the sentence. Here are some example sentences:

• Early in the morning, you can hear the birds singing outside. (Early in the morning is an adverbial phrase telling when.)
• They go out to dinner every other Sunday. (Every other Sunday tells when they go to dinner.)

Between Two Items to Compare Them

The comparative form of an adverb compares two items in the sentence. It usually comes between the two items in the middle of the sentence. Here are some examples:

• I think apples taste better than bananas. (Better compares the two items and modify the verb taste.)
• The boys lasted longer than the girls on field day. (Longer compares boys to girls and modifies the verb lasted.)

In the Middle of the Sentence or at the End to Compare Three or More Things

The superlative form of an adverb compares groups of three or more things. This often appears in the middle of the sentence or even at the end, but the sentence makes it clear there is a group of things being compared. Here is an example:

• She ran the slowest of the group. (Slowest is a superlative adverb modifying ran.)
• He is the most loved teacher at the school. (Most is a superlative adverb modifying the adjective loved.)

In Front of a Prepositional Phrase to Modify It

Modifying prepositional phrases is a less common use of an adverb, but it is still used. These adverbs come before the proposition and do not apply to the verb or verb phrase. Here are some examples:

• She gets stage fright just before performances. (Just modifies before performances.)
• I will go, but only with Mark. (Only modifies the prepositional phrase with Mark.)

Writing Tip: Avoid Too Many Adverbs

Finally, make sure you do not use adverbs too frequently  when writing. They must be sprinkled throughout your writing like salt and pepper over a meal, but not overused. It’s far too easy to rely on these modifiers more than you should. For instance, look at this sentence:

• They were so very happily going on their way.

You could say the same thing with fewer words:

• They were joyously going on their way.

Only use adverbs when necessary or to clarify the meaning of the sentence. Do not use them simply to add more words to the sentence.

Interested in learning more? Check out our guide on “ what are interrogative adjectives? “

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Stephen King on Writing, Fear, and the Atrocity of Adverbs

By maria popova.

While he may have used a handful of well-placed adverbs in his excellent recent case for gun control , King embarks upon a forceful crusade against this malignant part of speech:

The adverb is not your friend. Adverbs … are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They’re the ones that usually end in -ly . Adverbs, like the passive voice, seem to have been created with the timid writer in mind. … With adverbs, the writer usually tells us he or she is afraid he/she isn’t expressing himself/herself clearly, that he or she is not getting the point or the picture across. Consider the sentence He closed the door firmly. It’s by no means a terrible sentence (at least it’s got an active verb going for it), but ask yourself if firmly really has to be there. You can argue that it expresses a degree of difference between He closed the door and He slammed the door , and you’ll get no argument from me … but what about context? What about all the enlightening (not to say emotionally moving) prose which came before He closed the door firmly ? Shouldn’t this tell us how he closed the door? And if the foregoing prose does tell us, isn’t firmly an extra word? Isn’t it redundant? Someone out there is now accusing me of being tiresome and anal-retentive. I deny it. I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops. To put it another way, they’re like dandelions. If you have one on your lawn, it looks pretty and unique. If you fail to root it out, however, you find five the next day . . . fifty the day after that . . . and then, my brothers and sisters, your lawn is totally, completely, and profligately covered with dandelions. By then you see them for the weeds they really are, but by then it’s — GASP!! — too late. I can be a good sport about adverbs, though. Yes I can. With one exception: dialogue attribution. I insist that you use the adverb in dialogue attribution only in the rarest and most special of occasions . . . and not even then, if you can avoid it. Just to make sure we all know what we’re talking about, examine these three sentences: ‘Put it down!’ she shouted. ‘Give it back,’ he pleaded, ‘it’s mine.’ ‘Don’t be such a fool, Jekyll,’ Utterson said. In these sentences, shouted, pleaded, and said are verbs of dialogue attribution. Now look at these dubious revisions: ‘Put it down! she shouted menacingly. ‘Give it back,’ he pleaded abjectly, ‘it’s mine.’ ‘Don’t be such a fool, Jekyll,’ Utterson said contemptuously. The three latter sentences are all weaker than the three former ones, and most readers will see why immediately.

King uses the admonition against adverbs as a springboard for a wider lens on good and bad writing, exploring the interplay of fear, timidity, and affectation:

I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing. If one is writing for one’s own pleasure, that fear may be mild — timidity is the word I’ve used here. If, however, one is working under deadline — a school paper, a newspaper article, the SAT writing sample — that fear may be intense. Dumbo got airborne with the help of a magic feather; you may feel the urge to grasp a passive verb or one of those nasty adverbs for the same reason. Just remember before you do that Dumbo didn’t need the feather; the magic was in him. […] Good writing is often about letting go of fear and affectation. Affectation itself, beginning with the need to define some sorts of writing as ‘good’ and other sorts as ‘bad,’ is fearful behavior.

This latter part, touching on the contrast between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, illustrates the critical difference between working for prestige and working for purpose .

Complement On Writing with more famous wisdom on the craft from Kurt Vonnegut , Susan Sontag , Henry Miller , Jack Kerouac , F. Scott Fitzgerald , H. P. Lovecraft , Zadie Smith , John Steinbeck , Margaret Atwood , Neil Gaiman , Mary Karr , Isabel Allende , and Susan Orlean .

— Published March 13, 2013 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2013/03/13/stephen-king-on-adverbs/ —

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The Ultimate List of Adverbs to Boost Your Writing Skills

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: August 4, 2023

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Are you tired of using the same old adverbs in your writing? Do you want to add more variety and depth to your writing? Look no further than our comprehensive list of adverbs! Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced grammar learner, this list is sure to provide you with the tools you need to take your writing to the next level.

From adverbs of time and frequency to adverbs of manner and degree, we’ve got you covered. So why settle for the same old adverbs when you can spice up your writing with our list? Keep reading to find out more!

List of Adverbs

Understanding Adverbs

Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or even entire sentences. They provide additional information about how, when, where, and to what extent an action is performed. Adverbs can be formed by adding -ly to an adjective, but there are also many adverbs that do not end in -ly.

For example:

• She speaks softly .
• He drives carefully .
• They arrived late .
• She is very happy.
• He is working hard .

Adverbs serve several functions in a sentence. The most common functions are:

• Manner: Adverbs that describe how an action is performed. Example: He sings beautifully .
• Degree: Adverbs that indicate the extent to which an action is performed. Example: She is extremely talented.
• Time: Adverbs that describe when an action is performed. Example: They arrived early .
• Place: Adverbs that describe where an action is performed. Example: She looked everywhere for her keys.
• Frequency: Adverbs that describe how often an action is performed. Example: He exercises daily .

Adverbs can be placed in different positions within a sentence, depending on the emphasis and meaning. Generally, adverbs are placed before the verb they modify, but they can also be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence.

• Before the verb: She always arrives on time.
• At the beginning of the sentence: Finally , he finished his homework.

List of Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner describe how something is done. They tell us about the way or manner in which an action is performed. These adverbs often end in -ly, but not always. Here are some examples:

List of Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place describe the location or position of an action or thing. They tell us where something is happening. Here are some examples:

List of Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time tell us when something happens or how often it happens. They describe the time frame of an action. Here are some examples:

List of Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree describe the intensity or degree of an action or thing. They tell us how much or to what extent something happens. Here are some examples:

List of Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency describe how often something happens. They tell us the frequency of an action. Here are some examples:

Position of Adverbs

Adverbs can be placed in different positions within a sentence, depending on the intended emphasis and the adverb type. In this section, we will discuss the three main positions of adverbs in English sentences: beginning, middle, and end.

Beginning of Sentence

When an adverb is placed at the beginning of a sentence, it is in initial position. This placement is often used to emphasize the adverb or to introduce a new idea. Common adverbs used in initial position include:

• Unfortunately
• Interestingly
• Consequently

Here are a few examples of adverbs in initial position:

• Suddenly, the phone rang.
• Unfortunately, I forgot my keys.
• Interestingly, the study found that…
• Consequently, the project was delayed.

Middle of Sentence

Adverbs can also be placed in the middle of a sentence, between the subject and verb or after the verb. This placement is used to modify the verb or to provide additional information about the action. Adverbs that are commonly used in the middle of a sentence include:

Here are a few examples of adverbs in middle position:

• He usually eats breakfast at 7 am.
• I often go to the gym after work.
• She sometimes forgets her phone at home.
• They rarely travel abroad.

End of Sentence

When an adverb is placed at the end of a sentence, it is in final position. This placement is used to modify the entire sentence or to emphasize the adverb. Adverbs that are commonly used in final position include:

Here are a few examples of adverbs in final position:

• The party was ruined completely.
• This is not going well, obviously.

Common Mistakes with Adverbs

Adverbs are an essential part of English grammar. They are used to modify verbs, adjectives, clauses, and other adverbs, providing additional details or information about how an action is performed. However, using adverbs incorrectly can lead to confusion and misunderstandings.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using adverbs:

Using Adjectives Instead of Adverbs

Another common mistake is using adjectives instead of adverbs to modify verbs. Adjectives are used to modify nouns or pronouns, while adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. For example:

• Incorrect: He runs very fastly.
• Correct: He runs very fast.

Overusing Adverbs

While adverbs can add depth and detail to a sentence, overusing them can make your writing sound cluttered and repetitive. Instead, try to use descriptive verbs or adjectives to convey meaning. For example:

• Overused: She spoke softly and gently to the children.
• Better: She whispered to the children.

Using the Wrong Adverb

Using the wrong adverb can also lead to confusion and misunderstandings. Make sure you choose the right adverb to convey the meaning you intend. For example:

• Incorrect: He spoke loudly to the baby.
• Correct: He spoke softly to the baby.

In conclusion, using adverbs correctly is essential for clear and effective communication in English. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can improve your writing and speaking skills and convey your message more accurately.

Remember that using adverbs sparingly is key to effective writing. Overuse of adverbs can make your writing appear weak or amateurish. Instead, strive to use adverbs only when they add value to your sentences and help convey your intended meaning.

Additionally, it’s important to note that not all adverbs are created equal. Some adverbs are stronger than others and can convey a more precise meaning. For example, the adverb “quickly” is weaker than “ briskly ” or “hurriedly.” By using stronger adverbs, you can make your writing more engaging and descriptive.

Overall, the key to using adverbs effectively is to strike a balance between using them too often and not using them enough. By incorporating a variety of adverbs into your writing and using them judiciously, you can take your writing to the next level and communicate more effectively with your readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common adverbs in English?

There are many common adverbs in English, and they can be used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Some common adverbs include quickly, slowly, loudly, quietly, beautifully, and carefully. Adverbs can also be formed by adding -ly to an adjective, such as quickly from quick or easily from easy.

Can you provide examples of adverbs?

Sure! Here are some examples of adverbs in sentences:

• She sings beautifully.
• He runs quickly.
• They speak softly.
• The car drives smoothly.
• She writes neatly.

How do adverbs modify verbs?

Adverbs modify verbs by describing how, when, where, or to what extent an action is done. For example, in the sentence “She sings beautifully,” the adverb beautifully modifies the verb sings by describing how she sings.

What is the correct order of adverbs in a sentence?

The general order of adverbs in a sentence is time, manner, place. For example, “She sings beautifully in the park every afternoon.” However, there are exceptions to this rule, and the order can vary depending on the specific adverbs used in the sentence.

Where can I find a PDF list of adverbs?

There are many resources available online for finding lists of adverbs, including PDFs. A quick search on Google can provide you with many options to choose from.

What are some adverbs that don’t end in -ly?

While many adverbs end in -ly, there are also many that do not. Some examples of adverbs that don’t end in -ly include fast, hard, well, late, and early. These adverbs can be used to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs just like their -ly counterparts.

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That's it for our Frequently Asked Questions section. We hope this has been helpful to you!

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Sunday 29th of October 2023

Writing Tips: Abolish the Adverbs

by Melissa Donovan | Apr 28, 2022 | Writing Tips | 73 comments

Avoid adverbs: Are they running slowly or are they jogging?

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” ~ Stephen King

In the writing world, adverbs have a bad reputation for being weak and causing unnecessary clutter. But sometimes adverbs are necessary, and other times, they liven up a sentence or strengthen a description.

Today we’re going to explore adverbs and take a look at why they can be problematic and when they are essential.

Let’s start with a basic overview:

Adjectives and adverbs are modifiers. Adjectives modify nouns whereas adverbs modify verbs, other adverbs, adjectives, phrases, and clauses. In fact, an adverb can modify an entire sentence. This gives adverbs a rather large playing field; maybe that explains why they are overused.

For example, car is a noun and red is an adjective. Put them together and you get a  red car . The word run is a verb and the word quickly is an adverb. Put them together and you get run quickly .

But run quickly is better stated as sprint .

There are plenty of adverb-verb combinations that are best expressed with a single, more meaningful verb. For example, “driving fast” becomes “speeding.”

Why Adverbs Are Weak and How They Weaken Your Writing

Here’s a massive list of adverbs . The vast majority of them end in -ly , and these are among the most worthless adverbs, although they are often cited as examples to demonstrate how adverbs work. Ask someone how to identify an adverb and they’ll either tell you it modifies a verb or it’s one of those words that ends in -ly .

Why are adverbs that end in -ly so awful? I’m glad you asked. Let’s take a look at an example sentence:

“Why don’t you come over here and sit by me?” she asked flirtatiously.

It’s a horrid sentence. The adverb flirtatiously tells the reader how she asked the question, when instead it should show how she asked:

“Why don’t you come over here and sit by me?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

It may not be the greatest sentence ever written, but showing the character batting her eyelashes is a lot better than telling readers she asked a question flirtatiously . Visual cues show readers what’s happening; adverbs tell them. And we want to show what’s happening whenever possible to make our writing more vivid and easier to visualize.

Most adverbs either tell us what we already know or use too many words to communicate an image or idea. Let’s look at an adverb that modifies an adjective:

It’s a very warm day.

Once we write that a day is warm, does it being very warm change the day in the reader’s mind? The word very  does nothing other than intensify the word that follows it, and it does so poorly. Often, the word very and the word it modifies can both be eliminated and replaced with a single word that is more precise:

It’s a hot day.

In this sentence, we don’t need the word very or the word warm . The word hot does the job. It’s clearer and more concise, which is the mark of strong writing.

How to Avoid Adverbs or Use Them Wisely

“Adverbs are the tool of the lazy writer.” ~ Mark Twain

I’m always on the lookout for unnecessary words in my own writing. I find that seeking out adverbs is a good way to find words I can cut to tighten my prose. I may not catch them all, but I sure try. Here are some guidelines I apply when dealing with adverbs:

• Don’t be lazy. Choosing the right word is never a waste of time.
• Stay away from adverbs that state the obvious. One does not  scream loudly because by definition, screaming is done loudly.
• If a sentence is too short, don’t add a bunch of adverbs (or adjectives) to make it longer.
• Train your eye to catch adverbs when you’re editing and proofreading.
• When you spot an adverb, ask whether it’s the best word choice.
• Use an adverb if it’s necessary and you can’t convey the same meaning without it.
• Avoid vague or non-descriptive adverbs. Ask whether the adverb tells the reader something that you can show through imagery and description.
• Don’t use an adverb as a crutch for a verb (or any other word). Look for a better verb. If necessary, write a better sentence.
• Sometimes when you eliminate a single adverb, you need to replace it with several words. It took three words ( batting her eyelashes ) to replace one adverb ( flirtatiously ), but the sentence became clearer and more vivid.
• Don’t be redundant. One does not stealthily creep because  to creep is “to move with stealth.”
• When you do use adverbs, use them intentionally and with purpose.
• Make it a goal to never use the words very or really .

Are You Overusing Adverbs?

Here’s an exercise you can do to avoid adverbs in your writing:

Dig through your writing and find a final draft that has been edited and proofread. Go through and highlight every adverb. Ask a friend to check it and see if you missed any. How many adverbs did you find? How many adverbs were there per 100 words? Per 1000? Remove each adverb and ask whether doing so changes the meaning of the sentence. If it does change the meaning, then rewrite the sentence without the adverb. Now compare the original sentences with the adverbs intact to the new sentences that don’t include any adverbs. Which ones are better?

Using Adverbs

When is it okay to use an adverb? When you must. Here are some examples of sentences that use adverbs well (the adverbs are italicized):

Congress recently passed a new law. She entered the room silently . He drives a dark green sedan.

As you can see, sometimes we need adverbs. We just need to use them sparingly.

Are you attuned to how you use adverbs in your writing? Have you ever visited an old piece of writing and found it littered with unnecessary words? Do you have any writing tips to help other writers avoid adverbs or use adverbs wisely? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing.

73 Comments

In the example “dark green sedan” is “dark” not an adjective?

In the example, green is an adjective because it modifies the noun sedan . Since the word dark modifies the adjective green , it is an adverb (adverbs modify adjectives). Adjectives modify nouns and noun phrases; they cannot modify other adjectives.

Hi Melissa I want to buy a beautiful, new, blue, European car.  Which ones are adverbs? “Dark” doesn’t appear in any of my dictionaries as an adverb, only noun and adjective.. Cheers Bill

In your example sentence, the following words are adjectives: beautiful, new, blue, European. Every one of these words modifies the noun “car.” The verb phrase in your sentence is “want to buy” and there are no words that modify it. There are also no words that modify any of the adjectives in your sentence. Therefore, there are no adverbs in the sentence.

Adjectives modify nouns and noun phrases. There are no exceptions where an adjective modifies a verb or another adjective. One could argue that in the phrase “dark green sedan,” dark and green modify the noun sedan and are therefore both adjectives. It’s just as feasible to argue that “dark green” is a phrase comprised of the adjective “green” and its modifier/adverb “dark.”

Basically, if dark modifies green , then it must be an adverb because only an adverb can modify an adjective. My own dictionary says dark is an adjective in the phrase “dark brown” but in the context it provides, brown is a noun, not an adjective (“a dark brown”).

This one’s probably an argument for the ages. I would say both arguments are valid.

Dark is an adjective.

Hi Katy. While dark is usually an adjective, it can also be an adverb. Adverbs are words that usually modify verbs, but they are also words that modify adjectives. If green is an adjective and dark modifies it, then in that context, dark is an adverb.

Dark as an adjective: It’s a dark night. [ Dark is an adjective that modifies the noun night .]

Dark as an adverb: The leaves are dark green. [ Dark is an adverb that modifies the adjective green .]

Hope that helps.

I try really hard not to use adverbs very often, but I frequently find myself repeatedly using them in nearly everything I write. It’s difficult to break the habit, but I’m doing my best. Conciseness is, to me, the hardest part of writing. I do tend to pontificate. Thanks for reminding me that I should trim it down a little.

It takes some practice and discipline, but it can be done! Good luck to you, Bob.

You didst cause me to snort in my coffee. Thank you for that comment.

This information is golden. I discovered I am an “adverb addict” and tend to use the words so often I could cut half the time out of my papers by getting straight to the point, just in eliminating adverbs.

I think most of us have words that we use too frequently. Every so often, I notice some filler word that I use and I have to make a concentrated effort to edit it out and break the habit.

Firstly, please forgive my poor writing. English isn’t my main language.

Wow! I’m editing and rewriting my Nanowrimo’s draft at the moment and I can say that your post is what I needed. A lot of my sentences sounded weird or weak and I didn’t knew how to fixed them. After reading your post, I realized what I had to do. So a thousand time thank you!

I would add that the advice in this post can be applied to all words, not just adverbs. It’s always a good idea to go through and delete any words that are unnecessary.

I have often thought that the best writing advice is the header to Strunk and White’s Element #13, “Omit needless words.”

Every adverb is fine to use if it’s necessary. Very few of them are.

Well said, Gregory!

I have been doing the same with my NaNoWriMo editing. Cutting out words is quickly making my 50,000 words about 30,000! Thanks for the article. I needed to read this.

Cutting words is hard, but it feels good to see the prose become tighter and more concise.

Great article! Confession: until recently I had no idea how hated adverbs are. Once I realized it though, it was one of those “ah ha” moments where things began to make sense. Great lesson.

I don’t know if they’re hated. I think people might cringe at them a little. I would liken them to clutter.

I have a theory that perhaps we use adverbs so much because we were saying (or writing) the sentences before we finished gathering all our thoughts. For example, she ran quickly. The first idea that came to mind was that it was a she. And then she was running. And then we decided that the way she ran was quick, so she ran quickly. If I had said “she quickly ran”, I was probably thinking that she had to be moving quickly, and to accomplish the task of moving quickly, what she had to do is run.

I agree. Our thoughts and speech are littered with excess words (verbiage), which leak into our writing. And that is what editing is for!

I for one am not afraid of the English language or using adverbs to help describe things or move things along. If I want to use an adverb, I’ll use it. Same with nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and so on.

I’m not afraid. And I simply don’t care what the “experts” think or say. They aren’t the ones writing my books. I am.

So I’ll use whatever gets the job done. And if there’s a ton of adverbs, verbs, adjectives, and whatnot in it…?

My books. My rules. Get used to it.

Alrighty then. Good luck with that.

She entered the room silently. :: “She crept into the room without making a sound.” See? Even that sentence could be rewritten without the adverb. 🙂

I had the rule pounded into my brain so much that as soon as my fingers type “ly” they move to the “backspace” key. An adverb will remain if I can think of no other way to convey the action to the reader. Or, of course, it’s being used in dialogue because I want my character’s speech to come across as natural as possible.

Hi Paul. You did indeed rewrite the sentence without the adverb, but it’s been replaced with an adverbial phrase (which is really just a long adverb). In the interest of concise writing, I would probably opt for a single adverb over an adverbial phrase, but there would be times when the phrase would preferable, especially if it includes a simile or metaphor that evokes an image. Having said that, I love how attuned you are to adverbs and trying to weed them out!

Umm… “She crept into the room.”? 😉

I would say that her silence is implied in that sentence.

Great article! Made so much sense to me. Thanks Melissa!

Thanks, Duane.

I have just written a 250,000-word 1st draft epic fantasy trilogy and am now into editing as a 2nd draft.

I used Scrivener to write it and now ProWritingAid to edit. Will repeat this process a few times.

I don’t really have much formal education so writing is instinctive for me and tends toward poetry.

With the help of ProWritingAid, I am beginning, that education. It jumped all over me for excessive use of adverbs in my 1st draft which I didn’t understand, so I looked it up and found your blog.

It has helped a great deal.

Before this knowledge, I operated on instinct to feel my way through writing. Now I will see problems much quicker. Seeing them in a hard editorial light is good.

I hope I don’t lose that feel as I learn the rules though; it is a big part of my creativity.

I have little knowledge of Gramma yet I recognise the rules (gramma) as patterns in my understanding of words. Almost like music. I hope to make them work together.

Thank you very much.

I believe you meant grammar, and you’re right–they are rules and can be likened to patterns. I don’t think I’ve ever come across this idea that grammar could be akin to music, but I think it has some merit…something to think about. Keep writing!

The cadence of the words is like the rhythm in music.

Thanks Melissa. Whenever I read old-fashioned girls school stories – I still love them – I find myself noticing how nobody ever just says something, it’s always impatiently, crossly, furiously, bitterly, hesitantly etc. I think I liked it as a child, but it definitely sounds strange to the modern reader!

To the modern lazy reader, perhaps. Enid Blyton is as popular as ever with children, who enjoy those extra descriptors;

I’ve become much better at omitting adverb as I continue my learning curve as a writer. And with the help of Grammarly and Hemmingway. I noe am (usually) within their limits. Thank you for this post, and your replies to your other commentors. I am now clearer on adverbial phrases, and adverbs that modify adjectives, which I didn’t know before.

I’m afraid I always take up the cudgels in favour of adverbs, Even the ‘-ly’ ones add, to my mind, to the general effectiveness of sentences and the pictures they present. It becomes cumbersome if they are always replaced by a description of the action indicating how it was carried out. If they are simply omitted, one might as well aim for leaving out adjectives as well, for the full ‘fast food’ effect in writing. Admittedly, ‘very’ is a dangerous deathtrap, but even that has its uses when applied sparingly.

Stephen King is a fine writer but he id advising on how to write like him. English is about style as well as content and short, sharp sentences are not always appropriate. They are apt if describing fast action, but if the story is about a lazy sunny day then adverbs, adjectives, metaphors are appropriate. There is no one style any more than there is only one genre.

Hi Barb, and thanks for sharing your thoughts. Stephen King isn’t advising on how to write like he writes; he is advising on how to write well, and his quote should be taken as hyperbole. I don’t think he meant to suggest that adverbs should (literally) never be used. Rather, he’s issuing a reminder that they should be used judiciously because adverbs are often weak or unnecessary. There are certainly times when we need to use them, but sloppy verbiage is often peppered with unnecessary modifiers, and adverbs are foremost among them.

“Live fearless.” That is a recommendation I hear frequently over a news station in the area where I live. The “ly” has been cut from the word “fearless.” Somehow this grammatical revision sounds wrong to me. What is your opinion?

It should be “live fearlessly” or “fearless life.” However, I think when we’re dealing with slogans, mottos, tag lines, and slang, people play with language and bend or break the rules. It’s also possible that whoever is using this phrase simply doesn’t know that it’s technically incorrect.

I’m also with the pro-adverb crowd. Adverbs are a tool, and like any tool, they can be used to great effect or used very badly. Omitting them from dialogue is always a bad choice, since people don’t talk that way, and it makes it sound unnatural. But by the same token, I feel that omitting them from writing can sometimes make the prose sound equally stilted.

The idea behind “adverbs are bad” comes from the broader advice to “show, don’t tell”, but even that advice is often oversimplified. I think better advice would be to control your pacing and descriptiveness, and make sure they’re accomplishing what you want them to accomplish. You can spend ten pages “showing” what someone ate for dinner, but if dinner isn’t your focus, then maybe you should just “tell” the reader that “Joe ate dinner quickly” and move on. Sure, you could rewrite that without an adverb, perhaps using something as simple as “Joe ate a quick dinner”, but then you run into adjective confusion. Did the dinner get up off the plate and run away? Ultimately, you’re saying the same thing either way, but avoiding an adverb there is pointless. There are other ways you could word it as well, but those add unimportant details. Who cares, for example, if he ate dinner in “five minutes”? Why are we timing his dinner eating? It’s not relevant. If you need more body or flavour text there, then by all means, add detail as appropriate, but don’t do so if it would detract from your focus. Longer or more vivid is not always better (all the more so in short-story writing).

So, in the end, I utterly reject the advice to “avoid adverbs”. Instead, I advise saying what you want to say in the way that makes the most sense for the style and pacing of what you’re writing. The rest will flow from that naturally without needing to fall back on pithy advice that doesn’t really capture the larger context, and discourages the art/craft of writing. To me, telling a writer to “avoid adverbs” is like telling a painter to “avoid red”.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. As with most writing advice, the idea that “adverbs are bad” is somewhat hyperbolic, not meant to be taken literally. The post above explains that adverbs aren’t inherently bad, but many accomplished writers agree that as a method for strengthening a piece of writing, hunting for adverbs and replacing them with richer language is often a useful technique during edits. If you don’t mind, I’ll use your example sentence to demonstrate what I mean.

You’ve said not only that adverbs are fine but also that there are times we should tell rather than show. I agree — adverbs are fine when they are the best option for conveying a particular idea, and there are times, particularly during exposition, when we tell rather than show. But with something like “Joe ate dinner quickly,” I think there are a few problems. First, sentences tend to flow better when adverbs are placed as close as possible to the verbs they modify: “Joe quickly ate dinner.”

Now, of course, the way the sentence strikes a reader will be subjective. Some readers will prefer the original; others will prefer the revision. But let’s see if we can pack more punch into this sentence. We usually opt for showing over telling because showing paints a picture in the reader’s mind, and when they visualize what’s happening, the text holds their attention and is more memorable. We don’t have to turn Joe’s dinner into an entire scene or even an entire paragraph. We can often replace an adverb and its corresponding verb with a single word that has more meaning and is more vivid:

Joe devoured dinner.

We can go even further with showing (vs. telling): Joe devoured a pizza. (Of course, pizza can be replaced with any meal).

Now, this is all subjective. So any reader might personally prefer “Joe ate dinner quickly” to “Joe devoured a pizza.”

The best thing about all of this is that each writer gets to make their own determination about which bits of writing guidance they want to use in their own work. The goal here at Writing Forward is only to make ideas available. You are free to embrace or reject them as you see fit. I only ask that you consider them with an open mind.

Fair enough. I think my main problem with the advice is that many of the examples of “stronger” writing are subjective. Writing is only strong, in my mind, if it actually helps you accomplish your goal. If your goal is to move past Joe eating dinner to move onto something else, then providing additional information like devouring pizza adds unnecessary information. (I’m also not a fan of “devour” in this context, as it reads as a bit over the top, but that might just be me.)

I’d read the article below before, but had forgotten it until just today. While it comes from a slightly different place than my own argument (which boils down to “prescriptive advice kills artistry”), I think it does a fairly good job of deconstructing the argument that adverbs are bad.

https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/06/abolish-the-adverb-you-seriously-must-be-joking.html

As you say, though, everyone will have their own opinions and is free to follow or reject whatever advice makes the most sense to them. Thank you for your reply!

Much of what we discuss in the world of writing advice is subjective, especially when we’re evaluating a piece of writing. For example, while I respect your use of “strong writing” to describe writing that accomplishes a goal, I would describe such writing as effective or perhaps successful .

Most advice that calls for decreased use of adverbs lays out, in detail, reasons why adverbs are often (but not always) less effective than other word choices. I have yet to find such a piece that doesn’t also stress that there are absolutely times when adverbs are required.

There are hundreds of articles online about the value (or lack thereof) of adverbs. Before writing this article, I researched this topic, weighed the arguments, and even ran some tests of my own (finding or creating sentences that used adverbs and then challenging myself to rewrite those sentences without the adverbs to make them better). I came to the conclusion that adverbs are often not the best choice ( best being subjective, obviously), but it seems that in your exploration of this topic, you came to a different conclusion, and that’s perfectly fine.

It seems like a subject that resonates with you, so we clearly share an interest in it, even if we come down on different sides of how often adverbs should be used.

Whether you use adverbs prolifically or not, my main hope is that you simply keep thinking about this and other writing-related issues, and of course, keep writing.

Wow, I disagree with this article. This is some serious adverb bashing. I’m a short-story writer and I try to tell a gripping, comprehensive story using as little words as possible. Using, “he crept into the room, aware that the slightest noise could wake the occupants,” when I could say, “He crept into the room silently,” is ridiculous for a short story writer. I DO agree with this for a novelist, which is why I’m very surprised (and not surprised) that Steven King would make such a comment. I’m not surprised because his books are VERY LONG.

But using them sparingly is a good goal for any writer. I am not fond of the “all adverbs are lazy writing” mantra we are creating.

Both Stephen King and the article above were very clear in saying that adverbs are sometimes useful or necessary, but they ore often overused or used unnecessarily. Notice that “He crept into the room” and “He crept into the room silently” have the same meaning and implications, so “silently” is unnecessary excess. I’m not aware of anyone, anywhere saying that “all adverbs are lazy writing.”

I also disagree with the article, and agree with Mr. Frisson. And I’ll point to the last 70 years of Pulitzer-winning fiction. I’ve run many of those books through an automated grammar-check app, and none that I’ve tested meet the “standard” for use of adverbs, i.e., they all have too many to satisfy the automated grammar checker. Admittedly, that could simply be pointing out the inadequacies of automated grammar checkers, but I think not in this case; it’s just counting words. So, who should I believe: the English professors and “experts” who push to minimize adverbs? Or the people who in effect set the standard for quality fiction?

You start your comment by saying that you disagree with this article, but then you fail to support your position by arguing with anything from the article itself. Instead, your comment offers anecdotal remarks about grammar checkers and prize winners. The premise of this article is that many writers make poor word choices with adverbs. For example, “she sprinted” is better than “she ran quickly.” Plenty of people argue with the general premise that adverbs should be abolished (from a piece of writing) but few bother to argue with the actual points made in the article, let alone the examples provided, which demonstrate why many (not all — but many) adverbs are weak.

it’s really good to see someone who understands my pain so clearly. (yes I just used an adverb QwQ) the problem is, I already knew about the adverb problem even as a novice author because I read Chinese fantasy stories which tend to over exaggerate a lot using adverbs but I still don’t know how to actually stop using them myself. it’s just that… shorter sentences make the work sound really plain (imo) and I tend to use adverbs to make them longer. so yeah, I dunno which one is considered more of a lazy writing, short sentences or an abundance of adverbs, giving me a huge writing bottleneck I can’t get over. this is where eastern and western writing styles come into conflict QwQ

It’s usually not beneficial to pack a sentence with unnecessary words to make it longer. Having said that, rhythm and flow are important, and sentences should vary in length. I can’t speak to the differences or similarities in eastern and western writing, but leaning anything takes time and practice. Eventually, it will become second nature.

I feel like I’ve learned so much reading this article and the comments and replies below it. I’m able to pick out adverbs in my writing that I wouldn’t have given a second thought before, and I take the time to determine whether or not they’re crucial to getting my point across or if a sentence would be better served by a stronger verb. I’ve found that my writing has a more consistent tone and is more fun to read! Thank you (to both the author and everyone who commented)!

You’re welcome. I’m so glad you learned something from this article. Keep writing!

I find it simple checking and abolishing adverbs ending in ly. They are now in my mindset and I can stop them in their tracks before they leave my fingers. What persists as a difficulty is the removal of the other, less obvious devils.

I also endeavour to eliminate duplicated words, or ensure a repeated word is distant in the text from its predecessor (unless I chose to be repetitive, for impact), but some words have few alternatives. Sometimes I want to say “sometimes”, because I had used “on occasion” on an occasion nearby (ouch!)

Your piece is reassuring. If it is concise and to the point, instead of taking it out, like a literary sniper, let it be, it has said its bit, but my biggest bugbear is “Not”, it is the adverb I use the most. I wind myself up in knots trying to eradicate my not’s, I find them impossible to destroy.

Should I even try to?

Hi Nigel. Thanks for sharing your experiences with adverbs and editing. Adverbs are necessary parts of speech, and we do need to use them. The message of this article is that adverbs tend to get overused, and it’s a good practice to look for adverbs that can be eliminated. That doesn’t mean every instance of not should be cut from a piece of writing. Some adverbs need to stay! Good luck, and keep writing.

Thanks – I needed that reassurance. I can be my own worst enemy!

I agree why adverbs ending “ly” are considered lazy writing. Their presence indicates a paragraph needs re-working and the result of their omission is more effective.

Well, not all adverbs that end in -ly are bad or lazy writing. However, -ly can be a red flag, something you watch out for and double check. Many of them can be removed or replaced with better language. Keep writing!

Do novel editors check your manuscript for adverbs? If so, does an occasional adverb or two make them think twice?

This article does not argue against all use of adverbs. It points out that there are many weak adverbs that can be replaced with more accurate and vivid word choices. It also notes that sometimes we should use adverbs. It’s really about making the best possible word choices. Some editors will check for word choice. It depends on what kind of editing they are doing.

In your phrase “It’s clearer and more concise“, isn’t ‘more’ an unnecessary adverb? Or am I making a mistake in trying to recognise adverbs?

The article does not say that all adverbs should be eliminated; it says to use them thoughtfully. “Conciser” is not a word, so we have to use an adverb to communicate the concept that is being conveyed. I suppose “more clear and concise” would be an option, but that can sound odd to the ear, because “clearer” is more concise than “more clear.”

I want to be a writer. How do i start writing?

Pick up a pen and a notebook, or open a new blank document on your computer. If you’re not sure what to write, look for writing prompts . Find one that interests you, and start writing. If you can’t find one that interests you, select one at random and write about it as if it’s an assignment. Until you have started writing, you cannot know that you want to be a writer. Give it a try and see how you like it.

I have a slightly different take on adverbs. I see them as phrases rather than words.

For example, in the sentence “Eliza placed her pen emphatically on the desk as soon as she had completed the last question on the exam paper to show the invigilator that she had finished.” has four adverbs:

‘emphatically’ ‘on the desk’ ‘as soon as she had completed the last question on the exam paper’ and ‘to show the invigilator that she had finished’.

All four phrases modify the verb ‘placed’ by telling how, where, when, and why the action was done.

The ‘rule’ against adverbs is actually a rule against redundancy, and my rule of thumb when editing is that, if an adverbial phrase can be left out without the loss of relevant information, it should be left out. In the above sentence, none of the adverbs is redundant – they all add something to the meaning of the sentence – therefore I wouldn’t eliminate any of them.

I would, however, replace ‘emphatically’ with either a stronger verb or with a stronger adverb… or both. For example, I might write instead “Eliza slapped her pen down on the desk like a final full stop as soon as she had completed the last question on the exam paper to show the invigilator that she had finished.” ‘Emphatically’ is a weak adverb because it tells rather than shows how the action was done. ‘Slapped… like a final full stop’ is stronger than ‘placed emphatically’ because it presents a stronger image of the manner in which Eliza put down her pen.

Hi Andrew, and thanks for commenting on this post. The phrase “on the desk” is not an adverb (if it were, it would be called an adverbial phrase ). It is actually a prepositional phrase. Like adverbs and adjectives, prepositional phrases are modifiers. They consist of a preposition (on) and its object (the desk). I’m not sure how deep you want to go into this, but here’s the difference between an adverb and a prepositional phrase: an adverb modifies a verb (or adjective), and a prepositional phrase describes a relationship between two things.

There is no rule against adverbs. It’s just a loose guideline that is often expressed in hyperbole, which (as hyperbole tends to do) causes a lot of confusion when people take statements like Mr. King’s literally.

For fun, here’s how I’d rewrite the sentence:

Eliza slammed her pen on the desk to let the investigator know she was finished.

No adverbs 🙂

“Full stop” is UK usage, while “period” is US.

I’m going to have to come back and read your responses as there looks to be as much information addressing doubts as in your article.

Many people are attached to the idea of using adverbs liberally. Others tend to drop comments before reading the full text of an article. If you note the actual arguments against overuse of adverbs in my article, you’ll see that none of the comments actually provide a counter argument, and many fail to acknowledge that my article says that sometimes adverbs are great and necessary!

Thank you so much also for this lesson, Great and very useful information. Have a beautiful weekend! xx Michael

You’re welcome!

Hi Melissa, I must say you are exceptional with your responses. I also noticed you do know this subject to the teeth. I am impressed.

“Sadly” as you can see, I am addicted to adverbs. Tried to cut them out without much success.

In maths, we can learn tricks to get through difficult mathematical processes. Is there a simple way you can teach me to get rid of this habit.?

Thank you for your kind words. If you’re already in the habit of proofreading everything you write, then you can add checking your work for adverbs into your edits. You might want to set aside one full pass at anything you write just to check for adverbs. Over time, you’ll start catching unnecessary words while you’re writing, and they will diminish over time. Unnecessary adjectives and adverbs are one of the top things I check for during editing! I always find plenty that can be removed. And yes, I even do it with my blog comments, lol.

“Hopefully” and “arguably” are sentence adverbs, sometimes known as disjuncts. They are editorial, in that they show that the writer wants us to think in a particular way- and so they are lazy and sloppy. “-ly” is simply Anglo-Saxon/ Old English for “like.”

In some cases, “hopefully” and “arguably” can be weak or ineffective, but these are not by default “lazy” and “sloppy” word choices.

1. Yes, sometimes writers want their readers to think in a certain way. There’s nothing wrong with using language choices that will help a writer achieve their goal.

2. If our character’s loved one is in the hospital and another character says, “Hopefully they’ll be coming home tomorrow,” it would be foolish if the editorial feedback was that “the word ‘hopefully’ is lazy and sloppy.”

Adverbs should be carefully considered, but I would caution against making universal, sweeping statements about them.

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Why Should I Avoid Adverbs in My Writing?

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Overuse of adverbs is the hallmark of lazy, cluttered writing. Good dialogue should use strong verbs rather than '-ly' adverbs. Often the adverbs mean the same as the verb and become redundant, leading to messy prose.

The most common (over)use of adverbs is to modify the verb said , e.g. "I'm leaving," he said angrily .

By reducing these adverbs, the author allows the characters to convey the emotions of the dialogue themselves. Instead of telling the reader, they are able to show them. e.g. He thumped his hand on the desk. "I'm leaving."

As a general rule, writers should use no more than one adverb per 300 words .

You can either replace the '-ly' adverb with a stronger adjective or verb, or remove it if it is obsolete. It is not necessary to remove every adverb, but limiting them will help strengthen your writing.

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• How to Teach , Teaching Resources

Writing Creatively to Learn Adverbs

• By Norhaida Aman

When it comes to grammar instruction, teachers often struggle with these questions: Do I teach my students the grammar rules explicitly and give them worksheets to practice with? Or do I provide them with different types of texts and examples and allow them to discover the patterns on their own ?

Grammar can be taught in a variety of ways: using the inductive and deductive approaches. With the inductive approach, a teacher provides students with carefully selected examples from which a grammatical rule can be inferred. Student learning takes place via self-discovery. If a teacher opts for the deductive approach, she begins the lesson with the sharing of a rule, followed by some exemplifications. Teaching and learning is pretty much rule-driven.

Many have dismissed the rule-driven deductive approach to grammar instruction citing forgettable lessons as a reason; self-discovery is said to be more memorable than teacher explanation. Others have claimed that the deductive approach often involves didactic teaching, which is teacher-fronted, resulting in little teacher-student interaction and low student engagement. Besides, many claim that using metalanguage to explain the rules can be off-putting.

However, there are merits to the deductive approach:

With explicit teaching of grammatical features, the teacher is able to deal with them directly instead of expecting it to come up incidentally in class. Metalanguage is useful to talk about language and it need not be ‘dull and boring’. It really depends on the teacher’s style and lesson delivery.

Time management: Curriculum time is limited.

Via deductive teaching, the teacher could get straight to the point and the discussion on a grammatical item can be completed in a time-efficient manner.

It is not true that the deductive approach has to be didactic; it can be interactive too! In my interactions with teachers, I have discovered that many view grammar teaching as standalone lessons involving teaching a grammar rule, followed by plenty of drill and practice exercises. Many do not link grammar teaching to meaningful writing activities; grammar as “meaning-making”. To create awareness and reinforce the importance of linking grammar lessons to writing, I use an activity where a deductive lesson on adverbs is linked to creative writing. Teachers are able to determine how well their students have understood the lesson on adverbs and at the same time, assess their students’ writing skills.

• Lesson Plan

Lesson Objective: Students to become aware that there are different types of adverbs which can be used in their writing to add additional information and bring their ideas to life.

Step 1: Explaining adverbs:

what they are, what they do, and where to find them in sentences. Adverbs are words that describe the circumstances in which an event took place. Adverbs of English typically end with the –ly suffix, but be cautious of many –ly words that are adjectives like friendly, sickly and early.

Adverbs can give us more information about the verb by telling us the time, place and manner of an action or process:

adverbs of time like now, soon, and yesterday.

adverbs of place like here, somewhere, and outside.

adverbs of manner like quickly, nimbly, and quietly.

also includes adverbs of frequency (e.g. often, daily) and adverbs of duration (e.g. briefly, forever).

Adverbs can also add meaning to adjectives, like very happy, so silly and ridiculously strong.

They can also describe other adverbs like He moved so swiftly.

Adverbs also function to connect clauses and sentences together:

First cook the onions, then add the mushrooms. Finally, sprinkle some salt and pepper. Highlight the variable positions of adverbs in a sentence: Sentence-initial position: Stealthily, he tiptoed into the room.

Before the verb it describes: He stealthily tiptoed into the room.

Immediately after the verb it describes: He tiptoed stealthily into the room.

Sentence-final position: He tiptoed into the room stealthily.

Step 2: Group activity

Get the students to apply their knowledge of the different types of adverbs, and the different positions adverbs can take (sentence-initial position, at the end of sentences, before or after a verb, and before adjectives). Then get them to work in groups on a writing activity, which allows them to showcase both their knowledge of adverbs and their creative writing.

Write a product caption for this magic potion.

Include 5 adverbs in your caption

As a group, think of a creative use for this purple magic potion. Make your text as interesting as possible. Remember that the caption needs to entice the reader to buy your product. Think of it as an advertisement. Include 5 adverbs in your caption. Underline the adverbs your group has used (and optionally identify the type of adverb you have included in your caption).

This activity appeals to young learners who enjoy working in groups. Collaborative learning allows them to sound out their ideas to their peers without feeling threatened or embarrassed about ‘getting things wrong’ during the creative process. I also find that students find pride in the text they produce. Teachers will be able to determine how well their students have understood the lesson on adverbs and at the same time, assess their students’ writing skills.

Here are 2 examples of the text produced at the end of this activity:

Spray-a-Botox

Dream potion

I hope teachers will try out this activity the next time they teach adverbs.

Related Topics

• Creative Writing
• Time Management
• Writing Activities

Norhaida Aman

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