Adverbs of Manner

Introduction

Adverbs of manner tell us how an action happened. They describe the way someone does something or the way something happens.

Key points:

• They usually end in -ly (quickly, slowly, carefully)
• They answer the question "How?"
• They're usually placed after the verb or after the object

Let's learn where and how to use them!

Where Do We Place Them?

After the Verb or Object

Adverbs of manner are usually placed after the main verb, or after the object if there is one:

An adverb of manner cannot be put between a verb and its direct object. The adverb must be placed either before the verb or at the end of the clause.

If there is a preposition before the verb's object, you can place the adverb of manner either before the preposition or after the object.

Adverbs of manner should always come immediately after verbs which have no object (intransitive verbs).

These common adverbs of manner are almost always placed directly after the verb: well, badly, hard, & fast

The position of the adverb is important when there is more than one verb in a sentence. If the adverb is placed before or after the main verb, it modifies only that verb. If the adverb is placed after a clause, then it modifies the whole action described by the clause. Notice the difference in meaning between the following sentences.

Note: Sometimes an adverb of manner is placed before a Verb + Object to add emphasis in some works of literature.

Some writers put an adverb of manner at the beginning of the sentence to catch our attention and make us curious.