Read the following sentences and choose the option that correctly identifies their adverbs.
- There is rarely a good excuse for doing a job poorly that you can do well.
- Poorly, well
- Can do, well
- Good, well
- Poorly, can do
“Poorly” and “well” are both adverbs of manner that modify the actions in the sentence. “Poorly” describes how the job is being “done,” and “well” describes how you “can do” the job.
“Good” (C) is an adjective used to modify the noun “excuse.” “Can do” (B, D) is a verb phrase consisting of a modal auxiliary and a main verb, not an adverb. While “rarely” is also an adverb in this sentence, it is not included in the provided options.
- The ER doctor found that four of Joe’s ribs were badly broken.
- Ribs
- Found
- Badly
- Broken
“Badly” is the adverb, modifying “broken.” “Ribs” (A) is a plural noun. “Found” (B) is a verb. “Broken” (D) is the past participle of the verb “to break,” used here as an adjective modifying “ribs.”
- After I played football on Saturday morning, my back and arms were really tired.
- Football
- Tired
- Played
- Really
“Really” is the adverb modifying the adjective “tired” (B). “Football” (A) is a noun. “Played” (C) is a verb.
- The king surely looked noble at the coronation ceremony.
- Noble
- Coronation
- Ceremony
- Surely
“Surely” is an adverb modifying the verb “looked.” “Noble” (A) is an adjective. “Coronation” (B) is a noun used as an adjective modifying the noun “ceremony” (C).
- “Smooth runs the water where the brook is deep.” -Shakespeare.
- Where
- Brook
- Deep
- Shakespeare
“Where” is an adverb modifying the verb “runs.” “Brook” (B) is a noun. “Deep” (C) is an adjective modifying “brook.” “Shakespeare” (D) is a name, i.e. a proper noun.
- Linda shampooed the rug really well but still was unable to remove the tea stain.
- Shampooed
- Really well
- Unable
- Remove
“Really well” is an adverb phrase: “really” modifies “well” which modifies the verb “shampooed” (A). “Unable” (C) is an adjective modifying proper noun “Linda.” “Remove” (D) is a verb.
- Grandmother often takes a nap after lunch.
- Grandmother
- Often
- Takes
- Nap
“Often” is an adverb modifying the verb “takes” (C). “Grandmother” (A) is a proper noun. “Nap” (D) is a noun.
- Anxiously, the mother of the injured child paced the floor at the hospital.
- Injured
- Hospital
- Anxiously
- Paced
“Anxiously” is an adverb modifying the verb “paced” (D). “Injured” (A) is an adjective modifying the noun “child.” “Hospital” (B) is a noun. ‘
- Mother makes especially good pickles.
- Makes
- Good
- Pickles
- Especially
“Anxiously” is an adverb modifying the verb “paced” (D). “Injured” (A) is an adjective modifying the noun “child.” “Hospital” (B) is a noun. ‘
- Silence is sometimes the severest criticism.
- Silence
- Is
- Sometimes
- Criticism
“Sometimes” is an adjective modifying the verb “is” (B). “Silence” (A) is a noun. “Criticism” (D) is a noun.