Understanding how actions are performed is a big part of speaking English naturally–and that’s where adverbs of manner come in!
These powerful little words describe how something happens.
In this article, we’ll break down what adverbs of manner are, how to form them, and where to place them in a sentence
Last but not least, there are plenty of examples of adverbs of manner to boost your English fluency with style and clarity.
What are Adverbs of Manner?
Adverbs of manner describe how an action is done. They add detail to your sentence by explaining the way something happens.
Think of them as the "style" or "flavor" of a verb—they answer the question "how?"
For example:
- She sings beautifully. (How does she sing? Beautifully.)
- They worked quickly. (How did they work? Quickly.)
- He spoke clearly. (How did he speak? Clearly.)
Most adverbs of manner are formed by adding -ly to adjectives (like “quick” → “quickly”).
But there are exceptions–some words like "well," "fast," and "hard" don’t follow this pattern.
How to Form Adverbs of Manner?
Forming adverbs of manner is usually simple and often just a matter of adding -ly to an adjective. But let’s break it down clearly:
Regular Formation
Just add -ly to the base adjective!
- Quick → Quickly
- Happy → Happily
- Careful → Carefully
Spelling Rules
- If the adjective ends in -y, change it to -i and add -ly:
Easy → Easily, Angry → Angrily - If the adjective ends in -le, replace -e with -y:
Gentle → Gently
Irregular Adverbs of Manner
Some adverbs don’t follow the rules:
- Good → Well
- Hard → Hard
- Fast → Fast
Where Should You Place Adverbs of Manner in a Sentence?
Adverbs of manner are most commonly placed after the main verb or after the object (if there is one).
After the verb
- She drives carefully.
- They talk loudly.
After the object
- He painted the wall neatly.
- She finished the project successfully.
In formal writing, avoid putting the adverb before the verb unless it's short and clear:
- He quickly ran the race. (Correct, but less preferred than…)
- He ran the race quickly.
List of Common Adverbs of Manner
Here’s a helpful list of common adverbs of manner along with their meaning and example in a sentence:
Adverbs of Manner | Meaning | Example in a Sentence |
| Angrily | In an angry way | He shouted angrily at the driver. |
| Badly | In a poor or unsatisfactory way | She performed badly on the test. |
| Beautifully | In a beautiful or pleasing way | She sings beautifully. |
| Carefully | With attention or caution | Please drive carefully on icy roads. |
| Clearly | In a clear-to-understand way | He explained the topic clearly. |
| Early | Before the expected or usual time | We got to the airport early. |
| Easily | Without difficulty | She passed the exam easily. |
| Fast | At high speed (irregular form) | He runs fast for his age. |
| Gently | In a soft or mild way | She gently held the baby. |
| Hard | With a lot of effort or force | He works hard to support his family. |
| Late | After the expected or usual time | They arrived late to the meeting. |
| Loudly | In a loud manner | They laughed loudly at the joke. |
| Neatly | In a tidy or organized way | He wrote the notes neatly. |
| Quickly | At a fast pace | She quickly packed her bag and left. |
| Well | In a good or satisfactory way (irregular) | He plays the guitar well. |
Conclusion
Now that you’ve mastered the ins and outs of adverbs of manner, it’s time to put them into practice.
Try using them in your daily conversations, writing tasks, or even social media captions to sound more expressive in English.
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