Adverbs: functions
Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, nouns, other adverbs and whole phrases or sentences:
| example | function |
| Sit quietly! | modifying a verb (sit) |
| Claire was rather quiet. | modifying an adjective (quiet) |
| That week seemed to go by incredibly slowly. | modifying another adverb (slowly) |
| It takes quite a lot of courage to jump from a plane. | modifying a noun phrase (a lot of courage) |
| I’m going for a run later so I don’t want to eat anything now. | modifying the whole clause (I’m going for a run) |
| Personally, I don’t like the plans. | modifying the whole sentence (I don’t like the plans).It gives the speaker’s attitude. We often use commas with the adverb when it modifies the whole sentence. |
See also
- Adverbs