Teaching Grammar Basics: Understanding Adverbs

At its core, an adverb is a word that sheds light on how an action takes place. Picture the verb as the 'action word' and the adverb as the tool that paints a vivid picture of how that action unfolds. It typically answers the question: how? An easy giveaway is often the 'ly' suffix at its end.

Now, let's navigate the ways adverbs come into play. Adverbs modify verbs. For instance, "the children behaved fantastically." They also intensify adjectives. Consider, "the teacher was fantastically happy!" Additionally, adverbs can even amplify other adverbs. Imagine, "The teacher was actually optimistically dreaming!"

Seems simple, right? However, a few stumbling blocks tend to trip up both educators and learners when it comes to adverbs. The most common pitfall is distinguishing between adverbs and adjectives, and using them seamlessly together. An adjective gives you more insight into a noun (a thing), whereas adverbs shed light on an action (a verb). A quick 'is' test can help differentiate the two. For example, the phrase "the melancholy headteacher hastily ate a pint of ice cream" could pose a challenge. However, if you apply the 'is' trick, "she is melancholy" makes sense, revealing it as an adjective. On the other hand, "she is hastily" sounds awkward, exposing "hastily" as the adverb.

Consider also the adverb's place within the sentence. Generally, the closer it stands to its related verb, the clearer the communication. You have three options: the first position (before the subject) – like "Excitedly, she ordered chips," often requiring a comma; the second position (before the main verb) – such as "She excitedly ordered chips"; and the third position (after the verb and its direct object) – for instance, "She ordered chips excitedly."

Moving beyond the adverb's basic function, there are specific classifications to explore. Adverbs break down into eight distinct classes. These categories might bear various labels, so selecting terms for your students and adhering to them can prevent confusion.

• Adverbs of manner: These describe how an action is executed. For example: softly, happily, annoyingly. "The pupils happily went out to break."
• Adverbs of degree: These express the extent to which an action is performed. For instance: slightly, almost, extremely. "The term was extremely long."
• Adverbs of frequency: These indicate how often an action occurs. Consider: regularly, constantly, always. "I always have chocolate in my desk drawer."
• Adverbs of place: These offer details about where an action happens. Think: below, inside, everywhere. "There were year-tens everywhere."
• Inverted adverbs: Sometimes, for formal writing, placing the adverb at the sentence's start can trigger a switch in subject and verb. Seldom, never, and rarely can work this way. For instance: "Seldom has she left the building at lunch" or "never have I seen such a lovely piece of work."
• Double negatives: Combining a negative adverb with a negative statement can convey nuanced expectations about an action's manner. For example: not unexpectedly, not unsurprisingly, not unreasonably. "The email was, not unsurprisingly, long."
• Adverbs of purpose: These signify the rationale behind an action. Consider: consequently, thus, because. "I am happy because I am in the Maldives."
• Adverbs of time: These offer insights into when or for how long something occurred. Like: usually, never, recently. "The file was updated recently."

With that covered, remember that whilst learners should recognise adverbs, guiding them to use these words thoughtfully in their writing is crucial. Fewer adverbs often pack more punch. Selecting a strong main verb can be more impactful than a clunky list of adverbs. For instance, instead of saying "she slowly and unhappily carried the bag of books to mark to her car," opt for "she lugged the bag of books." The well-known advice to 'show, not tell' in writing holds true.

Effective writing conveys a lot of meaning with each word, promoting clarity. This is especially relevant when handling similar adverbs in a list, like "she slowly, carefully, gently put down her coffee." If a word can be omitted without altering the impact, remove it! A careful adverb revision can be a valuable addition to the editing process.

• Complete the Sentence: Have learners choose the fitting adverb to complete sentences.
• Odd One Out: Engage students in spotting differing types of adverbs or non-adverbs.
• Adverb Charades: A grammar twist on classic charades – an entertaining way to grasp adverbs.
• Adverb Scavenger Hunt: Challenge learners to locate and analyze adverbs in texts.
• Adjective or Adverb?: Let children distinguish between adjectives and adverbs through card sorting.
• Add in the Adverbs: Encourage learners to enhance paragraphs by integrating adverbs while maintaining coherence.

With these fun and consistent activities, learners can master the art of adverbs in their own writing, embracing meaningful expression.

Bedrock’s grammar curriculum teaches adverbs through engaging video activities and bespoke prose, before learning is solidified through contextualising activities and mastery tasks.

Teachers and educators can monitor progress through consistent low-stakes assessment, with data processed and presented neatly in the reporting area of your dashboard. All prose and teaching is differentiated for primary and secondary, solidifying necessary grammar skills as learners progress through school.

Accurate grammar is a skill necessary for your learners’ success throughout their academic careers, and their whole lives, but it isn’t always the most engaging lesson to teach. Through Bedrock’s video teaching and human narration, teachers can save time on marking while knowing their learners are being motivated to learn grammar independently, gaining the mastery they need to apply their knowledge to reading and writing.

Bedrock’s grammar curriculum sits alongside vocabulary to form a comprehensive literacy solution. To find out more about how grammar can benefit your primary and secondary learners, click the link below and start your free trial of Bedrock’s core curriculum.