Adverbs of manner

Adverbs of manner are a type of adverb that describes how something happens. They tell us the way in which an action is performed.  

Think of it like this: if someone asks you “How did you do that?”, your answer will likely contain an adverb of manner.

Characteristics

• Formation: Many adverbs of manner are formed by adding “-ly” to an adjective (e.g., “quick” becomes “quickly,” “soft” becomes “softly”). However, some don’t follow this pattern and are irregular (e.g., “well” from “good”).
• Position: They typically appear after the verb they modify or at the end of a sentence, though they can sometimes shift for emphasis (e.g., “She quietly closed the door” or “She closed the door quietly”).

Examples

1. Carefully: “She painted the picture carefully.” (Shows the manner of painting.)
2. Loudly: “They cheered loudly at the game.” (Indicates how they cheered.)
3. Quickly: “He ran quickly to catch the bus.” (Describes how he ran.)
4. Well: “He plays guitar well.” (An irregular example describing skill.)
5. More words: Angrily, beautifully, cautiously, clearly, diligently, elegantly, efficiently, effortlessly, enthusiastically, faithfully, gracefully, greedily, happily, hardly, heartily, honestly, intently, kindly, nervously, politely, quietly, sincerely, slowly, softly, swiftly, thoughtfully, tirelessly, warmly, zealously.

Exceptions and notes

• Not all “-ly” words are adverbs of manner (e.g., “friendly” is an adjective).
• Placement can vary: “Quickly, she stood up” (for emphasis at the start).
• Some words can function as both adjectives and adverbs without changing form (e.g., “fast” in “He runs fast” or “A fast car”).

In short, adverbs of manner add flavor to verbs, making actions more vivid or specific. Adverbs of manner add detail and make your writing more vivid by showing the manner in which actions are carried out.

Continue learning:

⁍ About adverbs
⁍ Adverbs of
Degree
Frequency
Manner
Place
Purpose/reason
Time
⁍ Adverb positions
⁍ Conjunctive adverbs

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