Writing with Detail: Adverbs

Identifying adverbs

Adding detail with adverbs

Review A

Review B

Identifying adverbs

Adverbs are words that answer these questions:

To what extent?

How?

Where?

When?

Brian and I met there.

Brian and I met yesterday.

Brian and I met quickly.

Brian and I barely met.

Identifying adverbs

Since adverbs add detail, a passage without them can be boring and difficult to understand.

The passage is hard to follow because no adverbs indicate where, when, how, or to what extent the action happened.

A few people started singing. More joined

the tune, and the song rang. Everyone in

the stands was singing.

Identifying adverbs

Now, see what the passage looks like after adverbs have been added.

First a few people started singing softly.

Then more joined the tune, and the song

rang out. Soon everyone in the stands was

singing joyously.

The adverbs show the order in which events took place and describe what the singing was like.

Summer has never been so hot.

Adding detail with adverbs

To add detail to your writing, include words that answer these questions:

Where?

When?

To what extent?

How?

Columbus may have landed here.

Later, I heard the true reason.

The police responded quickly.

Adding detail with adverbs

[End of Section]

The following sentences describe a scene but are not very detailed. Add detail to each of the following sentences by adding adverbs.

1. People waited for the rocket to launch.

2. They looked and shielded their eyes.

3. Speakers blared the final countdown.

4. The spectators saw the plume of flame.

5. They heard the engines rumble.

On Your Own

Review A

1. Now you can fold a paper crane.

2. Puzzle pieces are scattered everywhere!

3. Mark ran fast to see what had made the noise.

4. I think that we planted the vegetables too soon.

5. We were glad to head home finally.

Identify the adverb(s) in each of the following sentences.

Review B

1. New apartments are being built.

2. We will do our weekly shopping.

3. The giant plane lifted into the air.

4. Inflating the tires improved mileage.

5. My drawing for the magazine cover is finished.

Provide extra detail by adding adverbs to the following sentences. Be prepared to identify which question each adverb answers.

The End