The Adverb

1. Generalities
The adverb is a part of speech, words of which denote circumstances or characteristics
attending or modifying actions, states or qualities. Respectively adverbs are semantically
divided into circumstantial ( situational) & qualitative.

Circumstantial adverbs are those of

a) time & frequency : today, yesterday, tomorrow, since, nowadays, often, seldom,
sometimes, rarely and others.
b) place & direction: here, there, abroad, (at) home, ashore et al.

Qualitative adverbs are those of

a) manner: quickly, carefully, aloud, well, badly, poorly et al.
b) Degree: very, greatly, quite, rather, obviously et al.

Like qualitative adjectives, qualitative adverbs have the grammatical category of

comparison. They are inflected for the degrees of comparison, which are positive,
comparative and superlative. They are built up in the same way as those of adjective:
 synthetically: fast-faster-fastest; hard-harder-hardest; quickly-quicker-quickest;
NOTE: OF ALL English adverbs with the suffix –ly only ‘early’ retains this suffix in the
synthetic forms of comparison:
early-earlier-earliest;
 analytically: deeply-more deeply-most deeply; wisely-more wisely-most wisely.
The adverb ‘often’ occurs in both synthetic and analytical forms of comparison: often-
oftener \ more often-oftenest \most often.
Besides, there is a small group of adverbs having suppletive forms of comparison:
Well-better-best; little-less-least;
Badly-worse-worst; much-more-most;
NOTE: the forms of comparison of the adverb ‘far’: far-farther\further-farthest\furthest.
They are used in the same way that the corresponding adjectives are used: both
‘farther\farthest’ & ‘further\furthest’ when speaking about places, directions or distance
and ‘further\furthest’ are used in the meaning ‘more, later’: Don’t try my patience any
further.

2. The usage of adverbs without the suffix –ly in contrast with that of adverbs
with it.
In principle the general rule of the use of both types of adverbs was worded by M.Ganshina
and N.Vasilevskaya (see above). This rule can be somewhat specified: adverbs without the
suffix –ly are used in direct meanings, also in figurative meanings if the connection between
these kinds of meaning is not lost completely.
1. CLOSE – CLOSELY
Both adverbs are used in the direct (‘very near’) and figurative (‘intently, carefully’)
meanings, but the direct meaning is typical of ‘close’ and figurative of ‘closely’, cf.:
Direct meaning
CLOSE CLOSELY
Her face was close to the window pane. …the trees that closely hemmed the
(Galsworthy); He held me close. (Lee). river’s edge changed species. (Caillou).

Figurative meaning
Stay close together. (Longman); close (with the verbs ‘examine, look,
to 90 years ago (Ib.) question, study, watch’ and the like) I
looked closely at the photo.(Boyd); She
studied Michael closely…(Puzo). I
turned back to Faye, watching closely.
 (Boyd).

2. DEAR-DEARLY
The borderline between the spheres of the use of these adverbs is very vague. Practically
they are interchangeable. In M.Ganshina and N.Vasilevskaya’s example ‘You bought those
things very dear’ where ‘dear’ has a direct meaning, the form ‘dearly’ is, according to them,
possible too, i.e. ‘You bought those things very dearly’ (see their ‘English Grammar’, p.305).
One more example of the use of ‘dear’ in the direct meaning: ‘The bill is a little high, but
good things come dear!’ (Puzo), though here ‘dear’ can be regarded as an adjective.
In a figurative use ‘dearly’ has, according to the Longman Dictionary, two meanings: 1) with
much feeling , usually good and 2) at a terrible cost in time, effort, pain, etc. Compare the
use of these forms in figurative meanings:
Dear Dearly
And I paid pretty dear for my monthly He loves his wife dearly. (Longman).
fourpenny piece in the shape of these He paid dearly for his experience. (Ib.)
abominable fancies. (Stevenson).

3. DEEP-DEEPLY
Both adverbs are used in the direct (‘far down’) and figurative (‘very much, intensely’)
meanings, the direct meaning being typical of ‘deep’ and figurative – of ‘deeply’, cf.:
Direct meaning
Deep Deeply
We had to dig deep to find water. …wrinkles etched more deeply in her
(Longman). He went down deep where ancient skin. (Cussler).
the water was icy cold.(Caillou).
Figurative meanings
He went on studying deep into the (commonly with sensory adjectives
night.(Longman). The roots of all the and verbs, also ‘drink, sigh’ et al.)
Lindseys had driven deep into this Fanny admired him deeply.(Mansfield).
earth.(Caldwell). ‘I was deeply affronted.(Maugham). He
sighed deeply.(Id.) ‘I’m deeply
suspicious of him. (Shute).

4. FIRM-FIRMLY
These forms are used both in the direct and figurative meanings. The first is used
comparatively rarely, mainly in figurative meanings, ‘firmly’ occurs regularly in both
meanings, cf.:
Firm Firmly
Hold this post firm while I hammer it Hold this post firmly while I hammer it
into the ground. (Close). His grip closed into the ground.(Id.) She tried to twist
firm about its base (bedside table’s) away but he gripped her firmly.(Puzo).
Figurative meanings
(usually in the phrases ‘to stand firm’, (often with verbs of speech): ‘My
‘to hold firm’): He begged his men to grandfather has one of these”, Andrew
hold firm till relief came.(Webster’s interrupted him firmly. (Cronin). ‘I’ll
dictionary). write them now’, Trinity declared
firmly.(Fleming).

5. FLAT-FLATLY
‘Flat’ is used both in the direct (‘very close to the surface of smth’) and figurative
(‘completely’) meanings, cf.:
Direct meaning
 Flat Flatly
Then they lay flat again and fired. --------
(Hemingway).
Figurative meaning

‘You take me flat aback, Aunt Em.’ It was said flatly. The tone final.
(Galsworthy). (Cussler); to refuse flatly.
NOTE: As seen from the last example, ‘flatly’ often occurs with verbs of speech.

6. HIGH-HIGHLY.
‘High’ is used both in the direct (local) and figurative meanings. ‘Highly’ occurs only in
figurative meaning (‘to a high degree’, ‘very well’), cf.:
Direct meaning
High Highly
The barman put his hands high in the -----------
air. (Chandler). I sprang as high as I
could. (Knowles).
Figurative meaning
He aims high. (Longman). He’s risen The Great Hotel was modest, highly
high in the world. (Ib.). respectable.(Galsworthy). He was
highly suspicious of strangers. (Close).
He speaks very highly of the boy’s
behaviour. (Longman); highly paid.
(Ib.).

7. NEAR-NEARLY.
The semantic difference btw these adverbs is distinct enough: ‘near’ is used in the direct
(local) meaning (‘close’), ‘nearly’ is an adverb of degree meaning ‘almost’. Besides, ‘near’ is
inflected for degrees of comparison, cf.:
Near Nearly
‘They said it was near Surrey Docks…’ That was nearly thirty years ago.
(Pritchett). ‘Good morning, sir,’ said the (Bates). I nearly lost consciousness on
one nearest him.(Waugh). the Triborough Bridge. (Cheever).

8. PRETTY-PRETTILY
The semantic difference btw these adverbs is clear enough. The former is an adverb of
degree meaning ‘rather, fairly’, the latter is a qualitative adverb meaning ‘in a pleasing or
charming way’, cf.:
Pretty Prettily
‘You’re really pretty sure of me, aren’t Mary dresses very prettily. (Close).
you, Leo?’ (Littell). She dances pretty
well. (Close).

9. SHARP-SHARPLY
In some uses of theirs these forms are interchangeable, in particular with the verb ‘turn
(abruptly)’, e.g. The road turns sharp(ly) to the left. (Hornby). Cf. Also:
Sharp Sharply
As the crossroads we turned sharp (to A sound of laughter was heard – they
the) left. (Close). turned sharply. (Christie).
The phrase ‘to look sharp’ has two meanings: 1) to be watchful, e.g. ‘Look sharp!’ and 2) to
be in a hurry, e.g. You have to look sharp if you want to be on time. (Longman). But the
phrase ‘to look sharply’ means only ‘to look attentively, intently’, e.g. …the doctor looked at
him sharply. (Christie). ‘Sharply’ is also used with verbs of speech, e.g. ‘And she said
sharply: ‘Go!’ (Caillou).
In the meaning of ‘exactly, precisely’ only ‘sharp’ is used: e.g. The meeting starts at 3 o’clock
sharp: don’t be late.’ (Longman).

10. SHORT-SHORTLY
‘Short’ occurs mainly in fixed phrases: a) ‘to stop short’ (in the meaning of ‘suddenly,
abruptly’), b) ‘to cut short somebody, smth’ (in the meaning of ‘to stop suddenly before the
end’), c) ‘to fall \ go \ run short of smth’ (in the meaning of ‘not to have enough left’) and
some others, e.g. a) The driver stopped short when the child ran into the street. (Longman);
b) The accident forced them to cut their holiday short. (Ib.); c) ‘We’ve run short of oil’ (Ib.).
‘Shortly’ has the meanings: a) soon, in a little time, e.g. They found him shortly afterwards.
(Christie); b) in a curt way, e.g. He answered shortly that he didn’t care what I thought.
(Boyd); c) at a short distance, e.g. Make a right turn shortly beyond the village. (Longman).

11.WIDE-WIDELY
‘Wide’ is used in the direct meaning, especially about the state of sleepliness, e.g. Vera
Claythorn lay in bed, wide awake. (Christie). Her eyes opened wide. (Ib.). ‘Widely’ is used in
figurative meanings: widely known (Longman). He is widely read. (Ib.).

EXERCISES
Ex. 1. Give the degrees of comparison of the following adverbs:
Easily, hard, fast, early, often, badly, little, shyly, far, happily, well, much, late, loudly,
quickly.

Ex. 2. Choose the correct form in brackets:

1. The roots of all the Lindseys had driven (deep\deeply) into this earth. 2. Amalie knew
that she had struck (deep\deeply) at Jerome with accusation of cruelty. 3. Hector Adonis
chose a fine Sunday (short\shortly) after Piscotta’s death to visit the Monterlepre
Cemetery. 4. The accident forced them to cut their holiday (short\shortly). 5. He explained
his meaning (short\shortly) but clearly. 6. Henry studied the newcomer (close-closely). 7.
He sat down on a great rock (close\closely) by. 8. The plane flew (high\highly) above. 9.
He’s risen (high\highly) in the world. 10. He speaks very (high\highly) of the boy’s
behaviour. 11. He is a (high\highly) skilled turner. 12. I should (dear\dearly) love to go
back to Scotland. 13. It will cost you too (dear\dearly). 14. ‘Aren’t you (pretty\prettily)
early?’ 15. Their mother likes them to be (pretty\pretily) dressed. 16. I live away back, and
have to work (pretty\prettily) (hard\hardly). 17. Coming (near\nearly) I found the door
ajar. 18. The room risen from behind the copse,- (near\nearly) full. 19. It was said (flat\
flatly). The tone final. 20. Robert Jordan handed his glasses to Anselmo who lay (flat\flatly)
beside him.

LITERATURE
1. Ganshina M.A., Vasilevskaya N.M. English Grammar. M., 1964.
2. Quirk R. et al. A University Grammar of English. M., 1982.
3. Кобрина Н.А. и др. Грамматика англий ского языка. Морфология. Москва, 1985.