Adverbs & Adverbials

Use adverbs to describe how, when, or where something happens.

Name:

Date:

Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
Which word is the adverb in: 'The rabbit ran quickly'? A) The B) rabbit C) ran D) quickly
Answer:
2
Turn the adjective into an adverb: slow --> ___ The tortoise walked ___.
Answer:
3
Which adverb tells us WHEN something happened? A) loudly B) yesterday C) outside D) carefully
Answer:
4
Add an adverb: The children played ___. The children played ___.
Answer:
5
In 'She carefully opened the treasure chest', what is the adverb modifying? A) She B) opened C) treasure D) chest
Answer:
6
Put these adverbs in order from slowest to fastest action. Put these in order: quickly, slowly, instantly, steadily
Answer:
7
Turn 'happy' into an adverb. Be careful with the spelling! She ___ skipped down the road.
Answer:
8
Rearrange to put the adverbial at the front: 'the dog / barked / fiercely / at the postman' Put these in order: Fiercely,, the, dog, barked, at, the, postman.
Answer:
9
Which word is NOT an adverb? 'The extremely tall man walked very slowly down the busy street.' A) extremely B) very C) slowly D) busy
Answer:
10
Which adverb means 'in a brave way'? A) bravery B) bravely C) brave D) braver
Answer:

Answer key

Adverbs & Adverbials · for parents and teachers

1
quickly
'Quickly' is the adverb because it tells us HOW the rabbit ran.
2
slowly
Adding '-ly' to 'slow' makes the adverb 'slowly'. It tells us HOW the tortoise walked.
3
yesterday
'Yesterday' tells us WHEN something happened. Adverbs don't just tell us how - they also tell us when and where.
4
happily
An adverb adds detail about the verb 'played' - telling us how, when, or where it happened.
5
opened
'Carefully' modifies 'opened' - it tells us HOW she opened the chest.
6
slowly, steadily, quickly, instantly
Slowly (least fast), steadily (medium pace), quickly (fast), instantly (immediate/fastest).
7
happily
happy -> happily. When adding '-ly' to a word ending in 'y', change the 'y' to 'i' first.
8
Fiercely,, the, dog, barked, at, the, postman.
Moving 'fiercely' to the front makes it a fronted adverbial: 'Fiercely, the dog barked at the postman.' Notice the comma!
9
busy
'Busy' is an adjective describing 'street' (a noun). 'Extremely' modifies 'tall', 'very' modifies 'slowly', and 'slowly' modifies 'walked' - all adverbs.
10
bravely
'Brave' + '-ly' = 'bravely' (in a brave way).