Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They can describe how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. Adverbs are often used to compare two or more things. Here are a few examples of adverbs that are used to compare:

  • more: This adverb is used to compare two things and show that one thing has a greater degree of a quality than the other. For example: “She sings more beautifully than her sister.”
  • less: This adverb is used to compare two things and show that one thing has a lesser degree of a quality than the other. For example: “He runs less quickly than his friend.”
  • better: This adverb is used to compare two things and show that one thing is superior to the other in some way. For example: “She speaks better French than her sister.”
  • worse: This adverb is used to compare two things and show that one thing is inferior to the other in some way. For example: “He sings worse than his friend.”

There are many other adverbs that can be used to compare things, such as “faster,” “slower,” “earlier,” “later,” “more often,” and “less frequently.”

Here are 10 questions that you could use to compare adverbs in a worksheet:

  1. How do adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs?
  2. Can an adverb be placed in any position in a sentence?
  3. How do adverbs of frequency (e.g. always, sometimes) differ from adverbs of degree (e.g. very, quite)?
  4. How do adverbs of time (e.g. now, then) differ from adverbs of place (e.g. here, there)?
  5. How do comparative adverbs (e.g. more, less) differ from superlative adverbs (e.g. most, least)?
  6. How do adverbs that answer the question “how” (e.g. quickly, slowly) differ from adverbs that answer the question “why” (e.g. therefore, thus)?
  7. How do linking adverbs (e.g. however, therefore) differ from transitional adverbs (e.g. first, next)?
  8. Can an adjective be turned into an adverb by adding -ly (e.g. quick -> quickly)?
  9. Can an adverb be used to modify a noun or pronoun?
  10. How do adverbs that express certainty (e.g. definitely, certainly) differ from adverbs that express possibility (e.g. possibly, maybe)?

Explanation

  1. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs by providing additional information about the action being performed or the quality being described. They can describe how, when, where, or to what extent something is done.
  2. An adverb can be placed in any position in a sentence, although the position can affect the emphasis and clarity of the sentence.
  3. Adverbs of frequency describe how often something happens. They can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Adverbs of degree describe the intensity or extent of something. They are usually placed before the adjective or adverb they are modifying.
  4. Adverbs of time describe when something happened, is happening, or will happen. Adverbs of place describe where something happened or is happening.
  5. Comparative adverbs describe a comparison between two things. They are formed by adding -er to the adverb or by using “more” before the adverb. Superlative adverbs describe the highest degree of something. They are formed by adding -est to the adverb or by using “most” before the adverb.
  6. Adverbs that answer the question “how” describe the manner in which something is done. They can be placed at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Adverbs that answer the question “why” provide a reason or cause for something. They are usually placed at the beginning or end of a clause.
  7. Linking adverbs connect clauses or sentences and indicate a relationship between them. They are usually placed at the beginning or end of a clause. Transitional adverbs indicate a sequence or order. They are usually placed at the beginning of a clause.
  8. Many adjectives can be turned into adverbs by adding -ly to the end. However, not all adjectives can be transformed in this way, and some adverbs do not have an adjective form.
  9. Adverbs can be used to modify nouns or pronouns, but they typically provide more information about the verb or adjective in the sentence.
  10. Adverbs that express certainty describe something that is definitely true or certain to happen. Adverbs that express possibility describe something that may or may not happen.

10 sentences that compare adverbs:

  1. She sings loudly, but he sings softly. (comparison of degree)
  2. She always sings on pitch, but he sometimes sings off pitch. (comparison of frequency)
  3. She sings beautifully now, but she sang poorly then. (comparison of time)
  4. She sings beautifully here, but she sings poorly there. (comparison of place)
  5. She sings more beautifully than anyone else. (comparison of degree)
  6. She sings the most beautifully of anyone. (comparison of degree)
  7. She sings beautifully because she practices regularly. (comparison of reason)
  8. She sings beautifully; however, she plays the piano poorly. (comparison of ability)
  9. First, she warms up her voice. Next, she practices her scales. (comparison of sequence)
  10. She definitely sings beautifully. (comparison of certainty)

Here is an example of comparing adverbs in a sentence:

“He speaks quietly, but she speaks loudly.”

In this sentence, the adverbs “quietly” and “loudly” are being compared to describe the volume at which the two people speak. “Quietly” describes a lower volume, while “loudly” describes a higher volume. These adverbs are modifying the verbs “speaks” and are providing additional information about the manner in which the speaking is being done.