THE ADVERBS
An adverb is a word that qualifies the action of the verb, that is, it specifies how or when the action is performed. In English, many adverbs are indicated by the -ly ending. In French, most adverbs end in -ment:
| lentement | slowly | |
| attentivement | carefully | |
| souvent | often |
Adverbs answer questions about the action: how? How much? When? And where? While most adverbs in French and English modify verbs, they can also modify other adverbs as well as adjectives.
| verb modified by adverb: | écoute attentivement | listen carefully | ||
| adverb modified by adverb: | trop lentement | too slowly | ||
| adjective modified by adverb: | extrêmement silencieux | extremely quiet |
Note: It is common in non-standard English for speakers to use adjectives in place of adverbs.