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I’ve been waiting my whole life to write an article on adverbs.
Welcome back to my very first article on writing tips. I’m writing this because there are so many misconceptions about English reading and writing. Heck, there’s a reason why there are so many programs dedicated to correcting grammar mistakes. English is confusing! And while it’s far from the most confusing part of speech, the first lesson will be about adverbs.
What Are Adverbs?
This is honestly just a formality. If you don’t know what adverbs are, then I have no idea how you even found this article.
Adverbs are any part of speech that is used to modify or change a verb, adjective, or maybe even another adverb. When an adverb modifies a verb, it usually does so in the following ways: said softly, ate quickly, walked slowly. The following is a list of adverbs that modify verbs:
- Quickly
- Briefly
- Softly
- Loudly
- Jokingly
And so on! These are the kinds of adverbs that are usually redundant. For example, why say “walk quickly” if you can just say “run”? This article from Enchanting Marketing does a good job of explaining this principle.
There are numerous adverbs and we frequently use them during conversations. The problem comes when you try to use them while writing.
Are Adverbs Good or Bad?
They’re usually redundant, but they’re not automatically bad. Heck, I just used one to specify how redundant they are. They have their time and place like everything else.
Seeing an adverb placed where it shouldn’t be in a book or text will always raise red flags. It’s a hint that maybe the author is doing more telling than showing. Instead of describing someone as doing something “hurriedly,” you should write that they were a blur as they moved around.
It sounds like there’s no place for adverbs, but there is. Adverbs shouldn’t be used to describe a scene or feeling, but they can be properly utilized if you’re trying to enhance them.
For example, the word “fast” can’t accurately describe every vehicle equally. If you’re talking about the world’s fastest car, you’ll want to call it more than “fast.” You might want to say that it moves extremely fast.
Final Verdict
I would say that adverbs are unnecessary eight out of ten times. It’s better to write a feeling out instead of attempting to describe it in one word. That being said, adverbs exist for a reason. There are times when they can be applied without subtracting from the scene.
Seriously though, if I ever see “walked quickly” in a novel, I’m putting that sucker down.
Thank you for reading my little advice article on how to improve one’s writing skills. I didn’t intend for this to be an “ultimate guide” on adverbs, but I could write one of those too if there’s demand.
I’m passionate about writing in general, so I can write an article on anything. Leave a comment and let me know what you want to learn about next. Also be sure to share this article to Twitter, Facebook, and every other social media under the sun.
My name is Kesten E. Harris and I’m a self-published author who loves writing. Find out more about me here. Check out all of my books on this page, including The Explorer Complete Series, which a collection of my first four YA books.