You already know adverbs describe HOW, WHEN, WHERE, HOW OFTEN and HOW MUCH. Now they get the same upgrade as adjectives — adverbs can compare too, and a few of them break the rule entirely.
Every adverb answers one of five questions.
| Question | Kind | Example |
|---|---|---|
| HOW? | Manner | bravely |
| WHEN? | Time | recently |
| WHERE? | Place | nearby |
| HOW OFTEN? | Frequency | rarely |
| HOW MUCH? | Degree | completely |
Just like adjectives, adverbs can compare TWO actions or THREE OR MORE.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| fast | faster | fastest |
| hard | harder | hardest |
| carefully | more carefully | most carefully |
Short adverbs (no -ly) add -er/-est. Long -ly adverbs use more/most instead.
A few adverbs, just like their matching adjectives, break the rule completely.
well → better → best · badly → worse → worst. Never say "gooder", "more well" or "badlier" — these are not real words.
12 IEO-style questions on adverbs. 🍀