Grammar: A2 - ✨ Grammar Essentials: 🧩 Parts of Speech - Expanding - Lesson 9: Adverbs of Manner (slowly, quickly, happily - forming with -ly)

Grammar: Adverbs of Manner

A2 Lesson 18: Describing Actions with '-ly' Words

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form adverbs of manner (like slowly and happily) and use them correctly to describe how an action is done.

How to Describe an Action

Adverbs of Manner tell us how someone does something. Think of it like this: an adjective describes a person or thing, but an adverb describes the action (the verb).

• He is a careful driver. (The adjective 'careful' describes the noun 'driver'.)
• He drives carefully. (The adverb 'carefully' describes the verb 'drives'.)

How to Form Adverbs 📖

Spelling Rules

• For most adjectives, just add -ly.
  quick → quickly | beautiful → beautifully
• If the adjective ends in -y, change it to -ily.
  happy → happily | easy → easily
• If the adjective ends in -le, change the 'e' to 'y'.
  simple → simply | gentle → gently

Irregular Adverbs

Special Adverbs to Remember

Some important adverbs do not follow the '-ly' rule. You must memorize these!

Adjective	Adverb	Example
good	well	She speaks English very well.
fast	fast	He drives his moto very fast.
hard	hard	They work hard every day.

Word Order in a Sentence

The most common place for an adverb of manner is after the verb or after the object. Let's see this in a conversation.

Mother: Please be careful with those plates! Carry them slowly.

Son: Don't worry, Mom. I am walking carefully.

Mother: Good. You are doing that very well.

Practice Your Grammar 🎯

Exercise: Adjective or Adverb?

Choose the correct word to complete the sentences.

1. He is a (slow / slowly) driver.
   → 'Slow' is an adjective describing the noun 'driver'.
2. He drives (slow / slowly).
   → 'Slowly' is an adverb describing the verb 'drives'.
3. The music is too (loud / loudly).
4. Please don't speak so (loud / loudly).
5. She is a very (good / well) student. She studies (good / well).

Your Grammar Mission ⭐

Describe the Action

Complete the sentences by changing the adjective in parentheses ( ) into an adverb.

1. The old man walked (slow) across the street.
   → slowly
2. I finished the test (easy).
   → easily
3. My friend speaks English (good).
   → well

Key Vocabulary

• Adverb of Manner (Noun) | កិរិយាវិសេសនៃលក្ខណៈ
  A word that describes how an action is done.
• Irregular (Adjective) | មិនទៀងទាត់
  Not following the usual rules or patterns.
• Placement (Noun) | ការដាក់ទីតាំង
  The position or location of something; word order.