Master the three most common types of adverbs: Manner (how), Time (when), and Place (where). Learn how to use them correctly to make your sentences clear and detailed.
✅ Recommended for: Class 4-6 (Foundation) | Class 7-8 (Intermediate) | Class 9-10 (Advanced Usage)
1. Manner, Time & Place Adverbs - The Basics
Adverbs: Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They add details about actions.
The Three Key Questions: 1. HOW? (Manner) 2. WHEN? (Time) 3. WHERE? (Place)
Think of telling a story about your day:
• HOW did you eat? I ate quickly. (Manner)
• WHEN did you eat? I ate yesterday. (Time)
• WHERE did you eat? I ate here. (Place)
Example 1: She sang beautifully yesterday on stage. (Manner, Time, Place)
Example 2: They will arrive soon at the station. (Time, Place)
2. Adverbs of Manner (Answer: HOW?)
These adverbs describe how an action is done. They're often formed by adding "-ly" to adjectives.
| Adjective | Adverb of Manner | Meaning | Example Sentence | Common Mistakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quick | quickly | in a fast way | He ran quickly. | He ran quick ✗ |
| slow | slowly | in a slow way | She walked slowly. | She walked slow ✗ (but "slow" is becoming accepted) |
| careful | carefully | with care | Handle it carefully. | Handle it careful ✗ |
| happy | happily | in a happy way | They played happily. | They played happy ✗ |
| loud | loudly | making much noise | Don't speak loudly. | Don't speak loud ✗ (but common in speech) |
| good | well | in a good way | She sings well. | She sings good ✗ (common error!) |
| fast | fast | quickly | He drives fast. | He drives fastly ✗ (no such word!) |
| hard | hard | with effort | They work hard. | They work hardly ✗ (hardly = almost not!) |
Important Exception: Good → Well
• Adjective: She is a good singer. (describes singer)
• Adverb: She sings well. (describes how she sings)
• Wrong: She sings good. ✗
Remember: "I am good" = I'm a good person. "I am well" = I'm healthy.
3. Adverbs of Time (Answer: WHEN?)
These adverbs tell us when an action happens or for how long.
| Category | Adverbs | Example Sentences | Questions Answered | Position in Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite Time | yesterday, today, tomorrow, now, then | I saw her yesterday. We'll go tomorrow. |
Exactly when? | Usually at end or beginning |
| Frequency | always, often, sometimes, never, usually | She always arrives early. I sometimes eat pizza. |
How often? | Before main verb, after "be" verb |
| Duration | still, yet, already, since, for | I'm still waiting. Have you finished yet? |
How long? Until when? | Various positions |
| Relative Time | before, after, soon, later, early, late | Come before 5 PM. See you soon. |
In relation to what? | Usually at end |
| Sequence | first, next, then, finally, previously | First, mix flour. Then, add eggs. |
In what order? | Usually at beginning |
Frequency Adverb Rule: Put frequency adverbs before the main verb but after "be" verbs.
• She often visits. (before main verb "visits")
• She is often late. (after "be" verb "is")
4. Adverbs of Place (Answer: WHERE?)
These adverbs tell us where an action happens or in what direction.
| Category | Adverbs | Example Sentences | Questions Answered | Related Prepositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | here, there, everywhere, somewhere | Come here. My keys are somewhere. |
At what place? | at, in, on |
| Direction | up, down, left, right, forward, backward | Look up. Move forward. |
To what direction? | to, toward, into |
| Distance | near, far, away, close | She lives near. Don't go far. |
How far? | from, to |
| Position | inside, outside, upstairs, downstairs | Please wait outside. He's upstairs. |
In what position? | in, out, up, down |
| Movement | home, abroad, overseas, downtown | Let's go home. She works downtown. |
To what specific place? | to, at |
Here vs There:
• Here = near the speaker: "Put it here (by me)."
• There = away from speaker: "Put it there (over there, not by me)."
5. Using Manner, Time & Place Together
When you use multiple adverbs in one sentence, they usually go in this order: Manner → Place → Time.
| Sentence | Manner (How?) | Place (Where?) | Time (When?) | Correct Order | Wrong Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| She works | hard | in the office | every day | She works hard in the office every day. ✓ | She works in the office hard every day ✗ |
| They played | happily | in the garden | yesterday | They played happily in the garden yesterday. ✓ | They played yesterday happily in the garden ✗ |
| I will meet you | quickly | at the station | tomorrow | I will meet you quickly at the station tomorrow. ✓ | I will meet you tomorrow at the station quickly ✗ |
| He drives | carefully | on highways | always | He always drives carefully on highways. ✓ (Frequency before verb) |
He drives carefully always on highways ✗ |
Memory Trick: MPT - My Pizza Time!
• Manner (How do I eat?) - quickly
• Place (Where do I eat?) - here
• Time (When do I eat?) - now
I eat quickly here now!
MPT order = Manner, Place, Time
๐ฏ Adverbs of Manner, Time & Place Challenge
Identify what type of adverb is used in each sentence.
1. She completed her assignment yesterday. (What type?)
2. Please put the books there. (What type?)
3. He speaks English fluently. (What type?)
4. Arrange in correct order: meet / I / you / tomorrow / at the park / will
(Verb + Place + Time)
5. Which is correct?
a) She sings good.
b) She sings well.
"Good" is an adjective, "well" is the adverb of manner.
7. Memory Aids & Practice Tips
The Adverb Questions:
• Manner: How? In what way?
• Time: When? How often? How long?
• Place: Where? To where? From where?
Ask these questions to identify adverb types!
Daily Practice Game: "Adverb Detective"
1. During the day, notice actions around you
2. For each action, ask: How? When? Where?
3. Example: Someone walks past
• How? Quickly/slowly (Manner)
• When? Now/just now (Time)
• Where? Here/past my room (Place)
Practice makes perfect!
Common Mistakes:
• Using adjectives instead of adverbs: "She sings beautiful" ✗ (should be "beautifully" ✓)
• Confusing "good" and "well": "I did good on the test" ✗ (should be "well" ✓)
• Wrong adverb order: "I go often to the park" ✗ (should be "I often go to the park" ✓)
• Using "hardly" to mean "with effort": "He works hardly" ✗ (hardly = almost not!)
Watch out for these tricky ones!
๐ Practice Adverbs of Manner, Time & Place
Master these essential adverbs with exercises on identification, formation, and correct usage!
Go to Adverbs WorksheetIncludes manner/time/place identification • Adjective to adverb conversion • Sentence formation • Error correction • Mixed exercises
