ED1111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Academic Writing
ED1111 – Lecture 5
Parts of Speech - Adverbs
What are adverbs used for?
- Adverbs are used to modify or describe verbs
- For example; the tests were performed rigorously and fairly
- Adverbs help to illustrate your writing:
They help the reader to visualise what you are describing
Add definition and clarity by helping you to avoid vagueness
- The primary aim of academic writing is to convey your ideas to somebody else in a clear
concise and effective manner
- For this reason, grammar and punctuation are critical
- Using adverbs can help to give interest to your writing and to assist your reader by making
your meaning clear
Basic Adverbs:
1. Used to add more information to enhance a verb such as:
2. The test were performed fairly
3. The car was driven slowly
Adverbs with other words
1. Adverbs can also be used with adjectives
2. For example: The first model tested, the CX4, was also reasonably cheap to buy
3. Adverbs can also be used with past participles
4. For example: The inquiry heard that forty people were badly injured in the explosion
5. Adverbs can also be used with other adverbs
6. For example: On the whole, it was found that girls learned languages surprisingly easily
Comparative Adverbs
- Used to compare two things or concepts
- They are formed using ‘more’ or ‘less’ plus the adverb
- For example, ‘more efficiently’, ‘less healthily’, and ‘more spontaneously’
- For example, ‘studies have shown that diesel cars consistently perform more effectively than
petrol cars
Superlative Adverbs
- Used to compare more than two things, or one thing to a group
- They are formed using ‘most’ or ‘least’ plus the adverb
- For example; ‘most efficiently’, ‘least healthily’, and ‘most spontaneously’
- For example, ‘studies have shown that diesel cars consistently perform most effectively than
petrol cars
Formal Vs. Informal Language
- When using adverbs, as with all vocabulary choices, it is important to consider appropriateness
(Formal vs. Informal language)
- Academic writing ins formal, therefore you must:
- Use formal vocabulary
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Adverbs are used to modify or describe verbs. For example; the tests were performed rigorously and fairly. They help the reader to visualise what you are describing. Add definition and clarity by helping you to avoid vagueness. The primary aim of academic writing is to convey your ideas to somebody else in a clear concise and effective manner. For this reason, grammar and punctuation are critical. Using adverbs can help to give interest to your writing and to assist your reader by making your meaning clear. Basic adverbs: used to add more information to enhance a verb such as, the test were performed fairly, the car was driven slowly. Used to compare two things or concepts. They are formed using more" or less" plus the adverb. For example, more efficiently", less healthily", and more spontaneously". For example, studies have shown that diesel cars consistently perform more effectively than petrol cars.
