Definition of Adverb of Manner

Definition of Adverb of Manner In English grammar, an adverb of manner is an adverb (such as quickly or slowly) that describes how  and in what way the action of a verb is carried out. Also called a manner adverb and a  manner adverbial. Most adverbs of manner are formed by adding -ly to adjectives, but there are important exceptions (e.g., well). In most cases, the comparative and superlative of manner adverbs are formed with more (or less) and most (or least) respectively. Adverbs of manner most often appear  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹after a verb or at the end of a verb phrase  (but see the notes on positioning below).It is  adverbs of manner, says Rodney Huddleston, that are most freely modified by other adverbs (normally of degree):  She spoke very quietly (Introduction to the Grammar of English). Examples and Observations Fenweather spoke sharply, and brought his head around towards me.(Raymond Chandler, Finger Man. Trouble Is My Business, 1939)Mr. Legree walked slowly to the front of the room and spoke to the children softly but firmly.My grandmother complained loudly about the temperature of the room.When President Madison sent troops into West Florida in 1810, Federalists loudly complained about the expansive use of presidential power.Plantings that had been carefully arranged to frame natural or architectural features were carelessly cleared away.Cautiously, gently, I touch the slide.(Mary Ladd Gavell, The Rotifer. Psychiatry, 1968)She flushed and, as people will do who are unable, or are too young to discuss impersonally subjects on which they hold strong opinions, she spoke aggressively.​  (Alec Waugh, Kept: A Story of Post-War London, 1925)Here the excellent tenor player, Prince Robinson, holds forth for three-quarters of a chorus, easily demonstrating why Coleman Hawkins and other mus icians thought so highly of him. Not quite as consistently energetic as Hawkins, he could at times match him in inventiveness.(Gunther Schuller, The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945. Oxford University Press, 1989) Positioning Manner Adverbs Certain types of adverbs are excluded from certain positions. For example, a manner adverb may immediately precede the main verb, following a nonfinite auxiliary (1.7a), but it cannot precede a finite or non-finite auxiliary (1.7b,c). (1.7a) The prisoner has been loudly proclaiming his innocence.(1.7b) *The prisoner has loudly been proclaiming his innocence.(1.7c) *The prisoner loudly has been proclaiming his innocence. . . . Nevertheless, a manner adverb may occur in a clause-initial position: (1.81) Loudly, the prisoner has been proclaiming his innocence. (Eva Engels, Optimizing Adverb Positions. John Benjamins, 2012) Adverbs can also modify clauses. Compare the two sentences in (61). (61a) He answered the question foolishly.(61b) Foolishly, he answered the question. In (61a), foolishly is a manner adverbial. It describes how he answered the question, that is, he gave a foolish answer. However, in (61b) foolishly is not a manner adverb. It is an evaluation of what he did. Answering the question was a foolish act. We do not know why it was foolish to do this, but the speaker feels that it was. Adverbs that make a comment about the entire sentence are called adjuncts.(Ron Cowan, The Teachers Grammar of English: A Course Book and Reference Guide. Cambridge University Press, 2008) If we all behaved rationally, presumably we would all reach similar conclusions on the basis of the same available information.(Jo Brunas-Wagstaff, Personality: A Cognitive Approach. Routledge, 1998)} A Warning Watch out for manner adverbs that add no solid information: extremely, very, really, incredibly, unbelievably, astonishingly, totally, truly, currently, presently, formerly, previously.Also watch out for ones that try too hard to add impact to actions: cruelly, happily, wantonly, angrily, sexily, alluringly, menacingly, blissfully.All these words have their place. They appear in the best writing, but more often theyre found in the worst writing. So consider them red flags and weigh their use carefully.(June Casagrande, It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences. Ten Speed Press, 2010) Classroom Activity With Manner Adverbs One student goes outside, and the others choose a manner adverb (for example, quickly or angrily). The student returns and orders one of the members of the class to do an action by saying, for example, Stand up! or Write your name on the board! or Open the door! The person addressed has to carry out the command according to the manner adverb chosen: to stand up quickly, or write their name angrily, for example. The student has to guess what the manner adverb was.(Penny Ur and Andrew Wright, Five-Minute Activities: A Resource Book of Short Activities. Cambridge University Press, 1992)