Forming Adverbs
Many adverbs are formed from adjectives and end in -ly.
Here are some tips to help you form adverbs and spell them correctly:
- The basic rule is that -ly is added to the end of the adjective.For example:
- quick / quickly
- sudden / suddenly
- straightforward / straightforwardly
- If the adjective has two syllables and ends in -y, then you need to replace the final -y with -ily.For example:
- happy / happily
- hungry / hungrily
- lazy / lazily
- If the adjective ends with a consonant followed by -le, replace the final -e with -y on its own.For example:
- terrible / terribly
- comfortable / comfortably
- incredible / incredibly
Bonus tip: Adjectives that end in -ly, such as friendly or lively, can’t be made into adverbs by adding -ly. You have to use a different form of words, e.g. ‘in a friendly way’ or ‘in a lively way’ instead.
Adapted from: Oxford Dictionaries: Spelling Rules and Tips (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/spelling-rules-and-tips)