Quick answer: A verb shows an action or a state of being, like run, think or be. An adverb describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a whole sentence, usually by telling how, when, where or how much. In “She runs quickly,” runs is the verb and quickly is the adverb.
Adverb vs Verb Quiz: Test Yourself
The action or state word: run, write, think, be. Every full sentence needs one.
Describes a verb, adjective or another adverb: softly, very, here, never.
Not every -ly word is an adverb. Friendly and lovely are adjectives. Check the job, not the ending.
Does it show the action? Verb. Does it tell how, when or where the action happens? Adverb.
Adverb vs verb is a mix-up that starts early in grammar class, partly because the two words sound alike and partly because adverbs spend so much time next to verbs. They do different jobs, though. One names what happens, and the other adds detail about how, when or where it happens. Once you see that split, sentences become much easier to read and write.
| Term | Meaning | Part of speech / Category | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb | A word that shows an action, an event or a state of being | Part of speech (the action or state word) | The children build a sandcastle every summer. |
| Adverb | A word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a whole sentence | Part of speech (the describing word) | The children build very carefully. |
What does verb mean?
A verb is a word that shows an action, an event or a state of being. It sits at the heart of most sentences. Run, write, think, become and be are all verbs.
Verbs change form to show time and who is acting: walk, walks, walked, walking. Helping verbs such as will, have and is team up with main verbs, as in “She has finished.” A handy check is to see whether you can put the word in the past tense or place “to” in front of it. If that works, you are probably looking at a verb.
What does adverb mean?
An adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, another adverb or a whole sentence. Most often it answers questions such as how, when, where, how often or how much. In “She spoke softly,” softly tells us how she spoke.
Common adverbs include softly, here, always and very. The word itself comes from Latin roots that roughly mean “added to the verb,” which is a useful hint about its job. An adverb never carries the action. It only adds detail to something else.
Adverb vs verb: how can you tell them apart?
Ask what the word is doing: a verb tells what happens, and an adverb tells more about how it happens. Take “The dog barked loudly.” Barked is the verb because it is the action. Loudly is the adverb because it tells how the dog barked.
Here is a second test. Remove the word and see what is left. “The dog barked” still works as a sentence, so loudly was an extra detail. “The dog loudly” does not work, so barked was essential. Adverbs are usually optional add-ons, while verbs are the backbone.
You can also ask a question. If the word answers how, when, where, how often or to what extent, it is likely an adverb. If it answers “what is happening?” or “what is it?”, it is likely a verb.
Do all adverbs end in -ly?
No, many adverbs end in -ly, but plenty do not. Very, never, soon, here and fast are adverbs with no -ly ending. Some words that do end in -ly are adjectives instead, such as friendly, lovely and lonely.
That is why the ending alone can mislead you. Look at the job the word does in the sentence. In “a friendly neighbor,” friendly describes a noun, so it is an adjective. In “she smiled warmly,” warmly describes the verb smiled, so it is an adverb.
Can an adverb describe more than a verb?
Yes, an adverb can also describe an adjective, another adverb or a whole sentence. In “extremely tall,” extremely modifies the adjective tall. In “very slowly,” very modifies the adverb slowly. In “Fortunately, we left early,” fortunately comments on the whole sentence.
Whatever it modifies, an adverb still only describes. A verb is the word that shows the action or state.
What are the most common mistakes with adverbs and verbs?
- ✗ He quick runs to school.
✓ He quickly runs to school. - ✗ She is a quickly learner.
✓ She is a quick learner. - ✗ In “She ran quickly,” the verb is quickly.
✓ In “She ran quickly,” the verb is ran and the adverb is quickly. - ✗ Every word ending in -ly is an adverb.
✓ Some -ly words, like friendly, are adjectives. - ✗ He drives careful.
✓ He drives carefully.
How can you remember which one to use?
Link each word to a simple job description. Here are three memory tricks.
- Ad-verb adds to the verb. The ad- part hints at “added to,” so an adverb is an add-on for the verb.
- Verbs do, adverbs describe the doing. If the word is the doing, it is the verb. If it tells how the doing happens, it is the adverb.
- Ask “how?” or “when?” If a word answers one of those questions about an action, it is probably an adverb.
Frequently asked questions
Is an adverb a type of verb?
No. They are separate parts of speech. An adverb usually describes a verb, but it is not a verb itself.
Do all adverbs end in -ly?
No. Words like very, never, here and fast are adverbs without the -ly ending, and some -ly words, such as friendly, are adjectives.
Can an adverb describe more than a verb?
Yes. An adverb can also describe an adjective, another adverb or a whole sentence.
How do I find the verb in a sentence?
Look for the word that shows the action or state of being. Ask what is happening or what something is, and the answer is usually the verb.
Can one word be an adverb and another part of speech?
Yes. Fast is an adjective in “a fast car” and an adverb in “she drives fast.” The sentence tells you which job the word is doing.
Conclusion
The adverb vs verb question comes down to jobs: a verb shows the action or state, and an adverb adds detail about it. Check what the word does, not how it ends, and you will label it correctly almost every time. Share this with someone who mixes these up, and retake the quiz at the top to lock it in.