The word adverb comes from Latin and is formed by the prefix ad, which means towards or next to, and by verb, which is equivalent to a verb. Therefore, the adverb is the word that complements the verb. However, the adverb can also accompany an adjective or another adverb.
All adverbs are invariable words and, consequently, they have no number (singular or plural), nor gender (masculine or feminine).
Classes of adverbs
There are adverbs of place, time, mode and quantity. There are also those of affirmation, of denial and of doubt. Among the most common adverbs of place, we can mention the following: here, there, there, near or far. Before, after, still or recently are adverbs of time. Some of the modes are the following: clear, like this, quickly, right or wrong. Little, enough or too much are examples of adverbs of quantity. The words yes and they are also affirmative adverbs, no and they are never negative and, finally, among those that express doubt we can mention perhaps, perhaps or possibly.
The use of adverbs
Adverbs help or complete the verb. If I say "I work well" or "runs a lot", the adverbs used provide a clarification about the action expressed by the verb. Sometimes adverbs accompany an adjective (very black or quite light). Finally, they can go together with a different adverb (for example, quite a bit more or maybe yes). It should be noted that an adjective becomes an adverb when the suffix mind is added (softly, gently, easily, easily, enormously, enormously ...).
Adverbial phrases
A phrase is a set of two or more words that are equivalent to another specific word. Therefore, if we speak of an adverbial phrase, the words that form it act as a concrete adverb. Adverbial phrases usually include at least one preposition and one noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
Some examples of sentences with adverbial phrases would be the following: "I'll get to your job right away" (here "right away" is equivalent to quickly), "I'll do it to the letter" (the adverbial phrase "to the letter" is equivalent to to exactly) and "in the blink of an eye" (this phrase means very fast). There are adverbial phrases of place (outside), of time (suddenly), of way (left and right) and, ultimately, of each kind of adverb. Many of the expressions that we use when speaking are, in reality, adverbial phrases, such as "silly and crazy", "no rhyme or reason", "feet together" and many others.
