Adverb groups

Linking multiple adverbs

When two or more adverbs are describing the same process, we generally join them using either a comma or the word 'and'.

How are the adverbs connected in this snippet?

"You don’t have to," I answered instinctively, casually.

Wonder(2012)

The snippet uses a comma.

Here are a couple of worked example rewrites, one with a comma and one using 'and':

"You don't have to," I answered immediately, luckily.

"You don't have to," I answered quietly and precisely.

Positive manner adverbs: boldly, eagerly, bravely, deftly, gleefully, gracefully, happily, innocently, merrily, victoriously, warmly...

Negative manner adverbs: angrily, anxiously, foolishly, irritably, jealously, lazily, glumly, selfishly, rudely, cruelly, sadly...

'Depends on context' manner adverbs: accidentally, awkwardly, blindly, defiantly, crazily, doubtfully, dramatically, evenly, exactly, hastily, hungrily, sharply, sulkily, sternly, widely, unexpectedly...

Timing adverbs: always, eventually, often, rarely, sometimes, seldom, usually, finally...

Speed adverbs: quickly, slowly, promptly, rapidly...

Note that most of these adverbs end with -ly? Not all adverbs have -ly endings! (And not all -ly words are adverbs.) We'll talk more about this later.

Write your own variation, separating the adverbs with a comma.
Write another variation, but this time separate the adverbs with 'and'.
Previous page