Chapter on Adverbs
– Correct Usage for SSC CHSL Tier 1 2017-18
Adverbs: Definition:
A word that
modifies the meaning of a verb adjective or another adverb is called an
adverb. For example. clearly, sweetly, quite always
Rule 1 : Adverbs
denoting time are generally placed before the verb and not after it some
important adverbs which denote time are always, seldom, often, rarely,
generally, sometimes etc.
Rule 2 : Use of
much and very.
(i) Much is used with an adverb or an
adjective in the comparative degree. Very is used when an adverb or an
adjective is in the positive degree.
(ii) Much is used with past participle, and very
with present participle.
(iii) Very is
used with post participated only when it to used an adjective.
Rule 3 : Use of
adverb “too”
To is an adverb
showing comparison and means more than enough. So too when used in the
comparative sense is followed by “to otherwise the sentence will be incomplete
and incorrect.
Rule 4 : Use of
“else”
The adverb else
is followed by but and not by than
Rule 5 : Use of
hard, hardly, easy, easily.
Hard and easy
are adjectives, whereas hardly and easily and adverbs. They should not be
interchanged in their use.
Rule 6 : Use of
not
“Not is used as
an adverb whereas “No” is used as an adjective.
“Not” is used an
adverb whereas “No” is used as an adjective
If a sentence is
to imply something negative it should not have “not” and another negative word.
Rule 7 : Adverb
as is not used with verb like elect, call, appoint, consider, etc.
Rule 8 : Use of
As ……….. as, so ………. as
AS ……. as is
used in the affirmative sentences.
So …….. as is
used in the negative sentences.
Rule 9 : Use of
“no sooner”, “hardly”
“Sooner” is an
adjective in the comparative degree so the clause beginning with “no sooner”
should be joined with the conjunction “than”. In the case of “hardly” and
“scarcely”: the connectives is “when”
Rule 10 : use of
only
“Only” can be
used as an adjective and as an adverb also. So it should be used carefully.
SOLVED PRACTICE EXERCISE ON Spot the error in
Adverbs
Read each
sentence given below and find out whether there is an error in it. The error,
if any will be one of the parts of the sentence which are marked as 1,2,3 and
4. If there is no error, the answer will be (5) i.e. No error. (Ignore the errors
of punctuation, if any).
I cannot ask
(1) / my father (2) / for his car without (3) / any vividly reason. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 4
Explanation:
Replace
'vividly' with 'vivid'.
Here, 'vividly' is
an adverb, which cannot qualify a noun i.e. 'reason'.
The correct way
should be - 'vivid' as an adjective.
The correct
sentence should be: I cannot ask my father for his car without any vivid
reason.
Let us see the
proper application of adverb 'vividly'

Adverb is a word
that qualifies -
1. a verb
2. an adjective
3. another
adverb
4. a preposition
ExampleExplanationHe
eats fast.Here, 'fast' is an adverb because it is qualifying the verb 'eats'.He
is quite an intelligent boy.Here, 'quite' is an adverb because it is qualifying
the adjective 'intelligent'He ran very fast.Here, 'very' is an adverb because
it is qualifying the adverb 'fast'.
2) She took (1) / tea and (2) / said that (3) / it tasted sweetly. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 4
Explanation:
Replace
'sweetly' with 'sweet'.
After the words
- taste, feel, seem, appear, look, smell, remain, adjective should be used, not
adverb.
The correct
sentence should be: She took tea and said that it tasted sweet.
Few examples
are:
(i) Honey tastes
sweet. (not sweetly)
(ii) A flower
smells sweet. (not sweetly)
(iii) She looks
beautiful. (not beautifully)
3) He was exceedingly paid (1) / for how skilful he (2) / handled (3)
/ the crowd. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 2
Explanation:
Replace
'skilful' with 'skilfully'.
'Skilfully' is
an adverb that qualifies the verb 'handled' here.
The correct
sentence should be: He was exceedingly paid for how skilfully he handled the
crowd.
4) I met her (1) / about ten years ago (2) / and have remembered her (3) / ever for. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 4
Explanation:
Replace 'for'
with 'since'.
'Since' is used
with 'ever' as an adverb. The proper way should be 'ever since'.
The correct
sentence should be: I met her about ten years ago and have remembered her ever
since.
Since is used in
different ways- (i) as an adverb of time (ii) conjunction of time (iii)
preposition of time.
As an adverb, it
has two meanings.
1) From then
(i.e. from some time in the past up to now)e.g. I met her about five years ago
and have remembered her ever since.
2) At or during
some time between then and nowe.g. He told me last month and has spoken of it
several times since.
5) He is very senior (1) / to me (2)
/ so I dare not (3) / disrespect
him. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 1
Explanation:
Replace 'very'
with 'much'.
'Very' should be
used before Positive degree and 'much' should be used before Comparative
degree.
The correct
sentence should be: He is much senior to me so I dare not disrespect him.
Use of 'Much'
and 'Very'
(i) 'Much'
qualifies adjectives or adverbs in the Comparative degree - much better, much
wiser, much luckier
'Very' should be
used with the Positive degree - very good, very wise, very lucky
e.g. He is much
better than you.
He spoke very
loudly.
(ii) 'Much'
qualifies past participle - much amazed, much surprised, much admired
'Very' qualifies
present participle - very daring, very perplexing, very challenging, very
entertaining
e.g. He was much
annoyed at your behaviour.
This report is
very interesting.
‘Very’ should
not be used with past participle, but there are some exceptions -
very tired, very
dejected, very contented, very discontented, very pleased, very drunk, very
limited, very delighted
6) He said (1)
/ it was (2) / quite all right
(3) / to reject the offer. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 3
Explanation:
'Quite all'
cannot be used together.
Either 'quite
right' or 'all right' should be used.
The correct
sentence should be: He said it was quite right to reject the offer.
Difference
between 'Quite' and 'Very'
'Quite' denotes
'perfectly, completely'. It cannot be used to replace 'very'.
Don't say: She
is quite lovely.Say: She is very lovely.
Don't say: He is
quite handsome.Say: He is very handsome.
Note: 'Quite' is
used with positive degree as follows -
quite chilly,
quite cool, quite warm, quite rift, quite wrong, quite alone, quite well.
7) She was (1)
/ heavily fined (2) / last month (3) / for coming lately. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 4
Explanation:
Replace 'lately'
with 'late'.
'Lately' is an
adverb that denotes 'recently'.
'Late' denotes
'after the fixed, right or usual time'.
The correct
sentence should be: She was heavily fined last month for coming late.
Observe the
difference in the meaning of the sentences,
e.g. Has he come
lately? (Recently)
Did he come
late? (After the fixed time)
8) I am too glad (1) / to receive (2) / the offer letter (3) / of this company. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 1
Explanation:
Replace 'too'
with 'very'.
'Too' denotes
'more than required'. It is generally used with unpleasant adjectives. e.g. too
ugly, too bad, too wicked etc.
The correct
sentence should be: I am very glad to receive the offer letter of this company.
Don't say: I am
too glad to meet you.
Say: I am very
glad to meet you.
Note: Too happy,
too healthy, too pleased etc should not be used with 'too' as you don’t really
mean “more than required happy” or “healthy - more than required”.
Similarly, Let
us see the use of 'Too....to'
'Too...to' can
be used with pleasant adjectives
e.g. He is too
intelligent to be cheated.
9) Her failure (1) / is too much (2) / painful (3)
/ for our family. (4) / No Error
(5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 2
Explanation:
Replace 'too
much' with 'much too'.
Here, painful is
an adjective.
'Much too' is
followed by 'adjective'; whereas 'too much' is followed by 'noun'.
The correct
sentence should be: Her failure is much too painful for our family.
Much too
Rule:
much too +
unpleasant adjectives
e.g. much too
careless, much too reckless, much too painful
Too much
Rule:too much +
noun
e.g. too much
carelessness, too much recklessness, too much pain
10) The amount which (1) / the Company has paid (2) / to dependents of the dead worker(3) / is fairly unjustified. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 4
Explanation:
Replace 'fairly'
with 'rather'.
'Fairly' is used
with pleasant adjectives e.g. fairly good, fairly wise etc.
'Rather' is used
with unpleasant adjectives e.g. rather dull, rather difficult etc.
The correct
sentence should be: “The amount which the Company has paid to the dependents of
the dead worker is rather unjustified.”
Use of 'Fairly'
and 'Rather'
A + Fairly +
Adjective + Noune.g. a fairly good book
A + Rather +
Adjective + Noune.g. a rather difficult questionRather + A/An + Adjective +
Noune.g. rather a difficult problem
Fairly is used
with positive degree only - fairly good, fairly beautiful etc.
Rather is used
with positive and comparative degree - rather bad, rather difficult, rather
hotter etc.
Note: Use of
'Fairly too ..... ' is incorrect, 'Rather..... too......' is correct and should
be used.
Don't say:
Fairly too good
Say: Rather too
good
11) She was (1)
/ hardly-hit (2) / by her
(3) / father's death. (4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 2
Explanation:
Replace 'hardly'
with 'hard'.
'Hardly' denotes
barely or scarcely, whereas 'hard' means 'firm/ tough'.
The correct
sentence should be: She was hard-hit by her father's death.
Observe the
difference in use of 'hard' and 'hardly',
e.g. He works
hard.
He hardly works.
(means “He barely works.”)
Don't say: This
hardly-won supremacy was not to be lost.
Say: This
hard-won supremacy was not to be lost.
12) When carefully examined, (1) / it was found (2) / that there (3) / were some missing pieces.(4) / No Error (5)
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
ANSWER: 1
Explanation:
'Carefully' will
come after 'examined'. Carefully is an adverb of manner and should be used
after the verb.
The correct
sentence should be: When examined carefully, it was found that there were some
missing pieces.
Same applies
for,
Carefully,
Critically, Beautifully, Lovingly, Peacefully
e.g. He sleeps
peacefully.
He examined it
critically
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