Irregular Adverb like : Late, Hard, Fast, Well, Often, Always, Never

What are irregular adverbs, and how do they differ from regular adverbs?

Imagine adverbs as words that tell us more about how an action happens. Usually, we add “-ly” to adjectives to turn them into adverbs. For example, “quick” becomes “quickly”. But some adverbs don’t follow this rule; they are a bit rebellious, and we call them irregular adverbs.

Let’s take the word “late” as an example. If your friend arrives after the expected time, you might say, “He came late”. See, no “-ly” needed! Other adverbs like “hard”, “fast”, “well”, “often”, “always” and “never” also break the usual rule.

So, these special adverbs add a fun twist to our language. They don’t play by the regular rules, making English a bit surprising and exciting!

Examples of Irregular Adverbs

Good (adjective) → Well (irregular adverb)
She plays the piano well.

Fast (adjective) → Fast (irregular adverb)
He ran fast to catch the bus.

Hard (adjective) → Hard (irregular adverb)
She works hard every day.

Late (adjective) → Late (irregular adverb)
We arrived late to the party.

Early (adjective) → Early (irregular adverb)
Please come to the meeting early.

Exercises on Irregular Adverbs

Difficulty Level : Intermediate / Proficient / Advanced / Skilled

Objective: An exercise to practice selecting the correct irregular adverb in different contexts

Instructions : Fill in the blanks with the appropriate irregular adverb – Late, Hard, Fast, Well, Often, Always, Never

1. He plays the guitar _______.
2. She completed the puzzle _______.
3. They work _______ to achieve their goals.
4. She reads books _______.
5. I _______ go to bed before midnight.
6. He is known for his ability to adapt _______ to new situations.

Answers and Explanations – Late, Hard, Fast, Well, Often, Always, Never

1. He plays the guitar well.
   – Explanation: “Well” is used here as an adverb to describe how he plays the guitar. It indicates that his guitar-playing skills are proficient.
2. She completed the puzzle fast.
   – Explanation: “Fast” is used as an adverb to describe the speed at which she completed the puzzle. It means she finished it quickly.
3. They work hard to achieve their goals.
   – Explanation: “Hard” functions as an adverb to describe the manner in which they work. It suggests that they put in a lot of effort and dedication to achieve their goals.
4. She reads books often.
   – Explanation: “Often” serves as an adverb to describe the frequency of her reading books. It means she reads books on a regular or frequent basis.
5. I never go to bed before midnight.
   – Explanation: “Never” is an adverb that indicates the complete absence of an action. In this case, it means that the person never goes to bed before midnight.
6. He is known for his ability to adapt always to new situations.
   – Explanation: “Always” is used as an adverb to describe how consistently he adapts to new situations. It suggests that he is constantly adaptable and doesn’t struggle with change.

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