Year 5 English: Does the adverb tell you how, when or where?

Introduction to Adverbs

Today, we are going to learn about adverbs. Adverbs are special words that help us understand more about verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They can tell us three important things: how, when, and where.

What is an Adverb?

An adverb is a word that describes a verb (an action), an adjective (a describing word), or another adverb.

• Example: In the sentence “She runs quickly,” the word quickly is the adverb. It tells us how she runs.

Does the Adverb Tell You How, When or Where?

Let’s break it down:

1. How: This tells us the manner in which something happens.
   • Example: “He sings beautifully.” (How does he sing? Beautifully!)
2. When: This tells us the time something happens.
   • Example: “They will arrive tomorrow.” (When will they arrive? Tomorrow!)
3. Where: This tells us the place something happens.
   • Example: “The cat is sleeping outside.” (Where is the cat sleeping? Outside!)

Key Rules for Identifying Adverbs

• Look for words that describe how, when, or where something happens.
• Many adverbs end in -ly, but not all!
  • Example: Quickly, happily, slowly (these tell how)
• Some common adverbs indicating when are: now, yesterday, soon, and always.
• Some common adverbs indicating where are: here, there, everywhere, and outside.

Tips and Tricks

• To find out if a word is an adverb, ask yourself: Is it telling me how, when, or where?
• If you’re stuck, try replacing the word with “quickly,” “tomorrow,” or “outside” to see if it still makes sense in the sentence.

Practice Questions

Now that we’ve learned about adverbs, let’s practice! Below are some questions to help you figure out if the adverb tells you how, when, or where.

Easy Level Questions

1. She dances gracefully. (How, When, Where?)
2. The dog barks loudly. (How, When, Where?)
3. They will play outside. (How, When, Where?)
4. I will read my book tonight. (How, When, Where?)
5. The sun shines brightly. (How, When, Where?)
6. We go to school every day. (How, When, Where?)
7. The bird flew high. (How, When, Where?)
8. He eats slowly. (How, When, Where?)
9. They arrived late. (How, When, Where?)
10. She is running fast. (How, When, Where?)

Medium Level Questions

1. The children played happily in the park. (How, When, Where?)
2. I will see you soon. (How, When, Where?)
3. The car stopped suddenly. (How, When, Where?)
4. They walked home together. (How, When, Where?)
5. We will meet at the library tomorrow. (How, When, Where?)
6. She looked everywhere for her cat. (How, When, Where?)
7. He completed his homework quickly. (How, When, Where?)
8. The flowers bloom in spring. (How, When, Where?)
9. The teacher explained the lesson clearly. (How, When, Where?)
10. They will celebrate their birthday next week. (How, When, Where?)

Hard Level Questions

1. The athlete performed exceptionally well in the competition. (How, When, Where?)
2. They will move to a new house next month. (How, When, Where?)
3. The detective searched carefully for clues. (How, When, Where?)
4. She plays the piano beautifully every evening. (How, When, Where?)
5. He finished the race quickly despite the rain. (How, When, Where?)
6. The team gathered here for practice yesterday. (How, When, Where?)
7. She whispered softly during the movie. (How, When, Where?)
8. The children studied hard for their exams last month. (How, When, Where?)
9. They explored the forest cautiously. (How, When, Where?)
10. He will join us for lunch later. (How, When, Where?)

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

1. How
2. How
3. Where
4. When
5. How
6. When
7. Where
8. How
9. When
10. How

Medium Level Answers

1. How, Where
2. When
3. How
4. How, Where
5. Where, When
6. Where
7. How
8. When
9. How
10. When

Hard Level Answers

1. How
2. When
3. How
4. How, When
5. How
6. Where, When
7. How
8. When
9. How
10. When

Now you know how to identify adverbs and what they tell us! Keep practicing, and soon it will become second nature. Happy learning!