thumbnailrosarykeyboardLast week we dealt with adjectives. Taking a few pages or a chapter we removed all the adjectives and adverbs and made a two column list. The first column was the adjectives and the second column was the adverbs we removed from the text. Afterwards, we picked unique adjectives and added those back only where an adjective was called for. Now how do we deal with the adverbs? What is an adverb?

The official Webster dictionary definition is:

noun \ˈad-ˌvərb\

Adverb : a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree

My personal definition is:

Adverb – A word a writer uses when his verb isn’t powerful enough to describe the action. Or a word used very infrequently by a good writer.

Examples of Adverbs (Given by Webster)

  1. In “arrived early,” “runs slowly,” “stayed home,” and “works hard” the words “early,” “slowly,” “home,” and “hard” are adverbs.

 

Let’s take the examples given by Webster

1) “He arrived early” – How can that be said with more pizazz? Simple enough “Rude, he intruded before the other guests.” or how about  “Nervous, he popped in before expected.” The new verbs and sentences are strong – giving us a sense of the early guest.

2) “He runs slowly” What can we do here? “He jogged, dragging his injured leg.” or  “His pace fizzled as he gasped for air.” Now we get a real sense of what is happening.

3) “He stayed home.” How about – “With painful memories, he sequestered himself.” or “Frightened, he became a hermit.” or  “Exhausted, he closed the blinds and shuttered the outside world.”

4) “He worked hard.” What description works for you. “Muscles aching, his shirt dripped with perspiration.” Oh maybe he works in an office. “Closing his eyes, he rubbed his forehead.”

Now what can we do with the adverbs you used on the example you printed. What verbs can replace and remove those adverbs. Strong verbs grab the reader right into the scene. There are many words that give the reader a real sense of the action or the character. If you feel stuck use a thesaurus but don’t use words that you don’t understand. This is a great way to improve your vocabulary. Once you have gone over your work and replaced all the adverbs you could with strong verbs, you may find that a few sentences still require an adverb. Try to find an uncommon one. Or perhaps you should wait until next week. Next week we will be learning the use of  metaphors and similes!

 

Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She is a mother and grandmother. She is the author of “The Sisters of the Last Straw” series published by Tan Books. You can see her work and learn more about her on her website: www,kkboyce.com