• Reviews
    • Books
    • Video Games
    • Movies
  • Lifestyle
  • Writing
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Work With Me
  • Creative Writing Workshop
Erin Lafond

Erin Lafond

Writer, Reviewer, and Mom

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Writing
    • Reviews
    • Lifestyle
  • Resources
  • Work With Me
    • Creative Writing Workshop
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Writing / When to Use an Adverb

When to Use an Adverb

June 13, 2019 · In: Writing

Last updated on February 25th, 2023 at 03:49 pm

Adverbs have a bad reputation, but they aren’t inherently bad. The key is to know when to use an adverb. You don’t want to use them all the time because they can weaken your writing, but sometimes an adverb is the best way to get something across. So, let’s talk about it.

funny sentence about adverbs
Credit: To Boldly Write

First, let’s make sure we’re all clear on what exactly an adverb is. An adverb is a word that modifies an adjective or a verb. So, in the sentence, “he said softly,” “softly” is the adverb. Basically, any word that ends in -ly is probably an adverb.

Why adverbs can be bad

In his book The First Five Pages (a book I highly recommend, by the way), Noah Lukeman has an entire section about adverbs and adjectives. He writes, “Adjectives and adverbs often, ironically, weaken their subjects.” He’s right.

The thing about adverbs is that they’re easy. You don’t have to think about them too much. You can say something happened quickly or they spoke loudly. But they’re also generally ineffective. Why would you say they spoke loudly when you could say they shouted? Shouted is more powerful and gives your reader a better idea of what’s happening.

So, if you’re using adverbs instead of more descriptive words or you’re relying on adverbs to get your point across, the best practice is removing those unnecessary adverbs. You don’t want to be using them as a crutch.

When to use an adverb

The best place to use an adverb is when it contradicts the situation. It comes unexpectedly and changes the reader’s view of the situation. Roy Peter Clark’s book Writing Tools gives a great example: “consider these two sentences: ‘She smiled happily’ and ‘She smiled sadly.'” Someone smiling “sadly” goes against our expectations.

I put the Tumblr post above because I agree with it. Sometimes adverbs change our understanding of the situation. If you find yourself truly seeing a difference between using a stronger verb and an adverb, feel free to use it.

Ultimately, adverbs are always tricky. Too many can even cause an agent or editor to reject your work. This is why you have to evaluate every adverb you put into your work during the editing stage. Go through your work with the specific goal of catching every adverb. Underline every instance and then carefully consider if you need it. If there’s a stronger word you could be using or it feels unnecessary, remove or replace it.

Figuring out when to use an adverb and when not to can take some time to learn. But it’s worth putting in that effort because inappropriately used adverbs can seriously weaken your writing.

Got questions? Drop them below!

By: Erin Lafond · In: Writing

you’ll also love

Are You a Plotter or a Pantser Writer?
Are There Hard and Fast Writing Rules?
how to balance writing and lifeHow to Balance Writing and Life

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

Avengers: Endgame and Women

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Are There Hard and Fast Writing Rules?
  • A Close Reading of Night in the Wood’s Possum Springs
  • Finding Meaning in Look Both Ways
  • Weekend at Lake Winnipesaukee
  • My Photography Gear as a Beginner

Connect With Me

Categories

  • Books
  • Creativity
  • Lifestyle
  • Movies
  • Reviews
  • Video Games
  • Writing

Footer

Menu

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Work With Me
  • Creative Writing Workshop

Categories

  • Books
  • Creativity
  • Lifestyle
  • Movies
  • Reviews
  • Video Games
  • Writing

Disclosure

This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Detailed Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 Erin Lafond | Customized by EAC | Theme by 17th Avenue

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT