Funny use this word in a sentence

Is “Funnier” A Word? 

Comparative diction in English can be a very challenging thing. Some words have comparatives built-in, while others need to be paired with “more” or “less” to be correct. Funny, however, has its own unique rules and can change depending on how you are using it. 

In short, “funnier” is technically a word; however it has its specific usage rules and cannot be substituted in for “more/less funny.” to clear things up, “funnier” is a word that can be used in specific comparative situations. In contrast “less funny” is more apt for talking about situations that lack humor. In addition, “more funny” is also a correct term technically. However, it can be clunky and has lost popularity over the years. 

How To Use “Funnier” And “Less Funny” 

First, “funnier” is a correct term that can be used to compare situations with a lot of humor. This works because the comparison “-ier” is built-in grammatically correct. For example, you could use this word in a sentence like, “I think that Mark’s presentation was funnier than Dan’s.” 

You should probably avoid using “more funny” in these situations, as most think it’s clunky. Although it is correct to use, “funnier” is more widely accepted in today’s day and age. 

Lastly, you should use “less funny” to describe situations that aren’t funny. This works best because there isn’t a built-in comparative to say “less funny,” and it simply sounds better in the end. For instance, you could say something along the lines of, “I think that Dan’s presentation was a lot less funny than Mark’s.” 

Using “More” And “Less” With Funny

You can technically use “more” and “less” with funny, and in some cases, it is even suggested. However, there are some situations where “more” and “less” become very important. If you find something moderately funny or feel apathetic about it, you can use “more/less funny” to describe your feelings. 

For instance, you could say, “I found the book more or less funny,” or “I found it more funny than not.” Statements such as these allow your reader to know that you thought something was mildly funny.

Examples Of Using “Funnier” And “Less Funny” 

Here are some basic examples of correctly using “funnier” and “less funny.”  

• I didn’t enjoy my night. I was expecting the board game to be more fun. 
• After careful deliberation, we think that Ramon’s presentation was funnier than everyone else’s. 
• That amusement park was a lot less fun than I had hoped for.

Related: A lesson on “Fewer” and “Less”

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Funny Words starting with A:

1. Abibliophobia: The fear of running out of reading materials to read.

Sentence: I have so many reading materials in my house, anyone would think that I have Abibliophobia or something!

1. Abozzo: A rough sketch of a drawing or a draft poem.

Sentence: I’m almost finished with my abozzo of the Eiffel tower.

1. Ama: Japanese diver who dives for pearls or food.
2.  

Sentence: Amas have been diving for pearls in the Japan region for many years. 

1. Araba: A carriage or coach used in Turkey.

Sentence: I’m taking the araba through the city today.

1. Argle-bargle:  A lot of commotion or a row happening.

Sentence: What’s all this argie-bargie about?

1. Aye-aye: A type of lemur which can be found in Madagascar. 

Sentence: The aye-ayes are such cute little creatures.

Starting with B:

1. Bamboozled: To trick or confuse someone. 

Sentence: I have been bamboozled again by you. 

1. Blubber: This word has two meanings: It can mean to cry very loudly or could refer to excess body fat.

Blubber Sentence: Please, stop your blubbering.

1. Brouhaha: An event which involves great excitement or loud confusion.

Brouhaha in a sentence: Last night’s event was such a brouhaha and nothing was achieved.

1. Bumbershoot: A Bumbershoot is an old-fashioned word for an umbrella.

Bumbershoot in a sentence: Don’t forget your Bumbershoot, dear.

1. Bumfuzzle: This refers to being confused.

Bumfuzzle in a Sentence: I’m completely bumfuzzled!

Starting with C:

1. Cantankerous: Someone who is very grumpy.

Sentence: Our neighbour is such a Cantankerous.

1. Catawampus: Something positioned diagonally. 

Sentence: To get to the school, you need to walk catawampus across that park over there.

1. Collywobbles (kol-ee-wob-uh lz): This is the feeling when you have a stomach ache or when you feel really nervous or scared.

Collywobbles in a sentence: This place gives me the collywobbles, let’s go!

Hilarious Words Starting with D:

1. Dingy: Something that is dark and dull.

Sentence: This house looks a little dingy to me. 

1. Donnybrook: This refers to a fight, riot or a big brawl.

Donnybrook in a sentence: A Donnybrook broke out last night when the police when to arrest the leader of the operation.

1. Doozy: Something that is really great.

Sentence: I’m having a doozy of a time at this party.

1. Dweeb: This is not a nice word to call someone. It means that you think the person is boring and uninteresting.

Sentence: No-one wants to be a dweeb. 

Funny Words That Start With E: 

1. Egad: Used as an expression of shock or amazement.

Sentence: Egad! I never thought of that! 

1. Eep: Another expression of surprise or fear.

Sentence: Eep! That was scary!

1. Epos: Could refer to an epic poem or something that is epic.  

Sentence: That poem was just epos!

Starting with F:

1. Filibuster: Somone who refusing to give up the floor in a debate to prevent a vote.

Sentence: Someone get that silly filibuster out of here now!

1. Flibbertigibbet (flib·ber·ti·gib·bet): Is a word used to describe someone who talks a lot or is very gossipy.

Flibbertigibbet in a sentence: Imagine sitting on a 12-hour flight with a flibbertigibbet next to you.

1. Flabbergasted: To be surprised or shocked by something.

Sentence: I’m just flabbergasted to hear that.

1. Formication: The feeling that ants are crawling on your skin.

Sentence: Her constant shivering could be described as a formication.

1. Fuddy-duddy: Someone who is a mild-mannered person.

Sentence: He can be such a fuddy-duddy sometimes.

Starting with G:

1. Gaberlunzie: A beggar that walks around town to town.

Sentence: He didn’t really have a profession, some may even call him a gaberlunzie.

1. Gardyloo (gahr-dee-loo): This is a disgusting one. It refers to the cry people use to shout when they would throw their slops or droppings out of the window.

Gardyloo in a Sentence: Watch out, Gardyloo coming!

1. Gazump: This word really has a specific meaning. It means to refuse to sell your house to someone who you previously agreed to sell your house to.

Sentence: I’m so happy my offer to buy the house next door was accepted, but what if I get gazumped?

1. Gobbledygook: Speaking Nonsense.

Sentence: Why do you always have to speak such Gobbledygook?

1. Goombah: An older friend who protects you.

Sentence: Jamie didn’t have many friends, but was glad that his grandpa could be his protector – His Goombah.

1. Gubbins: These are objects of very little value like rubbish or litter.

Gubbins in a sentence: No one’s going to buy your gubbins.

Starting with H:

1. Hairball: A ball of hair that a cat normally chokes out.

Sentence: Cats are cute, but I hate it when they throw-up hairballs everywhere.

1. Hocus-pocus: A trick or magical spell.

Sentence: What’s all this hocus-pocus about?

1. Hokey: Something is is silly or old-fashioned.

Sentence: Now that was hokey old movie to watch!

1. Hootenanny: A country music party or get-together.

Sentence: I’m going to an old-fashioned Hootenanny on Saturday, would you like to come?

1. Heckler: Someone who interrupts a public performance with offensive comments.

Sentence: Those footballers are always having to deal with hecklers at their matches. 

Starting with I:

1. Itty-Bitty: Something that is really small or tiny.

Sentence: That ladybird is so itty-bitty.

1.  Ickle: Something that is small and normally cute

Sentence: Look at that ickle baby dolphin!

1. izzat:  This relates to your personal respect and dignity.

Sentence: I’m afraid of saying that in public, as it’ll be against my izzat. 

Starting with J:

1. Jabberwock: Something that is complete nonsense or gibberish

Sentence: Everything he just said was complete Jabberwock.

1. Jazzetry: The reading of poetry which is accompanied by jazz. 

Sentence: I love reading poems, but I’ve never tried jazzetry.

1. Jink: The sudden change in direction.

Sentence: He jinked out of the way, as the ball came towards him.

Fun Words Starting with K:

1. Kagu: An blueish-greyish type of bird which is now an endangered species. 

Sentence: The rare Kagu can be found in the Pacific island of New Caledonia.

1. Kaka: A breed of parrot that can be found in New-Zealand.

Sentence: The kaka parrots are so cool!

1. Kebbie: A Scottish term relating to a walking stick with a hooked end.

Sentence: Pass the old man his keebie.

1. Kibble: Ground meal or gains used as animal feed. 

Sentence: The chickens love this new brand of kibble.

1. Kraken: A mythical sea creature.

Sentence: Just like the loch ness monster, the Kraken is a myth. 

Starting with L:

1. La-di-da: If you described someone as “La-di-da”, you are suggesting that they are upper-class or behaving unnaturally only to impress other people.

La-di-da in a sentence: She thinks she is all La-di-da, but I know what she’s really like.

1. Lol: Short for laughing out loud. Mosting used on social media and in text messages. 

Sentence: Lol – That’s so funny!

1. Lollygagger: Someone who walks around with no aim or goal.

Sentence: They spent their summer lying about, eating and general lollygagging.

1. Lickety-split: When something moves really fast.

Sentence: He was out of the door lickety-split.

Starting with M:

1. Malarkey: An informal word for talking about meaningless things or nonsense.

Malarkey in a sentence: This is all malarkey, I tell ya!

1. Moist: Something that is slightly wet.

Sentence: This blanket seems a little moist to sit on. 

1. Mollycoddle: To be extra nice to someone or to overprotect them.

Sentence: Sometimes what a child needs is some tough love and not mollycoddling all the time.

Starting with N:

1. Nacket: A light lunch or snack.

Sentence: I’m going to have a quick nacket before dinner. 

1. Namby-pamby: Someone who is weak, with no backbone.

Sentence: I don’t want to be some namby-pamby little girl!

1. Napoo: The end of something. A term mostly used by soldiers.

Sentence: Napooh! That’s the end of that story.

1. Niff: Something that smells bad.

Sentence: It’s got that horrible fishy niff. 

1. Nincompoop: This refers to someone who is not intelligent or a fool.

Nincompoop sentence: You act like such a nincompoop sometimes.

Starting with O:

1. Obi: A sash worn around the waist of a kimono.

Sentence: That pink obi would look nice with this kimono. 

1. Oozy: Something that is slimy and wet

Sentence: That table is dripping in ooze. 

1. Oompah: The sound of deep brass instruments in a band.

Sentence: The oompah music in the background really set the tone.

Starting with P:

1. Panjandrum: Someone who thinks that they are superior to others.

Sentence: She’s no queen, but she saw acts like a panjandrum.

1. Patroon: The captain of a ship

Sentence: Look sharp, the patroon will be here soon.

1. Pettifogger: A pettifogger is someone who deals with small or petty businesses. It can also be to argue over small, unimportant matters.

Pettifogger in a sentence: Why do you look up to such a pettifogger?

Starting with Q:

1. Quab: Something that is incomplete or immature

Sentence: That baby bird is still just a quab.

1. Quark: Scientific term used to describe atoms which are made up of smaller particles. 

Sentence: Understanding quarks of fundamental to the world of physics.

1. Quoz: Something that is strange.

Sentence: That’s so quoz! No-one wants to eat cheese and ice-cream together!

Silly Words Starting with R:

1. Ratoon: This refers to the small root that sprouts from a plant, especially during the springtime.

Sentence: I heard somewhere that ratooned plants grow taller and healthier.

1. Rugrat: Refers to a young child or toddler

Sentences: Those rugrats don’t know what’s coming to them!

1. Ruddy: The term sometimes can be used to suggest good health in a person.

Sentence: That ruddy-faced girl was someone I never seen before. 

Starting with S:

1. Sialoquent: Somone who splits while talking.

Sentence: My old science teacher was Sialoquent. I was always scared to go near him!

1. Skedaddle: To ask some to leave or run away very quickly

Skedaddle in a sentence: This is no place to play your silly games, now skedaddle before I get you!

1. Skullduggery Refers to dodgy dealings and some no good business.

Sentence: We need to put a stop to all this skullduggery around this town.

1. Shenanigan: This is when someone is causing a lot of mischiefs or playing tricks.

Shenanigans in a sentence: What’re all the shenanigans about?

1. Snollygoster (snol·ly·gos·ter): This refers to an unethical politician who is guided by personal advantage.

Snollygoster in a sentence: I don’t want any help from a snollygoster.

1. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Something that is really good. And the longest word in the English dictionary.

Sentence: Your cake is simply supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Starting with T:

1. Tatterdemalion:  A poor child wearing rags.

Sentence: I grew up like a tatterdemalion on the streets and now I’m a billionaire!

1. Taradiddle (tar-uh-did-l): this is a small lie or when someone is speaking nonsense.

Taradiddle in a sentence: That’s such taradiddle –  I don’t trust you at all!

1. Thingamajig. A thing for which you have forgotten the name of. 

Sentence: Can you pass that thingamajig over?

1. Troglodyte: Someone that lives in a cave.

Sentence: All my life I’ve been living like Troglodyte cooped up in this house!

Starting with U:

1. Uber: Something that is really great.

Sentence: That’s a really uber-looking coat you got there!

1. Ube: Type of yam which is coloured purple

Sentence: You can make really nice curry using ube.  

1. Upsy-daisy: Lifting up a small child. 

Sentence: Upsy daisy! It’s time for your nap. 

1. Urubu: A blank vulture found in South American.

Sentence: The Urubu is a rare species of bird found in America.

Starting with V:

1. Vamp: To make something brand-new.

Sentence:  Let’s vamp-up your car. 

1. Vexed: Something that is really annoying or frustrating. 

Sentence: This puzzle has really got me vexed. 

1. veepstakes: A competition to find a party-s vice president. 

Sentence: Have you prepared for the upcoming veepstakes?

Starting with W: 

1. Wabbit: A Scottish word referring to feeling exhausted or a little unwell.

Sentence: I’m feeling wabbit today.

1. Widdershins (with -er-shinz): This refers to going in the opposite direction or going down the wrong path.

Widdershins in a sentence: Only widdershins going down that road.

Starting with X:

All words beginning with X are funny ones!

1. Xanthoderm: A person with yellowish skin. 

Sentence:  This make-up makes my skin look a little Xanthoderm. 

1. Xebec: A small sailing-ship with square sails.

Sentence: Let’s take a ride on my new Xebec. 

Starting with Y:

1. Yabby: Refers to any Australian crayfishes used for food. 

Sentence: These yabbies are going to taste delicious. 

1. Yachty: Relates to yachts.

Sentence: I have a yachty-looking T-shirt. 

1. Yaff: A type of bark.

Sentence: The dog yaffed at the mailman.

1. Yawny: When you yawn or when something is boring

Sentence: That movie was a little yawny. 

1. Yahoo:  A rube, a country bumpkin.

Sentence: What’s that yahoo doing here!

1. Yerk: Pull or push something with a sudden movement.

Sentence; She yerked at the rope, as they tried to pull the bucket up from the well.

1. yips: When a golfer misses an easy putt due to nervousness. 

Sentence: Looks like he has the yips today. 

Funniest Words starting with Z:

1. Zaftig: Having a full-rounded figure.

Sentence:  Her zaftig figure was admired by all. 

1. Zappy: Something that is lively and energetic.

Sentence: She looks very zappy today. 

1. Zazzy:  Something that is shiny and flashy

Sentence: Jenny brought herself a new zazzy handbag to match her shoes.

1. Zeze: A string instrument from South Africa. 

Sentence: The sound of the zeze is unique in South Africa.

1. Zizz: To take a short nap or sleep.

Sentence: James likes to take a 2-hour zizz every afternoon at 2 pm.

1. Zoanthropy (zoh-an-thruh-pee): This is when someone believes that they are an animal.

Zoanthropy in a sentence:  I think she suffers from a mild case of Zoanthropy.

In addition to learning some complicated grammatical rules, the task of becoming a truly fluent English speaker is made more difficult by many of the language’s downright weird words in English. Some of them appear to make no logical sense, while others are used so rarely that you’ll wonder why they even exist at all.

Expanding your vocabulary is likely to be an ongoing process, as even native speakers regularly encounter words they haven’t seen before. Nevertheless, we have created a list of 15 funny English words that you might not have heard before, along with a brief explanation of what they all mean and how they can be used in a sentence. And by the way… What is the definition of “xertz”?

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1. Aa

The first word in many English dictionaries, ‘aa’ is a noun, which is used to describe a volcanic rock. More specifically, it refers to ‘a block of lava with a rough or jagged surface’, and the word itself has an Hawaiian origin. Although rarely used in everyday conversation, ‘aa’ is a term used more frequently by those who study geology.

Example sentence:

“The man observed some aa lava flowing down the side of the volcano.”

2. Bumfuzzle

Another way of saying ‘confuse’ or ‘perplex’, this strange-sounding word is believed to have originated from the word ‘dumbfound’. According to Marriam-Webster, the second part of the word was likely altered, giving us ‘dumbfuzzle’, before the first part was also adjusted. Nevertheless, use of the word ‘bumfuzzle’ is extremely rare.

Example sentence:

“The football team’s manager set out to bumfuzzle the opposition.”

3. Cryptozoology

‘Cryptozoology’ refers to the study of animals that have not yet been proven to exist, with popular examples including Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. The word itself has a Greek origin, with ‘crypto’ coming from the Greek word ‘kryptos’ (‘hidden’), and ‘zoology’ coming from Ancient Greek and meaning ‘the study of animals’.

Example sentence:

“Jill became interested in cryptozoology after watching a documentary about Big Foot sightings.”

4. Dollop

This funny English word is often used when talking about certain types of food, such as ice cream or jam. It refers to a ‘shapeless mass’ and in the context of food usually means the addition of something in a casual manner, without measuring it or placing it carefully. As such, it can be used in place of words like ‘lump’ or ‘blob’.

Example sentence:

“My favorite dessert is chocolate cake with a dollop of ice cream on the side.”

5. Gobbledygook

Believed to originate from the United States in the 1940s, the word ‘Gobbledygook’ is likely to have been taken from the ‘gobble’ noise made by a turkey. It refers to ‘speech or writing that is difficult to understand’ and often describes technical jargon. One potential synonym for this word would be ‘gibberish’.

Example sentence:

“I tried to read the report, but it was full of gobbledygook.”

6. Hodgepodge

The word ‘hodgepodge’ is believed to have originated in North America and is essentially a direct variation of the British word ‘hotchpotch’. In its most basic sense, it refers to ‘a mixture of different things’. However, in most cases, the term is used to describe a confusing or haphazard mixture, which appears disorderly.

Example sentence:

“Katie did well to make such a delicious meal out of the hodgepodge of ingredients she had left over.”

7. Hullabaloo

‘Hullabaloo’ is a word used to mean ‘a commotion or noisy situation’. Generally speaking, it suggests there is a level of confusion or even aggression and it usually causes some sort of disturbance. Usage of the word dates back to the mid 1700s and is believed to have partially stemmed from the old Scots word ‘baloo’, which translates to ‘lullaby’.

Example sentence:

“The man could not concentrate on his work due to the hullabaloo going on outside.”

8. Kakorrhaphiophobia

As you can probably tell from the ‘phobia’ suffix, the word ‘Kakorrhaphiophobia’ is used to describe a fear. In fact, it refers to ‘the fear of failure’, especially when that fear becomes irrational, intense or abnormal. However, the word is seldom used, which is just as well, as it is one of the most challenging English words to spell correctly.

Example sentence:

“The rugby team’s natural talent and collective kakorrhaphiophobia helped them to a lengthy undefeated streak.”

9. Nincompoop

The word ‘nincompoop’ is mostly used for comedy effect, specifically to describe somebody who is ‘foolish’ or ‘stupid’. It has been in use since the 1600s and was very popular during the 1950s and 1960s. Its origins are debated, but the most likely explanation is that it is derived from the Latin ‘non compos mentis’ (‘not of sound mind’).

Example sentence:

“I always thought John was a bit of a nincompoop, but this latest episode confirms it.”

10. Poppycock

Logic would dictate that the word ‘poppycock’ would have something to do with either poppies or cockerels, but it is actually an informal word that essentially means ‘nonsense’. Despite sounding extremely British, it was first used in America during the 19th century and likely stems from the Dutch word ‘pappekak’ (‘soft faeces’).

Example sentence:

“Honestly, I’ve never heard such poppycock in all my life.”

11. Shenanigans

A word of unknown origin, which dates back to at least the 19th century, ‘shenanigans’ can refer to ‘mischief’, but is also used to describe ‘secret or dishonest activities’. In many instances, this word is used when speaking about activities that are either humorous, strange or otherwise unusual in nature.

Example sentence:

“The politician has been accused of a whole host of financial shenanigans and may face a criminal trial.”

12. Taradiddle

Although the origins of the word ‘taradiddle’ are unknown, it can be used to describe either ‘a small or petty lie’ or ‘pretentious nonsense’. The word has been in use for hundreds of years, with examples dating back to the 1700s, and has more recently been used by the author J. K. Rowling in her novel ‘Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix’.

Example sentence:

“Why would you tell me such a silly taradiddle at a time like this?”

13. Wabbit

Not to be confused with the similar sounding ‘rabbit’, the word ‘wabbit’ is an adjective which can be traced back to the Scots language and it is still primarily used by Scottish people as a slang word. Essentially, it can be used in place of words like ‘exhausted’, ‘tired’ or ‘worn out’, but can also refer to feeling slightly unwell.

Example sentence:

“After finishing his 12-hour shift at work, Gary felt wabbit and decided to go to bed.”

14. Widdershins

The phrase ‘widdershins’ is usually a synonym for ‘anti-clockwise’, describing the opposite direction from the way a clock moves. However, it can also mean ‘in the opposite direction from usual’ or can be used to describe ‘left-handedness’. The term originates from an old German word, ‘widersinnig’, which literally means ‘against sense’.

Example sentence:

“In order to open the jam jar, you must twist the lid widdershins.”

15. Xertz

One to remember the next time you play Scrabble, the word ‘xertz’ is a verb with unknown origins, although it is likely derived from a similar slang term. Pronounced ‘zerts’, it means ‘to gulp something down quickly and/or in a greedy fashion’. In most cases, it is used to describe drinking, but it may also describe someone eating quickly.

Example sentence:

“As soon as I finished the half-marathon I needed to xertz a bottle of water.”

Match the adjectives and the nouns. Use the word combinations you get in the sentences below.

1. immense i) size

2. reluctant e) guests

3. detachable g) cuffs

4. stiff f) back

5. ridiculous h) dress

6. dignified c) manner

7. starched b) collar

8. detached a) house

9. funny d) joke

We were all shocked by the 1. immense i) size of the plain stretching in front of us.

She sang one song after another to the 2. reluctant e) guests who were beginning to feel that they couldn’t take it anymore.

They don’t make shirts with 3. detachable g) cuffs anymore, do they?

He was suffering from a 4. stiff f) back and couldn’t join in the dance.

The girls kept talking about Sue’s 5. ridiculous h) dress and old-fashioned shoes.

The lady’s 6. dignified c) manner and pleasant talk made a great impression on the visitors.

He couldn’t turn his neck because of the high 7. starched b) collar.

A 8. detached a) house is not joined to another house.

The 9. funny d) joke made the audience roar with laughter.

Adverbs can take different positions in a sentence. It depends on the type of sentence and on what role the adverb plays and what words the adverb defines, characterizes, describes.

Most often, we put adverbs after the verb but before adjectives, other adverbs, or participles.

She walked quickly away.
He runs slowly along.

Adverb and three main positions

There are three main positions for an adverb in a sentence:

• before the verb
• at the beginning of a sentence
• at the end of a sentence

Let’s look at these positions separately.

At the end

We put an Adverb at the end of a sentence after the predicate and the object.

The water is rising fast.

At the beginning

We put an adverb at the beginning of a sentence before the subject.

Today I have a piano lesson.

In the middle

Most often, we put an adverb in the middle of a sentence. But “middle” is not an accurate concept. Where exactly this middle is located, it depends on the words next to which we use the adverb.

1. In interrogative sentences, we put an adverb between the subject and the main verb.

Did he often go out like that?

1. If the predicate in the sentence is only one verb, then we put the adverb before the verb.

You rarely agree with me.

1. If the predicate contains more than one word, then we put the adverb after the modal verb or after the auxiliary verb (if there is a modal verb or auxiliary verb).

You must never do this again.

There are adverbs that we can put before a modal verb or an auxiliary verb.

He surely can prepare for this.

Adverb placement depending on the type of adverb

The place of an adverb depends on what type of adverbs it belongs to. Different adverbs can appear in different places.

Adverbs of manner

We usually use Adverbs of manner:

• before main verbs
• after auxiliary verbs
• at the end of the sentence

1. If the verb is in the Passive Voice, then we use an adverb between the auxiliary verb and the verb in the third form.
2. We usually use Adverbs of manner after the verb or after the Object.
3. We can NOT use an Adverb of manner between the verb and direct object. If the sentence has a verb and a direct object, then we use an adverb of manner before the verb or after the object.
4. Usually we put an adverb of manner that answers the question HOW after the verb or after the verb and the object.

She held the baby gently.
We are running slowly.

1. We usually put the adverbs well, fast, quickly, immediately, slowly at the end of a sentence.

I wrote him an answer immediately.
The truck picked up speed slowly.

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency are adverbs that indicate how often, with what frequency an action occurs.

Adverbs of frequency answer the question “How often?“

1. Most often we put Adverbs of frequency before the main verb.
2. We can use normally, occasionally, sometimes, usually at the beginning of a sentence or at the end of a sentence.
3. We usually put Adverbs of frequency that accurately describe the time (weekly, every day, every Saturday) at the end of a sentence.

We have another board meeting on Monday.
I wish we could have fried chicken every week.
Maybe we could do this every month.

1. We put Adverbs of frequency after the verb to be if the sentence contains the verb to be in the form of Present Simple or Past Simple.

My routine is always the same.

1. We often use usually, never, always, often, sometimes, ever, rarely in the middle of a sentence.

I often wish I knew more about gardening.

1. We can use usually at the beginning of a sentence.

Usually, I keep it to myself.

Adverbs of degree

Adverbs of degree express the degree to which something is happening. These are such adverbs as:

• almost
• absolutely
• completely
• very
• quite
• extremely
• rather
• just
• totally

1. We put Adverbs of degree in the middle of a sentence.
2. We put Adverbs of degree after Auxiliary Verbs.
3. We put Adverbs of degree after modal verbs.

I feel really guilty about that.

1. We put Adverbs of degree before adjectives.

When guns speak it is too late to argue.

1. We put Adverbs of degree before other adverbs.

He loses his temper very easily.

1. Sometimes we put Adverbs of degree before modal verbs and before auxiliary verbs. Usually, we use such adverbs as:

• certainly
• definitely
• really
• surely

You definitely could have handled things better.
I think I really could have won.

1. The adverb enough is an exception to this rule. We put the Adverb enough after the word it characterizes.

I have lived long enough.

Adverbs of place and time

Let’s see where we use the adverbs of place and adverbs of time.

1. Most often we put the adverb of place and time at the end of the sentence.

I thought you didn’t have family nearby.
They found her place in Miami yesterday.

1. We put monosyllabic adverbs of time (for example, such as now, then, soon) before main verbs but after auxiliary verbs including the verb to be.

Now imagine you see another woman.
Yes, he is now a respectable man.

1. We can use adverbs of place and time at the very beginning of a sentence when we want to make the sentence more emotional.

Today, we have to correct his mistakes.

1. We put the adverbs here and there at the end of the sentence.

Independent thought is not valued there.

1. Most often we put adverbs of place and time after the verb or verb + object.

I can’t change what happened yesterday.
You have to attend my wedding next month.

1. Most often we put such adverbs as towards, outside, backward, everywhere, nearby, downstairs, southward, at the end of the sentence or in the middle of the sentence, but immediately after the verb.

I made iced tea and left it downstairs.
With this speaker, you can hear everything outside.
I can run backward!

1. We put adverbs of time that accurately define the time (for example, yesterday, now, tomorrow) at the end of the sentence.

The ship is going to be back tomorrow.

He wants it to happen now.

If we want to emphasize time, we can put an adverb that accurately specifies the time at the beginning of the sentence.

Tomorrow I’m moving to Palais Royal.

Adverbs that show the speaker’s degree of confidence.

Let’s talk about the place in the sentence occupied by Adverbs that show the speaker’s degree of confidence in what the speaker is saying.

1. We can put at the beginning of the sentence such adverbs as:

• definitely
• perhaps
• probably
• certainly
• clearly
• maybe
• obviously

Certainly, you have an opinion about that.

Definitely think twice before correcting one of your mistakes again.

Maybe someone else was in her apartment that night.

We can also put adverbs like this in the middle of a sentence:

They’ll probably name a street after me.
This assumption is clearly no longer valid.

Adverbs that emphasize the meaning of the word they describe

The next group of adverbs is adverbs that emphasize the meaning of the word they describe.

1. Look at the following adverbs:

• very
• really
• terribly
• extremely
• almost
• quite
• pretty

We usually put such adverbs in the middle of the sentence before the word that these adverbs characterize.

He is very tired.
She found it extremely difficult to get a job.
I’m quite happy to wait for you here.

Adverbs defining a verb

1. We put an adverb after the verb to be. If the adverb defines the verb to be in one of its forms.

He was never a good man.

1. If an adverb defines another adverb or adjective, then we put such an adverb most often before the word that it defines.

I can see it quite clearly.
They walked rather slowly.

Adverbs connecting sentences

Adverbs can connect sentences in a logical sequence.

Such adverbs can appear at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle of the sentence. These are such adverbs as:

• next
• anyway
• however
• besides
• next

Adverbs that explain the speaker’s point of view

Let’s take a look at Adverbs that explain the speaker’s point of view in what he says.

• fortunately
• surprisingly
• personally

We most often put them at the beginning of the sentence.

Honestly, I wish I had time to do more reading.
Often their homes are their only major material possession.

We can put some of these adverbs at the end of a sentence.

I know what you’ve done for me, honestly.

Always, Never, and Only

Now let’s talk about some adverbs separately. These are very popular adverbs that we often use in English.

1. Always and never.

We usually put always and never in the middle of the sentence before the verb they define.

The bread always falls buttered side down.
Love is never paid but with true love.

1. Only.

Only is an incredibly popular adverb. Most often, we put only before the word that the adverb only characterizes.

Wisdom is only found in truth.
A man can only die once.

Additional tips

If we have two or more adverbs to define one verb, then the order of these adverbs should be as follows:

1. Adverb of manner
2. Adverb of place
3. Adverb of time

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