Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs

Adverbs are words which modify (adds description to) a verb. Often – but not always – they end in ‑ly.

Tom Longboat did not run badly. (adverb)

It’s easy to identify the adverb in this sentence.

That cake looks good. (adjective used as adverb)

My elderly neighbor looks well. (adverb)

These two descriptive words are a little more difficult. Even though good is usually an adjective, it’s modifying looks (How does the cake look? It looks good.) so it’s an adverb. We can’t answer the question “what is the cake” because we haven’t tasted it yet, so we don’t know if it’s good cake or bad cake.

Adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs.

The woman is quite pretty.

This book is more interesting than the last one.

The weather report is almost always right.

The adverb almost is modifying the adverb always, and they’re both modifying right.