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In English / High School | 2025-07-08

Look at the following words. Notice what is common in them. 1. harshly 2. faintly 3. mainly 4. truly 5. frankly The common thing about the words above is the use of the letters 'ly' at the end. The words can easily be divided into two parts (word + ly). For example: harsh + ly Words that end with -ly are mostly adverbs. They add to the quality of the verb. For example: to speak (verb) harshly (adverb). Adverbs of manner usually take -ly after a word. Expressions of time show frequency of an action. Let's look at some examples: 1. The girls always get late for the party. 2. I usually do yoga every morning. 3. He is often late for work. 4. My dentist told me to brush my teeth twice daily.

Asked by brittneylouise1784

Answer (1)

In the provided question, we're focusing on adverbs, which are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Specifically, the words mentioned ("harshly," "faintly," "mainly," "truly," "frankly") all share a common suffix: "-ly." This suffix typically transforms adjectives into adverbs of manner, which describe how an action is performed.
For example:

"Harshly" - This adverb describes doing something in a harsh manner. For instance, "She spoke harshly to him."

"Faintly" - This means doing something in a faint or weak manner, such as "He whispered faintly."

"Mainly" - Used to indicate that something is done for the most part or primarily. For example, "They mainly eat vegetables."

"Truly" - This means doing something in a true or sincere manner. An example might be "He truly cares about the environment."

"Frankly" - Describes being open, honest, and sometimes blunt. For instance, "She spoke frankly about her feelings."


Additionally, the question highlights adverbs of frequency, which describe how often an action occurs. Examples include:

"Always" - Indicates an action happens at all times. Example: "The girls always get late for the party."

"Usually" - Shows something happens under normal circumstances. Example: "I usually do yoga every morning."

"Often" - Indicates an action happens frequently. Example: "He is often late for work."


These adverbs provide more detail, enabling clearer and more precise descriptions of actions. This understanding is fundamental in English grammar, especially in crafting descriptive and expressive sentences.

Answered by EmmaGraceJohnson | 2025-07-21