Modifying Modifiers: Mastering the Adverb of Adverb

Understanding how adverbs modify other adverbs is a crucial step in mastering English grammar. This concept, while sometimes overlooked, adds nuance and precision to your writing and speaking. By grasping the rules and patterns governing adverbs of adverbs, you can significantly enhance your ability to express yourself effectively and avoid common grammatical errors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to adverbs of adverbs, covering their definition, structure, usage, and common pitfalls. Whether you are an English language learner or a seasoned writer, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently use adverbs of adverbs in your everyday communication.

This article is designed for anyone looking to refine their understanding of English grammar, particularly those who wish to improve the precision and clarity of their writing and speaking. It is especially beneficial for English language learners, students preparing for language proficiency exams, and writers seeking to enhance their stylistic skills.

Table of Contents

• Definition of Adverb of Adverb
• Structural Breakdown
• Types and Categories
• Examples of Adverbs of Adverbs
• Usage Rules
• Common Mistakes
• Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Definition of Adverb of Adverb

An adverb of adverb, also known as an adverb modifying an adverb, is an adverb that modifies or qualifies another adverb. Its primary function is to intensify, diminish, or otherwise alter the meaning of the adverb it modifies. This grammatical structure allows for a more precise and nuanced description of actions, qualities, or states. Understanding adverbs of adverbs is essential for advanced English proficiency, enabling speakers and writers to convey subtle shades of meaning and avoid ambiguity.

To put it simply, it’s an adverb that describes how an adverb is done. Just as an adjective modifies a noun, an adverb of adverb modifies another adverb. This modification can indicate the degree, manner, or extent to which the second adverb applies.

Consider the sentence: “She ran incredibly quickly.” Here, “quickly” is an adverb describing how she ran. The word “incredibly” is another adverb, but it modifies “quickly,” indicating the degree to which she ran quickly. Therefore, “incredibly” is an adverb of adverb.

Structural Breakdown

The structure of an adverb of adverb is relatively straightforward. Typically, the adverb of adverb precedes the adverb it modifies. This positioning is crucial for maintaining clarity and avoiding misinterpretation. The basic structure can be represented as:

[Adverb of Adverb] + [Adverb]

Let’s break down the components:

• Adverb of Adverb: This is the modifying adverb, which provides additional information about the degree, manner, or extent of the second adverb. Common examples include “very,” “extremely,” “incredibly,” “quite,” “rather,” “somewhat,” “almost,” and “barely.”
• Adverb: This is the adverb being modified. It describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Examples include “quickly,” “slowly,” “loudly,” “softly,” “carefully,” “easily,” and “well.”

The adverb of adverb enhances the meaning of the adverb by specifying the intensity, degree, or manner in which the action is performed. For example, in the phrase “very carefully,” “very” intensifies the meaning of “carefully,” indicating a high degree of care.

The placement of the adverb of adverb is generally consistent. It almost always comes before the adverb it modifies. While variations might exist in more complex sentence structures, adhering to this basic structure ensures clarity and grammatical correctness.

Types and Categories

While the primary function of an adverb of adverb is to modify another adverb, these modifying adverbs can be categorized based on the type of modification they provide. Understanding these categories can help you choose the most appropriate adverb to convey your intended meaning.

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree indicate the intensity or extent to which something is done. They answer the question “to what extent?” or “how much?”. These are some of the most common adverbs used to modify other adverbs.

Examples include: very, extremely, incredibly, quite, rather, somewhat, barely, almost, totally, completely, partially.

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner describe how something is done. When modifying another adverb, they provide further detail about the manner in which the action occurs. However, it’s less common for adverbs of manner to modify other adverbs of manner directly; they often modify adverbs of degree that then modify adverbs of manner.

Examples include: deliberately, efficiently, gracefully, skillfully, precisely.

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency indicate how often something happens. While less common, they can modify other adverbs to specify the frequency of an action described by another adverb.

Examples include: always, often, rarely, seldom, usually, occasionally.

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time indicate when something happens. Similar to adverbs of frequency, they are less frequently used to modify other adverbs but can provide specific temporal context. It’s more common for these to modify the entire clause, rather than directly modifying an adverb.

Examples include: recently, immediately, subsequently, eventually, initially.

Examples of Adverbs of Adverbs

To solidify your understanding, let’s explore a variety of examples, categorized by the type of adverb of adverb used. These examples will illustrate how different adverbs can modify other adverbs to create nuanced meanings.

Adverbs of Degree Examples

This table presents a range of examples where adverbs of degree modify other adverbs, enhancing or diminishing their intensity. Note how the adverb of degree always precedes the adverb it modifies.

Sentence	Adverb of Degree	Adverb Modified
She sings very beautifully.	very	beautifully
He runs extremely quickly.	extremely	quickly
The project was completed incredibly efficiently.	incredibly	efficiently
The food was quite deliciously prepared.	quite	deliciously
He spoke rather softly.	rather	softly
The task was somewhat easily accomplished.	somewhat	easily
He barely audibly whispered.	barely	audibly
She almost perfectly executed the routine.	almost	perfectly
The essay was totally convincingly argued.	totally	convincingly
The plan was completely thoroughly researched.	completely	thoroughly
The problem was partially successfully resolved.	partially	successfully
The athlete performed exceptionally well.	exceptionally	well
The painting was remarkably skillfully crafted.	remarkably	skillfully
The music was noticeably loudly played.	noticeably	loudly
The plant grew surprisingly rapidly.	surprisingly	rapidly
The child behaved unusually politely.	unusually	politely
The solution was decidedly cleverly devised.	decidedly	cleverly
The meal was distinctly tastefully seasoned.	distinctly	tastefully
The presentation was undeniably effectively delivered.	undeniably	effectively
The car drove unbelievably smoothly.	unbelievably	smoothly
The negotiations proceeded exceedingly cautiously.	exceedingly	cautiously
The comedian performed consistently humorously.	consistently	humorously
The scientist explained the theory particularly clearly.	particularly	clearly
The machine operated reliably efficiently.	reliably	efficiently

Adverbs of Manner Examples

This table illustrates how adverbs of manner, often in conjunction with adverbs of degree, can modify other adverbs to provide specific details about how an action is performed. Note that the modification often involves an adverb of degree modifying an adverb of manner.

Sentence	Adverb of Degree (if applicable)	Adverb of Manner	Adverb Modified
She danced very gracefully.	very	gracefully	gracefully
He completed the task surprisingly efficiently.	surprisingly	efficiently	efficiently
The surgeon operated remarkably skillfully.	remarkably	skillfully	skillfully
The robot moved incredibly precisely.	incredibly	precisely	precisely
The artist painted exceptionally creatively.	exceptionally	creatively	creatively
The detective investigated thoroughly methodically.	thoroughly	methodically	methodically
The lawyer argued persuasively articulately.	persuasively	articulately	articulately
The teacher explained particularly clearly.	particularly	clearly	clearly
The athlete trained intensely rigorously.	intensely	rigorously	rigorously
The musician played passionately emotionally.	passionately	emotionally	emotionally
The speaker delivered powerfully convincingly.	powerfully	convincingly	convincingly
The chef cooked expertly delicately.	expertly	delicately	delicately
The writer crafted the story artfully subtly.	artfully	subtly	subtly
The engineer designed the bridge innovatively structurally.	innovatively	structurally	structurally
The dancer performed rhythmically fluidly.	rhythmically	fluidly	fluidly
The actor portrayed the character authentically realistically.	authentically	realistically	realistically
The scientist conducted the experiment carefully precisely.	carefully	precisely	precisely
The programmer coded the software efficiently logically.	efficiently	logically	logically
The diplomat negotiated tactfully diplomatically.	tactfully	diplomatically	diplomatically
The explorer navigated skillfully resourcefully.	skillfully	resourcefully	resourcefully

Adverbs of Frequency Examples

This table showcases examples of adverbs of frequency modifying other adverbs. While less common, these examples illustrate how frequency can be used to modify the manner or degree of an action.

Sentence	Adverb of Frequency	Adverb Modified
He always readily agrees.	always	readily
She often easily succeeds.	often	easily
They rarely openly complain.	rarely	openly
We seldom directly interfere.	seldom	directly
The machine usually reliably operates.	usually	reliably
The team occasionally creatively brainstorms.	occasionally	creatively
The system frequently efficiently updates.	frequently	efficiently
The software constantly automatically saves.	constantly	automatically
The process generally smoothly runs.	generally	smoothly
The employees typically diligently work.	typically	diligently
The restaurant normally quickly serves.	normally	quickly
The store periodically heavily discounts.	periodically	heavily
The train habitually punctually arrives.	habitually	punctually
The committee routinely thoroughly reviews.	routinely	thoroughly
The organization regularly actively participates.	regularly	actively

Adverbs of Time Examples

The following table presents examples of adverbs of time modifying other adverbs. These examples demonstrate how temporal context can be added to the manner or degree of an action described by another adverb.

Sentence	Adverb of Time	Adverb Modified
She recently publicly announced.	recently	publicly
He immediately readily agreed.	immediately	readily
They subsequently officially confirmed.	subsequently	officially
We eventually successfully completed.	eventually	successfully
The project initially tentatively started.	initially	tentatively
The company previously privately discussed.	previously	privately
The government newly officially declared.	newly	officially
The team lately openly debated.	lately	openly
The school formerly strictly enforced.	formerly	strictly
The system presently automatically updates.	presently	automatically

Usage Rules

Using adverbs of adverbs correctly requires adherence to specific rules to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. These rules govern placement, compatibility, and avoiding redundancy.

• Placement: As mentioned earlier, the adverb of adverb typically precedes the adverb it modifies. This is the most common and generally accepted structure.
• Compatibility: Not all adverbs can be modified by other adverbs. The modification should make logical sense and enhance the meaning of the sentence. For instance, it’s more common to modify adverbs of manner or degree than adverbs of time or frequency.
• Avoiding Redundancy: Be cautious of using adverbs that create redundancy. For example, “very uniquely” is redundant because “uniquely” already implies a high degree of distinctiveness.
• Clarity: Ensure that the use of an adverb of adverb enhances clarity rather than creating ambiguity. If the modification makes the sentence convoluted or difficult to understand, it’s best to rephrase it.

It’s important to note that while adverbs of degree are commonly used to modify other adverbs, the other categories (manner, frequency, time) are less frequently used in this way, and their usage should be carefully considered for clarity and appropriateness.

Common Mistakes

Several common mistakes can occur when using adverbs of adverbs. Recognizing these errors and understanding how to correct them is crucial for improving your grammar skills.

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
She sings beautiful very.	She sings very beautifully.	Incorrect word order. The adverb of degree “very” must precede the adverb “beautifully.”
He runs quick extremely.	He runs extremely quickly.	Incorrect word order. “Extremely” should precede “quickly.”
The project was completed efficient incredibly.	The project was completed incredibly efficiently.	The adverb of degree “incredibly” must come before the adverb “efficiently.”
She is uniquely very talented.	She is very talented. / She is uniquely talented.	Redundancy. “Uniquely” already implies “very.”
He spoke soft rather.	He spoke rather softly.	Incorrect word order.
She always did goodly.	She always did well.	“Goodly” is an archaic adjective. “Well” is the correct adverbial form.
He drove safely very.	He drove very safely.	Incorrect word order.
They are definite surely coming.	They are definitely surely coming.	“Definite” is an adjective. “Definitely” is the correct adverbial form.
She quick very ran.	She ran very quickly.	Incorrect word order.
He loud very spoke.	He spoke very loudly.	Incorrect word order.

Another common mistake is using adjectives instead of adverbs. For example, saying “He did good” instead of “He did well.” Remember that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, while adjectives modify nouns.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding with these practice exercises. Identify the adverb of adverb and the adverb it modifies in each sentence. Some sentences may not contain an adverb of adverb.

Exercise 1: Identifying Adverbs of Adverbs

Question	Answer
1. She sang incredibly beautifully.	Adverb of adverb: incredibly; Adverb modified: beautifully
2. He ran extremely quickly.	Adverb of adverb: extremely; Adverb modified: quickly
3. The project was completed efficiently.	No adverb of adverb
4. The food was quite deliciously prepared.	Adverb of adverb: quite; Adverb modified: deliciously
5. He spoke rather softly.	Adverb of adverb: rather; Adverb modified: softly
6. She always arrives punctually.	No adverb of adverb
7. The task was somewhat easily accomplished.	Adverb of adverb: somewhat; Adverb modified: easily
8. He barely audibly whispered.	Adverb of adverb: barely; Adverb modified: audibly
9. She almost perfectly executed the routine.	Adverb of adverb: almost; Adverb modified: perfectly
10. The essay was totally convincingly argued.	Adverb of adverb: totally; Adverb modified: convincingly

Exercise 2: Correcting Sentences

Correct the following sentences to properly use adverbs of adverbs.

Question	Answer
1. She sings beautiful very.	She sings very beautifully.
2. He runs quick extremely.	He runs extremely quickly.
3. The project was completed efficient incredibly.	The project was completed incredibly efficiently.
4. He spoke soft rather.	He spoke rather softly.
5. She quick very ran.	She ran very quickly.
6. He loud very spoke.	He spoke very loudly.
7. They are definite surely coming.	They are definitely surely coming.
8. He drove safely very.	He drove very safely.
9. She always did goodly.	She always did well.
10. He performed skillful very.	He performed very skillfully.

Exercise 3: Sentence Completion

Complete the following sentences by adding an appropriate adverb of adverb.

Question	Answer
1. She danced ______ gracefully.	very/extremely/incredibly
2. He solved the problem ______ easily.	quite/somewhat/rather
3. The machine operates ______ efficiently.	reliably/consistently/usually
4. She spoke ______ quietly.	barely/almost/rather
5. He completed the task ______ successfully.	completely/partially/totally
6. The food tasted ______ delicious.	incredibly/extremely/quite
7. The weather was ______ warm.	somewhat/rather/fairly
8. He behaved ______ politely.	unusually/surprisingly/remarkably
9. She sang ______ beautifully.	exceptionally/remarkably/very
10. He explained the concept ______ clearly.	particularly/very/exceptionally

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, exploring more complex aspects of adverbs of adverbs can further refine their understanding and usage. These topics include nuanced distinctions and stylistic considerations.

• Multiple Adverbs of Adverb: While rare, it’s possible to use multiple adverbs to modify a single adverb, creating layers of modification. However, this should be done sparingly to avoid convoluted sentences. Example: “She sang extremely exceptionally beautifully.”
• Stylistic Choices: The use of adverbs of adverbs can significantly impact the tone and style of writing. Overuse can make writing seem verbose or repetitive, while judicious use can add precision and emphasis.
• Formal vs. Informal Usage: Some adverbs of adverb are more common in formal writing than in informal speech, and vice versa. Being aware of these distinctions can help you tailor your language to the appropriate context.
• Regional Variations: The frequency and type of adverbs of adverb used can vary across different English-speaking regions.

Understanding these advanced topics can help you use adverbs of adverbs with greater sophistication and control, enhancing the overall quality of your writing and speaking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about adverbs of adverbs, along with detailed answers to address common points of confusion.

1. What is the difference between an adverb and an adverb of adverb?

   An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. An adverb of adverb specifically modifies another adverb, adding detail about the degree, manner, or extent of the action or quality described by that adverb. For example, in “He ran very quickly,” “quickly” is an adverb modifying the verb “ran,” while “very” is an adverb of adverb modifying “quickly.”

2. Can an adverb of adverb modify an adjective?

   No, an adverb of adverb can only modify another adverb. To modify an adjective, you would use a regular adverb. For example, “She is very beautiful” (very modifies the adjective beautiful) not an adverb of adverb.

3. Is it grammatically incorrect to use multiple adverbs of adverb?

   While it’s possible to use multiple adverbs of adverb, it should be done sparingly. Overuse can lead to convoluted and unclear sentences. If you find yourself using multiple adverbs of adverb, consider rephrasing the sentence for clarity. For instance, instead of “She sang extremely incredibly beautifully,” you might say “She sang with extraordinary beauty.”

4. Are there any adverbs that cannot be modified by other adverbs?

   Yes, some adverbs are less likely to be modified by other adverbs, particularly those that already express an absolute or extreme quality. For example, modifying “uniquely” with “very” is redundant because “uniquely” already implies a high degree of distinctiveness.

5. How do I choose the right adverb of adverb?

   Consider the specific nuance you want to convey. Do you want to intensify the adverb, diminish it, or provide more detail about the manner in which the action is performed? Choose an adverb of adverb that logically and effectively enhances the meaning of the adverb it modifies.

6. What is the correct placement of an adverb of adverb?

   The adverb of adverb typically precedes the adverb it modifies. This placement ensures clarity and avoids misinterpretation. For example, “He ran very quickly” is correct, while “He ran quickly very” is incorrect.

7. Why is it important to understand adverbs of adverbs?

   Understanding adverbs of adverbs allows you to express yourself with greater precision and nuance. It enables you to convey subtle shades of meaning and avoid ambiguity, enhancing the overall quality of your communication.

8. How can I improve my use of adverbs of adverbs?

   Practice identifying adverbs of adverbs in sentences, and experiment with using them in your own writing. Pay attention to the placement and compatibility of adverbs, and be mindful of avoiding redundancy. Reading widely and paying attention to how skilled writers use adverbs can also help you improve your skills. Consider reading style guides related to writing effectively.

Conclusion

Mastering the use of adverbs of adverbs is a valuable skill that can significantly enhance your English grammar proficiency. By understanding their definition, structure, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can effectively incorporate these modifiers into your writing and speaking. Remember to focus on clarity, avoid redundancy, and choose adverbs that logically enhance the meaning of the words they modify. With practice and attention to detail, you can confidently use adverbs of adverbs to add precision and nuance to your communication.

Continue practicing the exercises provided in this article, and actively seek out examples of adverbs of adverbs in the texts you read. Pay attention to how skilled writers use these modifiers to create vivid and precise descriptions. By consistently applying these principles, you will strengthen your understanding and improve your ability to communicate effectively in English.