Adverbs with -ly
You learn to turn an adjective into an adverb with -ly.
How to do the test
- Read the adjective in brackets.
- Add -ly to make an adverb that tells you how.
- Check the spelling: y changes to i, and -le becomes -ly.
A worked example
Type the adverb made from the adjective in brackets. The tortoise moved ___ (slow).
- Add -ly to the adjective slow to make an adverb.
- Slow ends in w, so just add -ly.
- The adverb is slowly.
More examples
Type the adverb made from the adjective in brackets. The children played ___ (happy).
- Add -ly to the adjective happy to make an adverb.
- Change the y to i before adding -ly.
- The adverb is happily.
Type the adverb made from the adjective in brackets. She explained it ___ (simple).
- Add -ly to the adjective simple to make an adverb.
- Simple ends in -le: drop the le and add -ly.
- The adverb is simply.
Try it yourself
Type the adverb made from the adjective in brackets.
The children ate ___ (noisy).
Type the adverb made from the adjective in brackets.
He shouted ___ (angry).
Watch out
You write happyly or gentlely.
Check the join. Happy becomes happily, and gentle becomes gently.
Tips
- Full already ends in l, so fully has just two l letters.
Why it works
Adding -ly to an adjective gives an adverb that tells you how. Most words just add -ly, but a few change at the join: y becomes i, and -le becomes -ly.