§ 4. Semantic characteristics

According to their meaning adverbs fall into many groups. Here are the main ones:

Adverbs of place and direction: outside, there, in front, here, where, somewhere, nowhere, faraway, near, inside, outside, far from, too far, so far, a long way etc.

Adverbs of time include those denoting duration (long, continually), interval (all day), timing (yesterday, today, recently, lately, immediately, once, at once, now), frequency (often, now and then, occasionally). Several of them denote an indefinite time - soon, yet, always, already, never, ever. Note: Russian “Еще” is translated into following ways: Still (все еще, по-прежнему.(E.g. She is still sleeping); yet (пока еще, пока что (E.g. He is too young yet to get married); yet (еще не... He has not come yet); else (in questions. (E.g. Who else do you know?); more (дополнительно. (E.g. Give me some more water); other (другой) (E.g. What other books did you buy?); only (еще только)(E.g. It’s only 10 o’clock; as early as (так давно так) It was known as early as 1935.) long, for a long time (в течение долгого времени) (E.g. have you been here long?; long ago, a long time ago (много времени тому назад) (E.g. It happened long ago).; not…long (с недавнего времени) (E.g. I haven’t been sitting here long); not long ago (недалеком прошлом) (E.g. This book came out not long ago); lately, recently (в последнее время) (E.g. Have you heard from him recently (lately)?)

Adverbs of manner: well, carefully, intentionally, silently, clearly, etc. We do not use adverbs after link verbs such as “to be, “become”, “feel”, “get”, “look”, and “seem”. We use adjectives after such verbs (E.g. She felt happy. Kate seemed amused. He is not sure). Fixed phrases: deeply hurt, painfully embarrassed, highly respected, bitterly cold, greatly appreciative, badly needed. (E.g. Ann was deeply hurt by his words).

Adverbs of degree, measure and quantity: thoroughly, very, much, completely, quite, rather, a lot, a little, a great deal, badly, greatly, hardly, barely, scarcely, narrowly, just, almost, mostly, enormously, largely, tremendously, keenly, somewhat, too, so, most, all but.

Adverbs of frequency: always, generally, usually, normally, frequently, often, seldom, rarely, sometimes.

Viewpoint adverbs: obviously, evidently, probably, possibly, indeed, certainly, perhaps, may be, apparently, decisively, undoubtedly, practically, naturally, fortunately, unfortunately, etc.

Among these some are synonymous (much, very), but their combinability is different. Thus much is used to modify verbs, nouns, statives and adjectives, and very is used with adjectives and adverbs in the positive and superlative degrees, whereas with comparatives only much is used:

to travel much to be much improved much better much slower very much in love very much alive very much alike very much afraid

very nice very glad very slow very quickly

With participles, however, both much and very may be used, often they go together:

much admired, very surprised, very much amused.

Among adverbs of degree there are many the meaning of which has become weakened and which are used as intensifiers, adding emotional coloring to the content of what is said. This group of adverbs is very difficult to define because adverbs of other semantic groups can occasionally function as intensifiers:

awfully painful very quiet rather calm most expensive

terribly unjust faintly uneasy really pretty positively wonderful

extremely beautiful too frightful so nice etc.