ADVERBS Main definition of an Adverb: like an adjective, an adverb describes an action completely and clearly. Adverbs modify, or tell about, verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Modify Verb - The athlete ran quickly. Modify Adjective - They swam in a pleasantly cool lake. Modify Adverb - Who can sit most quietly? Something to think about: Many adverbs may come after or before the word they modify. Also, they usually end in the suffix - ly. But not all of them do. Intensifiers: are adverbs that answer the question "to what extent?"

Some common adverbs that DO NOT end in - ly almost not (n't) already seldom also still always then fast there here today just tomorrow late too more well much yesterday never yet Some common Intensifiers less rather least really more so most somewhat nearly too only truly quite very exceptionally extraordinary

Exercise #1 - Underline the adverb in each sentence. 1. Arizona State University effectively runs an academic "boot camp." 2. It substantially increases the number of college bound math majors. 3. Sixteen-year-olds develop their math skills quite successfully here. 4. They work cooperatively to solve one hundred math problems nightly. 5. The students study intensely, but they work happily together. 6. Initially, this program helped many students. 7. The academic "boot camp" has progressed significantly, becoming part of the university Institute.

PREPOSITIONS Propositions: connect a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence to form a prepositional phrase. Some prepositions are compound (made up of more than one word.) There is no trick to prepositions... you have to memorize them. Potential Problem for Prepositions: words that are prepositions in one sentence may be adverbs in another sentence. Look to see if a word starts a prepositional phrase. If it does not, then it is an adverb. [I know its confusing.]

Some commonly used prepositions about during out after except outside along for over around from since at in through before inside to below into toward beneath like under beside rear until between of up beyond off upon by on down onto but (meaning "except") Some common compound prepositions according to along with apart from aside from as to due to because of in front in place of in spite of instead of out of in addition to

Identifying Prepositions: This is from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Underline every preposition. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.