The Mother Tongue, Book I: Lessons in Speaking, Reading and Writing English · Secs. 326–331 · Part 2: Part Second
94. Adverbs that tell how
Goal: Your child adds adverbs to verbs to tell how, when or where something is done.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- Paper and pencil (a notebook kept just for this book works well)
What's in the book
Section 326 compares "The boy runs" with "The boy runs swiftly" and names words that modify verbs adverbs. Sections 327 to 330 give adverbs to use, sentences to find adverbs in, and short sentences to expand. Section 331 gives sentences with blanks for adverbs that answer "How?"
The lesson, step by step
Compare (Section 326)
The boy runs swiftly.
Ask: What does swiftly tell? (How he runs.) What word does it go with? (runs, the verb.)
Some words are used to modify the meaning of Verbs. Such words are called Adverbs.
Act it out
Call out "Walk!" and then "Walk slowly!", "Walk proudly!", "Walk sleepily!" Your child acts each one. Adverbs change the action.
Find adverbs (Section 328)
Your child finds the adverb in each of the six sentences.
Fill the blanks (Section 331)
Do the seven sentences aloud, choosing adverbs that answer "How?"
Write (Sections 329 and 330)
Your child expands eight sentences from Section 329 with adverbs, like the book's example "The boy ran swiftly."
Check it gently
Your child underlines each adverb and draws an arrow to the verb it modifies. Fix any arrow that points to the wrong word.
What a good result looks like
Example (written for this guide, not from the book):
The cat crept silently across the floor.
The children sang loudly.
The rain fell gently on the roof.
Answers to the book's problems
Section 328: merrily, hastily, rapidly, sweetly, never, faithfully. Section 331, possible adverbs: 1. quietly (or silently). 2. carefully. 3. steadily (or loudly). 4. patiently. 5. gaily (or finely). 6. lightly (or swiftly). 7. busily (or hard).
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.