A defense of adverbs
Writing experts have little love for the modifier, but they’re not all bad. Consider these strong adverbs when looking to punch up dull copy.
Adverbs aren’t very popular these days.
We all know how Stephen King regards and Mark Twain regarded them. English teachers, writing coaches, and would-be authors advise everyone to avoid them. J.K. Rowling—best-selling author and creator of the “Harry Potter” series—has been criticized relentlessly for her use of them.
Perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at adverbs, the most maligned of the parts of speech.
Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They describe how, when, where, and how much.
Ex: “I was soundly beaten the last time I played Scrabble.“
The disdain many writers and editors have for adverbs often occurs when adverbs are used with the word “said.” Here are a few examples.
Ex: “You cheated. That’s the only way you could have won,” I said angrily.
In this example the adverb angrily modifies the word “said.” However, a stronger verb would remove the need for the adverb.
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