What's an Adverb?

[HLS]

Apparently my high school English was worthless for you all are speaking French to me

[HLS]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

I'm pretty good at using words, but I'm not very good at knowing what to call them, so I'm starting this thread. My first question is "What's an adverb, and how do I recognize one?" Here's a sample phrase where you can point out the adverb and explain what it does.

Sage didn't have time to feel bad about killing the big flier.

A quote from yourdictionary.com

"
An adverb is a word that describes - or modifies, - a verb, an adjective or another adverb.

A verb is an action word (jump, run, swim, ski, fish, talk)

It is easy to see how adverbs describe, or modify, verbs, since they simply explain most about the action. For example:

He quickly runs.
She slowly walks.
He happily chatters.

Read more at http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/adverbs/what-is-an-adverb.html#yBIgrSLMKuqCicQa.99"

[mobama]

Originally Posted by sjfan

The highlighted is where this goes astray: “bad” is not modifying “feel” or performing any other function of an adverb in this construction.

Let's just say that I have no idea how native English speakers (and admittedly I am not one of them) get the impression that this must surely be so, rather than find at least two ways to approach the issue. Why should this construction be analysed differently in English than in any other language? Maybe there's a good reason.

https://www.hgpublishing.com/Grammar/Adverbs.html

I feel bad or I feel badly? Let’s get to one of my pet peeves: feeling badly. I never feel badly. Sometimes I feel bad. Since “badly” has the tell-tale suffix “-ly” we know it is an adverb. So “feeling badly” must mean “not good at feeling.” Like when you reach over in the darkness to feel your lover and accidentally poke her in the eye, you are feeling badly. When she calls you a “clumsy oaf” you feel bad. If you close your eyes and can't tell the difference between a baby's butt and a coconut you feel badly. This has to do with the fact that the verb "feel" can be an active verb or a linking verb. When it's a linking verb, you need to use the adjective. (I’ll talk about the difference between feeling good and feeling well on the page about adjectives.)

Looks like an overcomplicated formality, to do with just that verb.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by mobama

Looks like an overcomplicated formality, to do with just that verb.

No.

Sam feels badly: Badly is an adverb. Using it indicates that Sam is poor at feeling, although whether emotionally or physically is not determined.

Sam catches badly: Sam is poor at catching.


Sam feels bad. Bad is the object of the verb. Sam is experiencing the feeling of "bad" - which in this case does not mean wicked.

Sam catches bad. Bad is again the object of the verb, although its precise meaning is unclear. Perhaps it indicates that Sam has become wicked. Perhaps that there is some new disease called 'bad'.

But the distinction between badly and bad does not depend on the verb.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

But the distinction between badly and bad does not depend on the verb.

Although it does with some other words, of course.

Eg in the statement "I run well", "well" is an adverb, whereas in "I feel well" it is not.