--- title: "12 Adverb Quotes by 12 authors" description: "Browse 12 Adverb quotes by 12 authors. Discover the best Adverb sayings and thoughts." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/kingsley-amis-5258_adverbs_if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got_394586.png" --- > [If you are using an adverb, you have got the verb wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got-the-verb-wrong/) [Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/kingsley-amis-5258_adverbs_if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got_394586.png) > [Surely: the adverb of a man without an argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-st-aubyn-2/surely-the-adverb-of-a-man-without-an-argument/) [Edward St Aubyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-st-aubyn-2/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/edward-st-aubyn-2-24463_adverbs_surely-the-adverb-of-a-man-without-an-ar_914503.jpg) > [“She’s never met an adjective or adverb she didn’t like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/she-s-never-met-an-adjective-or-adverb-she-didn-t-like/) [Loretta Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-chase/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/loretta-chase-2027_adjective_she-s-never-met-an-adjective-or-adverb-s_1350803.png) > [Adverbs, we know, are meant to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. They help us understand things more clearly, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-salie/adverbs-we-know-are-meant-to-modify-a-verb-an-adjective-or-another/) [Faith Salie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-salie/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/faith-salie-6342_help_adverbs-we-know-are-meant-to-modify-a-ve_989781.jpg) > [I think the adverb is a much-maligned part of speech. Its always accused of being oppressive, even tyrannical, when in fact its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-think-the-adverb-is-a-much-maligned-part-of-speech-its-always/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/eleanor-catton-2384_accused_i-think-the-adverb-is-a-much-maligned-pa_1361781.png) > [A relativist is an individual who doesn't know the difference between an adjective and an adverb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-relativist-is-an-individual-who-doesn-t-know-the-difference-between/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/bill-gaede-20559_adjective_a-relativist-is-an-individual-who-doesn_1564345.png) > [“Some one has defined a work of art as a “thing beautifully done.” I like it better if we cut away the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/some-one-has-defined-a-work-of-art-as-a-thing-beautifully-done-i-like/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-henri-1803_art_some-one-has-defined-a-work-of-art-as-a_948551.jpg) > [“To understand the difference between a good adverb and a bad adverb, consider these two sentences: “She smiled happily” and “She smiled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-peter-clark/to-understand-the-difference-between-a-good-adverb-and-a-bad-adverb/) [Roy Peter Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-peter-clark/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/roy-peter-clark-22013_language_to-understand-the-difference-between-a-g_496992.jpg) > [“Overuse at best is needless clutter; at worst, it creates the impression that the characters are overacting, emoting like silent film stars.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-mittelmark/overuse-at-best-is-needless-clutter-at-worst-it-creates-the/) [Howard Mittelmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-mittelmark/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/howard-mittelmark-38764_adverbs_overuse-at-best-is-needless-clutter-at-w_32413.jpg) > [I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-dead-to-adverbs-they-cannot-excite-me-to-misplace-an-adverb-is-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/mark-twain-22_able_i-am-dead-to-adverbs-they-cannot-excite_285076.jpg) > [Never use an adverb to modify the verb 'said' . . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-said-he-admonished-gravely-to/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg) > [I don't really know what an adverb is. A dangling participle? That sounds really rude. I don't know what character is, really.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/i-don-t-really-know-what-an-adverb-is-a-dangling-participle-that/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/colum-mccann-902_adverbs_i-don-t-really-know-what-an-adverb-is-a_1088335.jpg) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adverb/#itemlist", "name": "Adverb Quotes", "numberOfItems": 12, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are using an adverb, you have got the verb wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kingsley Amis" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got-the-verb-wrong/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/kingsley-amis-5258_adverbs_if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got_394586.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/kingsley-amis-5258_adverbs_if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got_394586.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/kingsley-amis-5258_adverbs_if-you-are-using-an-adverb-you-have-got_394586.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you are using an adverb, you have got the verb wrong.” — Kingsley Amis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Surely: the adverb of a man without an argument.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward St Aubyn" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-st-aubyn-2/surely-the-adverb-of-a-man-without-an-argument/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/edward-st-aubyn-2-24463_adverbs_surely-the-adverb-of-a-man-without-an-ar_914503.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/edward-st-aubyn-2-24463_adverbs_surely-the-adverb-of-a-man-without-an-ar_914503.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/edward-st-aubyn-2-24463_adverbs_surely-the-adverb-of-a-man-without-an-ar_914503.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Surely: the adverb of a man without an argument.” — Edward St Aubyn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She’s never met an adjective or adverb she didn’t like.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Loretta Chase" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/she-s-never-met-an-adjective-or-adverb-she-didn-t-like/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/loretta-chase-2027_adjective_she-s-never-met-an-adjective-or-adverb-s_1350803.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/loretta-chase-2027_adjective_she-s-never-met-an-adjective-or-adverb-s_1350803.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/loretta-chase-2027_adjective_she-s-never-met-an-adjective-or-adverb-s_1350803.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She’s never met an adjective or adverb she didn’t like.” — Loretta Chase", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Adverbs, we know, are meant to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. They help us understand things more clearly, more vividly, more... morely.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Faith Salie" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-salie/adverbs-we-know-are-meant-to-modify-a-verb-an-adjective-or-another/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/faith-salie-6342_help_adverbs-we-know-are-meant-to-modify-a-ve_989781.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/faith-salie-6342_help_adverbs-we-know-are-meant-to-modify-a-ve_989781.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/faith-salie-6342_help_adverbs-we-know-are-meant-to-modify-a-ve_989781.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Adverbs, we know, are meant to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. They help us understand…” — Faith Salie", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the adverb is a much-maligned part of speech. Its always accused of being oppressive, even tyrannical, when in fact its so supple and sly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eleanor Catton" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-think-the-adverb-is-a-much-maligned-part-of-speech-its-always/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/eleanor-catton-2384_accused_i-think-the-adverb-is-a-much-maligned-pa_1361781.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/eleanor-catton-2384_accused_i-think-the-adverb-is-a-much-maligned-pa_1361781.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/eleanor-catton-2384_accused_i-think-the-adverb-is-a-much-maligned-pa_1361781.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the adverb is a much-maligned part of speech. Its always accused of being oppressive, even…” — Eleanor Catton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A relativist is an individual who doesn't know the difference between an adjective and an adverb.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Gaede" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-relativist-is-an-individual-who-doesn-t-know-the-difference-between/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/bill-gaede-20559_adjective_a-relativist-is-an-individual-who-doesn_1564345.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/bill-gaede-20559_adjective_a-relativist-is-an-individual-who-doesn_1564345.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb0/bill-gaede-20559_adjective_a-relativist-is-an-individual-who-doesn_1564345.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A relativist is an individual who doesn't know the difference between an adjective and an adverb.” — Bill Gaede", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Some one has defined a work of art as a “thing beautifully done.” I like it better if we cut away the adverb and preserve the word “done,” and let it stand alone in its fullest meaning. Things are not done beautifully. The beauty is an integral part of their being done.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Henri" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/some-one-has-defined-a-work-of-art-as-a-thing-beautifully-done-i-like/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-henri-1803_art_some-one-has-defined-a-work-of-art-as-a_948551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-henri-1803_art_some-one-has-defined-a-work-of-art-as-a_948551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/robert-henri-1803_art_some-one-has-defined-a-work-of-art-as-a_948551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some one has defined a work of art as a “thing beautifully done.” I like it better if we cut away the adverb…” — Robert Henri", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To understand the difference between a good adverb and a bad adverb, consider these two sentences: “She smiled happily” and “She smiled sadly.” Which one works best? The first seems weak because “smiled” contains the meaning of “happily.” On the other hand, “sadly” changes the meaning.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roy Peter Clark" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-peter-clark/to-understand-the-difference-between-a-good-adverb-and-a-bad-adverb/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/roy-peter-clark-22013_language_to-understand-the-difference-between-a-g_496992.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/roy-peter-clark-22013_language_to-understand-the-difference-between-a-g_496992.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/roy-peter-clark-22013_language_to-understand-the-difference-between-a-g_496992.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To understand the difference between a good adverb and a bad adverb, consider these two sentences: “She…” — Roy Peter Clark", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Overuse at best is needless clutter; at worst, it creates the impression that the characters are overacting, emoting like silent film stars. Still, an adverb can be exactly what a sentence needs. They can add important intonation to dialogue, or subtly convey information.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Howard Mittelmark" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-mittelmark/overuse-at-best-is-needless-clutter-at-worst-it-creates-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/howard-mittelmark-38764_adverbs_overuse-at-best-is-needless-clutter-at-w_32413.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/howard-mittelmark-38764_adverbs_overuse-at-best-is-needless-clutter-at-w_32413.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea9/howard-mittelmark-38764_adverbs_overuse-at-best-is-needless-clutter-at-w_32413.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Overuse at best is needless clutter; at worst, it creates the impression that the characters are overacting…” — Howard Mittelmark", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do with frozen indifference; it can never give me a pang. There are subtleties which I cannot master at all - they confuse me, they mean absolutely nothing to me - and this adverb plague is one of them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Twain" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-dead-to-adverbs-they-cannot-excite-me-to-misplace-an-adverb-is-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/mark-twain-22_able_i-am-dead-to-adverbs-they-cannot-excite_285076.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/mark-twain-22_able_i-am-dead-to-adverbs-they-cannot-excite_285076.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3f/mark-twain-22_able_i-am-dead-to-adverbs-they-cannot-excite_285076.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do with…” — Mark Twain", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never use an adverb to modify the verb 'said' . . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elmore Leonard" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-said-he-admonished-gravely-to/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never use an adverb to modify the verb 'said' . . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or…” — Elmore Leonard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't really know what an adverb is. A dangling participle? That sounds really rude. I don't know what character is, really. Plot seems vaguely juvenile to me. It's all about language, it's all about how you apply it to the page.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Colum McCann" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/i-don-t-really-know-what-an-adverb-is-a-dangling-participle-that/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/colum-mccann-902_adverbs_i-don-t-really-know-what-an-adverb-is-a_1088335.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/colum-mccann-902_adverbs_i-don-t-really-know-what-an-adverb-is-a_1088335.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cae/colum-mccann-902_adverbs_i-don-t-really-know-what-an-adverb-is-a_1088335.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't really know what an adverb is. A dangling participle? That sounds really rude. 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