--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never use an adverb to modify the verb…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg" --- # Never use an adverb to modify the verb 'said' . . . he… ![“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.” quote by Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75a/elmore-leonard-3471_adverbs_never-use-an-adverb-to-modify-the-verb-s_1172399.jpg) > “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.” [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using adverbs to modify 'said' is discouraged because it distracts, weakens rhythm, and reveals the writer’s insecurity, breaking narrative flow. **In simple terms:** Adverbs with 'said' clutter prose Key Takeaway Prefer strong verbs Themes writing style clarity Mood critical analytical Type instructional reflective When to use this quote - editing - teaching writing - novel drafting Key Concepts grammar narrative technique voice Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever need an adverb for emphasis? - When is rhythm more important than clarity? A Different Perspective Overuse can still add nuance if handled skillfully ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adverb-430759/) [Adverb Modify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adverb-modify-3404078/) [Adverbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adverbs/) [Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earnest/) [Exposing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposing/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mortal sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortal-sin/) [Mortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortals/) [Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Admonished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-admonished-3404077/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Adverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-adverb-3404076/) [Verb Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verb-said-2430532/) [Verbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verbs/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/never-use-a-verb-other-than-said-to-carry-dialogue/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue... I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with "she asseverated" and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/never-use-a-verb-other-than-said-to-carry-dialogue-i-once-noticed/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Adverbs, we know, are meant to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. They help us understand things more clearly, more vividly, 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/) > [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…](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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do with frozen…](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/) > [“Overuse at best is needless clutter; at worst, it creates the impression that the characters are overacting, emoting like silent film stars. Still, an…](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/) > [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…](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/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“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/) > [“Some one has defined a work of art as a “thing beautifully done.” I like it better if we cut away the adverb and…](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/) > [“To understand the difference between a good adverb and a bad adverb, consider these two sentences: “She smiled happily” and “She smiled sadly.” Which…](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/) > [“But the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every words that serves no function, every long word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/but-the-secret-of-good-writing-is-to-strip-every-sentence-to-its/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) ## More by Elmore Leonard > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [These are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/these-are-rules-i-ve-picked-up-along-the-way-to-help-me-remain/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“There’s something happening here, I know it. It’s right in front of my face, but I just can’t see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/there-s-something-happening-here-i-know-it-it-s-right-in-front-of-my/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/the-line-of-dialogue-belongs-to-the-character-the-verb-is-the-writer/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-try-to-leave-out-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I have fun writing. I don't make it a chore. I don't have to struggle with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-have-fun-writing-i-don-t-make-it-a-chore-i-don-t-have-to-struggle/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can't allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/if-it-sounds-like-writing-i-rewrite-it-or-if-proper-usage-gets-in-the/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I don’t think writers compete, I think they’re all doing separate things in their own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-don-t-think-writers-compete-i-think-they-re-all-doing-separate/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [After 58 years you'd think writing would get easier. It doesn't. If you're lucky, you become harder to please. That's all right, it's still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/after-58-years-you-d-think-writing-would-get-easier-it-doesn-t-if-you/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“He saw Harvey and Edgar catch each other's eye as he looked off toward the strains of "Alley Cat," Jesus, hoping they'd rush it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/he-saw-harvey-and-edgar-catch-each-other-s-eye-as-he-looked-off/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I'm not going to write for posterity. I'm going to write to make a buck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-m-not-going-to-write-for-posterity-i-m-going-to-write-to-make-a-buck/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“A wife's faithful to her husband, subject to him. It's in the bible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/a-wife-s-faithful-to-her-husband-subject-to-him-it-s-in-the-bible/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Try not to write the parts that people skip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/try-not-to-write-the-parts-that-people-skip/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I want the reader to know what's going on. So there's never a mystery in my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/i-want-the-reader-to-know-what-s-going-on-so-there-s-never-a-mystery/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) [Explore all 130 Elmore Leonard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) ## More Adverbs quotes > [“But the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every words that serves no function, every long word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/but-the-secret-of-good-writing-is-to-strip-every-sentence-to-its/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [“Overuse at best is needless clutter; at worst, it creates the impression that the characters are overacting, emoting like silent film stars. Still, an…](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/) > [“All the deaths are dead for nothing but you're not dead at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/all-the-deaths-are-dead-for-nothing-but-you-re-not-dead-at-all/) [daniel handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [I have no policy, for or against: only a personal style. Which is to say, I use them when I think it's appropriate to;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-have-no-policy-for-or-against-only-a-personal-style-which-is-to-say/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-believe-the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-adverbs-and-i-will-shout-it/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me. To misplace an adverb is a thing which I am able to do with frozen…](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/) > [Using adverbs is a mortal sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/using-adverbs-is-a-mortal-sin/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I think the best way to put it is that newspictures are the noun and the verb; our kind of photography is the adjective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-stryker/i-think-the-best-way-to-put-it-is-that-newspictures-are-the-noun-and/) [Roy Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-stryker/) > [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/) > [The road to hell is paved with adverbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-adverbs/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Adverbs are cholesterol in the veins of prose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/adverbs-are-cholesterol-in-the-veins-of-prose/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [The question that arises as we use all these adjectives and adverbs to describe our physicians as we approach a Supreme Court nominee is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/the-question-that-arises-as-we-use-all-these-adjectives-and-adverbs/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [Adverbs is a book about love, and I thought that was pretty cheerful, but people who are reading it now are telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/adverbs-is-a-book-about-love-and-i-thought-that-was-pretty-cheerful/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [“There was a noise above us like an airplane zoom, but it was getting too dark to see. People started laying on the horn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/there-was-a-noise-above-us-like-an-airplane-zoom-but-it-was-getting/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [God loveth adverbs; and cares not how good, but how well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hall/god-loveth-adverbs-and-cares-not-how-good-but-how-well/) [Joseph Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hall/) [Browse all 61 Adverbs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adverbs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@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. 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