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“She hardly ever goes to the gym.” In the sentence, one can see how the word ‘hardly ever’ changes the entire meaning of the sentence. This word comes under negative adverbial. These adverbials are used to indicate or describe an action and the emotions behind it. The use of “hardly ever” negates the frequency of her visits to the gym, suggesting that she rarely goes or goes very infrequently. Continue reading this blog to learn all about negative adverbials and how they can be used in sentences.
What are Negative Adverbials?
Negative Adverbials are phrases or rather words that are used to be dramatic, restrictive or empathetic. These words are used at the beginning of the sentences and require one to invert both the subject and the verb. This is to indicate the absence of something or to convey a sense of contradiction or opposition.
Usage of Negative Adverbs
Negative adverbs are used in various contexts to convey negation, contradiction, or absence of action or state. Here are some ways negative adverbials can be used in sentences:
- Negating Verbs
Negative adverbs such as “not” are used to negate verbs in a sentence.
Example: She does not like coffee.
- Expressing Absence
Negative adverbs convey the absence of an action or state.
Example: He rarely visits his grandparents.
- Indicating Change
Negative adverbs can indicate a change from a previous state.
Example: She’s no longer interested in playing tennis.
11+ Examples of Negative Adverbials
Here are some examples of negative adverbials which will help you get a better understanding of the same.
| Never | Not |
| Rarely | Hardly |
| Barely | Scarcely |
| Seldom | No Longer |
| Not Anymore | Not At All |
Following the negative adverbials mentioned above, here’s how they can be included in a sentence:
- Not: She did not finish her homework on time.
- Never: He never forgets his anniversary.
- Rarely: They rarely go out to eat because they prefer cooking at home.
- Hardly: She hardly ever complains about her workload.
- Scarcely: The movie had scarcely begun when the power went out.
- Barely: He barely made it to the bus stop before the bus left.
- Seldom: We seldom see shooting stars in the city due to light pollution.
- No longer: She’s no longer interested in pursuing a career in finance.
- Not anymore: I don’t drink soda anymore; I’ve switched to water.
Negative Adverbs Quiz
Fill in the blanks with the correct answer to the questions mentioned below.
- She __________ attends parties.
a) sometimes
b) always
c) rarely
d) frequently
- They have __________ been to that restaurant before.
a) often
b) never
c) occasionally
d) usually
- He __________ speaks during meetings.
a) always
b) hardly
c) often
d) frequently
- The store __________ has the item I need in stock.
a) rarely
b) always
c) often
d) occasionally
- I __________ watch TV in the morning.
a) often
b) frequently
c) never
d) usually
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FAQs
What are negation adverbs?
Adverbs of negation are adverbs that indicate the opposite of what is expected.
Is ‘nowhere’ a negative adverb?
The most common examples of negative adverbs are ‘no’ and ‘not’. Other examples are neither, never, nobody etc.
Is ‘hardly’ a negative adverb?
Words like ‘hardly’, and ‘scarcely’ all have negative connotations.
We hope this blog has provided you with all the necessary information on negative adverbials. To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu.
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