English Vocabulary

Spelling - Adverb formation

We normally change an adjective into an adverb by adding –ly.

slow – slowly
real – really
right – rightly
careful – carefully
beautiful – beautifully
complete – completely
hopeful – hopefully
right – rightly

There are some exceptions to this rule.

true – truly (NOT truely)
due – duly (NOT duely)
whole – wholly (NOT wholelly)
full – fully (NOT fullly)

Adjectives ending in y

-y changes to –i-

happy – happily
easy – easily
dry – drily or dryly
gay – gaily

Exceptions

shy – shyly
sly – slyly
coy – coyly

Adjectives ending in consonant + le

-le changes to –ly after a consonant.

idle – idly
noble – nobly
able – ably

Adjectives ending in ic

If an adjective ends in –ic, the adverb ends in –ically.

tragic – tragically
ironic – ironically
phonetic – phonetically

Exception

public – publicly (NOT publically)

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