1. Read the four short stories below. Which one do you like best / least? Why?

1. Sweet Talking 2. Departed

‘What are you reading there? It looks serious – you
must be incredibly smart’. He uses his usual chat-up
lines on the train. Ask them a simple question. Then
pay them a compliment. It always works with
women. Sadly not this time.
3. Can’t live without it
Absolutely alone. Silence imprisons her life.
Suffocating silence. She gets up and crosses the
room. She presses the button. Waits.
Three. Two. One.
At once, there is noise! Footsteps running down the
stairs. Shouts and wonderful chaos at last! She
smiles. Three voices shout in unison,
‘Has Mummy gone?’
‘Unfortunately she has, sweetie.’
‘I miss Mummy.’
‘So do I, sweetie. Don’t cry.’
‘Let’s go and get Mummy, right now!’
‘We can’t do that, sweetie.’
‘Where is she?’
‘She’s in a much better place.’
‘WHERE?’
4. Revenge is sweet
‘You’re sitting in my seat!’ the woman said. She
showed me her ticket and shouted rudely, ‘See? It’s
mine. Move.’ I looked at the ticket carefully. Then I
stood up silently. As the train left the station, I
whispered to her,

2. Read the four final sentences and match them to the stories. Which one do you think has the
best ending?

A. ‘She’s gone to have a facial in a nice, quiet beauty salon.’

B. ‘Mum! The internet’s gone off!’
C. ‘You have the right seat, but the wrong train.’
D. ‘My divorce papers,’ she replied angrily, and turned away.

3. Look at the underlined adverbs or adverbial phrases in the stories. Think about what they
mean and write them in the correct place in the chart.

Types of adverbs
Time (when things happen, e.g. immediately) right now

Manner (how you do something, e.g. slowly)

Degree (modifying an adjective, e.g. very)

Comment (giving an opinion, e.g. luckily)

Frequency (how often things happen, e.g.

rarely)
4. With a partner, decide where the bold adverbs should go in these three sentences.

1. He speaks French and Spanish. fluently

2. I use public transport. hardly ever
3. I thought I’d lost my phone, but it was in my bag. fortunately
4. It’s important that you arrive on time. extremely
5. When I find out, I’ll tell you. immediately

5. Underline the adverbs in each sentence. Correct the word order if it’s wrong.

We’re going to be unfortunately late. X

Unfortunately, we’re going to be late.

He can speak German fluently. O

1. She liked a lot the present.

2. Mark came last night very late home.
3. The ambulance arrived at the scene of the accident after a few minutes.
4. A young man was hurt badly and was taken to hospital.
5. I was incredibly tired last night.
6. She’s lazy a bit about doing her homework.
7. I forgot your birthday almost, but my sister fortunately reminded me.
8. We luckily had taken an umbrella, because it started to rain straight away.
9. Mary doesn’t always eat healthily – she often has snacks between meals.
10. John has been apparently sacked.

6. Put the adverbs in brackets in the normal position in these sentences.

1. Their house was damaged in the fire. (badly, last week)

2. Ben is at his friend’s house. (often, in the evening)
3. My father has a nap. (usually, in the afternoon)
4. Julia left and she didn’t say goodbye. (early, even)
5. Martin eats quickly. (always, incredibly)
6. His brother died in a skiing accident. (apparently, nearly)
7. We’re going to the cinema. (probably, tonight)
8. I sent emails. (rarely, nowadays)
9. I’ve bought a beautiful new coat. (just, really)
10. Karen realised that she was going to learn to drive. (eventually, never)

7. Guess my adverb

Try to guess the missing adverb from your partner’s sentences.

 Homework

Complete the dialogue with the correct adverbs from the list.

absolutely already always angrily badly before actually

just(x2) naturally nearly obviously quickly slowly well

Director: Jason. That was (1) ________________ marvellous, but you’ve got to get to centre stage.

Jason: But I have to wait for Tanya to finish her line, and she’s doing it too (2)________________.

Tanya: I could try saying it more (3) ________________ if you want me to.

Director: Yes, could you? Now, Jason, remember when Tanya tells you she’s going to marry Henry,
you (4) ________________ know about it, because you heard them talking in the garden
(5) ________________, so you aren’t at all surprised.

Jason: Well, (6) ________________ I know about it, but I thought maybe I should pretend at first
that I didn’t know.

Director: No, we want to see your emotion! You reacted very calmly, but (7) ________________
you’re not a calm person at all. I want you to react (8) ________________, OK? Now the
next scene. Sally you were great. But, when you’ve (9) ________________ finished reading
Tanya’s letter, when you’re on the last couple of lines, (10) ________________ look up at
the audience. Let them feel how (11) ________________ you’ve been treated by her.

Sally: Do you want me to cry?

Director: Not yet. Look out at the audience, (12) ________________ like this.

Tanya: Can I just ask why you (13) ________________ ask me to play horrible characters?

Director: Because you do it so (14) ________________, darling. It just comes (15) ________________
to you. Right everyone, let’s take it again from the beginning …