We explain what the adverbs of doubt are, how they are used and examples in sentences. Also, other types of adverbs.
What is an adverb of doubt?
The adverbs of doubt are one of the types of adverbs that exist in the English language, that is, are modifier words for other specific words, which in this case are verbs, adjectives or other adverbs, or even whole sentences. Its name comes from the Latin word adverbium, made up of the words ad- (“Towards”) and verbum (“verb”).
Adverbs are words that do not usually change their form, and that have their own meaning (lexicon), which always refers to a certain circumstance, an aspect of how the actions said in the sentence occur. This can be a place, a way of doing things, a specific time, or even a subjective way of approaching what happened, as in the case at hand, that of the adverbs of doubt.
These adverbs allow to express in the sentence a certain margin of uncertainty, probability, possibility, that is, a margin of doubt. Together with affirmative and negative, exclamatory and interrogative adverbs, and other similar ones, they constitute epistemic adverbs, that is, those through which a subjective, mental reality of the issuer is expressed, instead of a concrete reality of the world.
Examples of adverbs of doubt
The main adverbs of doubt, by way of example, are the following: perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, probably, possibly, may, hopefully; and also other adverbial phrases such as: maybe, it can be, it’s possible, maybe.
Sentences with adverbs of doubt
To exemplify the use of the adverbs of doubt, here are some sentences:
- Maybe we should have taken that other path.
- Someone will have found my wallet probably.
- I wish come my friends to your party.
- Tomorrow may get up early.
- Maybe we should no longer work together.
- Possibly give you that promotion you want.
- Maybe we meet Ramiro at school.
- Perhaps you should always tell me the truth.
Other types of adverb
As well as the adverbs of doubt, there are other categories of adverb, such as:
- Adverbs of place. Those that introduce a spatial relationship in the sentence, that is, they indicate where a referent is located. For example: there, here, there, outside, up, down, inside, between, etc.
- Adverbs of manner. Those that refer to the specific way something was done or things happened. For example: fast, good, bad, better, quick, regularly, etc.
- Time adverbs. Those who introduce a temporal relationship in what has been said, that is, they describe the moment in which an action is carried out. For example: before, after, later, while, formerly, etc.
- Adverbs of degree or quantity. Those that describe a proportion or a degree in which things happen. For example: little, a lot, a lot, more, less, etc.
- Adverbs of order. Those that express a chronological or continuity relationship, that is, describe the order of the referents. For example: first, then, after, etc.
- Affirmative and negative adverbs. As their name indicates, they are those who affirm or deny facts or situations, thus expressing a certain degree of agreement of the speaker with respect to what has been said. For example: yes, no, certainly, exact, never, never, etc.
- Interrogative and exclamatory adverbs. Those that are part of interrogative sentences or exclamatory sentences, and are easily recognized because they tend to always be stressed. For example: where, when, how, what, who, etc.