Language/English/Grammar/Adjectives-ending-in-ly
In English, as many adverbs often end in -ly, adjectives ending in -ly can easily get mistaken for adverbs. This article aims to provide a comprehensive list of such adjectives, helping you to better understand and master the use of these unique words. In the list below, you will find many adjectives ending in -ly (a few of them can be both adjectives and adverbs).
As a general rule, words deriving from [adjective] + -ly
are adverbs, while words deriving from [noun] + -ly
are adjectives.
So, let's dive into the world of "-ly" adjectives! 📚
After exploring this lesson, you may also find it helpful to consult other related pages, just to name a few, such as Although vs. Even though, Tips for Using Adjectives, and Common Mistakes with 'What' and 'That'.
List of adjectives ending in -ly
A
- authorly
- angrily
B
- beastly
- bodily
- bristly
- brotherly
- bubbly
- burly
C
- chilly
- comely
- costly
- courtly
- cowardly
- Crassly
- crinkly
- crumbly
- cuddly
- curly
D
- daily (Can also be an adverb)
- dastardly
- deadly
- deathly
- disorderly
E
- early
- earthly
- easterly
- elderly
F
- fatherly
- fortnightly (Can also be an adverb)
- friendly
- frilly
G
- gangly
- gentlemanly
- ghastly
- ghostly
- giggly
- godly
- goodly
- gravelly
- Greatly
- grisly
H
- heavenly
- hilly
- holy
- homely
- hourly
- housekeeperly
- humanly
- husbandly
J
- jiggly
- jolly
K
- kindly (can also be an adverb)
- kingly
- Kingly
L
- leisurely
- likely
- lively
- logically
- lonely
- lovely
- lowly
- luckily
M
- maidenly
- manly
- mannerly
- masterly
- matronly
- mealy
- measly
- melancholy
- miserly
- monthly (Can also be an adverb)
- motherly
N
- neighbourly
- nightly
- north easterly
- northerly
- north-westerly
O
- oily
- only
- orderly
- otherworldly
P
- painterly
- pearly
- pebbly
- pimply
- poorly
- Portly
- priestly
- princely
- premeditatedly
- physically
Q
- quarterly
- queenly
R
- rumbly
S
- saintly
- scaly
- scholarly
- shapely
- sickly
- silly
- sisterly
- slatternly
- slovenly
- sly
- smelly
- southerly
- sparkly
- spindly
- sprightly
- squiggly
- stately
- Stately
- swiftly (can also be an adverb)
T
- timely
- treacly
U
- ugly
- unearthly
- unfriendly
- ungainly
- unlikely
- unruly
- unseemly
- unsightly
- untimely
- unworldly
V
W
- weekly (Can also be an adverb)
- westerly
- wifely
- wily
- wobbly
- womanly
- woolly
- worldly
- wriggly
- wrinkly
Y
- yearly (can also be an adverb)
What is an adjective?
An adjective is a word that modifies a noun. Adjectives may come before the word they change.
- Example: "It is a cute dog."
Adjectives may also follow the word they modify:
- Example: "That cat looks nice."
What is an adverb?
An adverb is a word that modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Adverbs answer how, when, where, why, or to what extent—how often or how much (e.g., daily, completely).
- Examples: "He walks slowly" (tells how)
How to change an adjective ending in -ly into an adverb?
Many adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding the ending -ly:
- beautiful becomes beautifully
- bad become badly
However, adjectives ending in -ly cannot be turned into adverbs by adding -ly.
In most cases, the adjective form and adverb form of adjectives ending in "-ly" are the same.
Here are some examples:
- kindly (adjective and adverb)
- lovely (adjective and adverb)
- friendly (adjective and adverb)
- lonely (adjective and adverb)
So, to change an adjective ending in "-ly" into an adverb, you don't need to add or change anything, simply use the same word.
You can also use a different structure like in the example below :
- lovely becomes in a lovely way.
Authors
Sources
https://polyglotclub.com/language/english/question/35524
Other Lessons
- Common Mistake What That
- Count noun
- POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
- At: place
- GERUNDS
- On: place
- ADJECTIVES
- How Do Silent Letters Work?
- Difference between Mood Tense Voice
- Adverbs of Degree
Contributors
Vincent, 128.12.122.14, 66.131.29.221, Maintenance script, 187.251.104.10, 73.88.92.169, 92.158.92.135, 97.135.118.90 and Skyfly876