An Inspector Calls grammar activity Adverbs Introduction An adverb is a word or phrase that modifies the meaning of an adjective, verb or other adverb, expressing manner, place, time or degree. They often end in ‘ly’, for example, quickly, slowly, dangerously, etc. Others are irregular, for example well, hard (compare with hardly), fast, etc. Part one Read act two of the play up to Inspector Goole’s line “We’ll see, Mrs Birling” (page 32 of the Heinemann edition), focussing on the stage directions (in italics). As you read, add each new adverb to the table below. When you have finished, write the letter of the synonym (word of the same meaning) and antonym (word of the opposite meaning) of each adverb in the space provided. In some cases there may be more than one suitable answer. The first has been done as an example: Adverb Synonym Antonym Bitterly / e b a) Keenly a) Excitedly / b) Steadily b) Sweetly / c) Severely c) Meekly / d) Tentatively d) Indifferently / e) Sourly e) Confidently / f) Casually f) Lazily / g) Powerfully g) Friendlily / h) Insistently h) Passionately / i) Unhurriedly i) Haphazardly / j) Precisely j) Quickly / k) Arrogantly k) Cryptically / l) Breathlessly l) Modestly / m) Strongly m) Patiently / n) Ingloriously n) Weakly / o) Clearly o) Proudly / p) Seriously p) Lightly / q) Pompously q) Unassumingly © Education Umbrella, 2014 1 Part two Class activity Have a student come to the front of the class. Indicate an adverb from the list above and then have the student say the line, “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body” in that manner. The other students have to guess which adverb you have chosen. Pair activity Student A reads a line from the section of act two used in the main exercise. The line must contain an adverb in the stage direction. Student B must guess the adverb using the exercise above if necessary but not the play script. Switch roles. Play for five rounds or as many as time allows. Part three Read the following exchanges from An Inspector Calls. In each case the stage direction (adverb) has been removed. Each is in the list above. Using the context and your knowledge of the play, guess what the stage direction is. 1) Gerald: (showing annoyance) Any particular reason why I shouldn’t see this girl’s photograph, Inspector? Inspector: (__________________, looking hard at him) There might be. 2) Inspector: Mr Gerald Croft, eh? Birling: Yes. Incidentally we’ve been modestly celebrating his engagement to my daughter, Sheila. Inspector: I see. Mr Croft is going to marry Miss Sheila Birling? Gerald: (smiling) I hope so. Inspector: (______________) Then I’d prefer you to stay. 3) Inspector: Why didn’t she want to take any more money from him? Mrs B.: All a lot of nonsense – I didn’t believe a word of it. © Education Umbrella, 2014 2 Inspector: I’m not asking you if you believed it. I want to know what she said. Why didn’t she want to take any more money from this boy? Mrs B.: Oh – she had some fancy reason. As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money! Inspector: (_______________) I warn you, you’re making it worse for yourself. What reason did she give for not taking any more money? Part four Choose one of the following situations and write a short dialogue about it featuring the characters in bold. Include adverbs in your stage directions to give the scene added drama. -­‐ Sheila confronts the manager of Milwards and asks him to have Eva Smith fired. -­‐ Eva Smith goes to the Brumley Women’s Charity Organisation and asks Mrs Birling for help. Eva first gives her name as Mrs Birling, which makes the real Mrs Birling very angry and unwilling to help. -­‐ Eva Smith tells Eric Birling that she is pregnant. Eric first offers to marry Eva, then, when she refuses, tries to give her more money. © Education Umbrella, 2014 3