How to correctly modify an adverb in English: why 'more slowly' fits best

Outline

• Hook: tiny grammar choices matter in everyday speech and tests alike.

• The question in focus: which term properly modifies an adverb? Why the right answer matters.

• Core idea: adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs; “more slowly” is a comparative adverb.

• Why the other options don’t fit as adverb modifiers.

• Quick practice: a handful of clear examples to spot the pattern.

• Real-world takeaways: how this shows up in reading, writing, and even everyday conversations.

• Final thought: embrace the nuance, it sharpens communication.

Adverbs, the quiet performers, and why they matter

Here’s the thing: English is full of tiny, precise moves that shape meaning. Adverbs are the small engines that tell you how, when, where, or to what degree something happens. They modify verbs (like run, speak, write), adjectives (like bright, tall), or other adverbs (like very quickly, incredibly softly). If you’re eyeing questions on the Accuplacer-style English section, you’ll see this all the time: a verb needs a little extra info, or an adjective needs a nudge, or an adverb needs a slightly stronger or gentler touch.

Let’s look at the specific moment you asked about

When discussing actions, which term properly modifies an adverb? A. Slower B. Quick C. More slowly D. Fast

The correct answer is More slowly. Why? Because adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. “More slowly” is a comparative adverb—it compares how slowly an action is done to another time or situation. It tells you not just that the action is slow, but that it’s slower than something else. In plain terms: it gives you a sense of degree, not just a label.

Why not the other options?

• Slower: This is the comparative form of the adjective slow. It describes a noun more than it describes a manner of doing something. For example, “the slower car” describes a noun (car). It doesn’t smoothly modify a verb in the sense we’re looking for. If you tried to say “He runs slower,” you’re leaning on casual speech, but in strict grammar, you’d pair a verb with an adverb like “more slowly” to show how the action is performed.

• Quick and Fast: These are adjectives, and when they do act like adverbs, they usually need a supporting word or form (as in “fast” can be an adverb in casual use, but then you’d more likely see “more quickly” or “more fast” in edited writing, which is not correct). As modifiers of an adverb, they don’t serve the comparative purpose we need.

• Fast as a standalone adverb: “He runs fast” is common, but if you want to compare how someone runs, you’d still say “more quickly” or “more slowly,” not “fast.” The point is about a degree of modification tied to the adverb itself.

A few quick, concrete examples to lock it in

• He spoke more slowly than usual. Here, “more slowly” modifies the verb “spoke” and shows how the action was performed relative to the norm.

• She writes more slowly when she’s thinking hard. Again, you’re using a comparative adverb to describe how the action unfolds.

• They completed the task more quickly than last week. Here, “more quickly” is the opposite kind of comparison, but it still modifies the verb.

• The cat moved more softly across the room. “More softly” modifies the verb “moved,” indicating the degree of softness in the action.

A subtle but important distinction

• When you want to talk about how something is done, you’re usually modifying the verb. If you want to describe the degree of an adjective, you might modify the adjective with something like “very slow,” but that’s a different pattern (you’re dealing with adjectives, not adverbs). The pattern that trips people up is thinking “slower” can stand in for “more slowly” when you’re talking about manners of doing something. In careful, formal writing, you’ll want the comparative adverb “more slowly.”

Seeing the pattern in everyday sentences

Let me explain with a little mental map you can carry around:

• If the word you’re describing is a verb, you’ll often use an adverb to modify it. And to compare, you’ll switch to a comparative adverb like “more slowly” or “more quickly.”

• If the word you’re describing is an adjective, you’ll use an adverb to adjust it (if you want to describe how the adjective applies). In that space, you might compare degrees with phrases like “more slowly,” which still presses into the realm of modifying the action, not the noun.

A tiny digression that still matters

If you’ve ever watched movies or listened to speeches, you’ll hear people use “slower” in casual speech to describe pace, like “The pace is slower now,” which is technically an adjective describing the noun pace. It’s not a direct verb modification, and that’s the nuance that tests love to probe: where is the word acting, and what is it describing exactly? This is not a trick; it’s just paying attention to how language flows in real life, which helps you read with both speed and accuracy.

Tips to recognize the right form in real-time

• Identify what the target word is modifying. If it’s a verb, you’re likely looking for an adverb form that conveys degree or manner.

• Look for a comparison cue. If the sentence is comparing actions across time or circumstances, a comparative adverb like “more slowly” is usually the correct fit.

• Be wary of adjectives standing in for adverbs. If you see a word like “slower” directly modifying a verb, pause and check whether a phrase like “more slowly” would be the more precise option.

• Practice with small swaps. Try turning “more slowly” into “slower” in your own sentences and note how the meaning shifts. Practice helps solidify your sense of which word belongs where.

How this shows up beyond the test-like moment

• Reading comprehension benefits: knowing how modifiers work helps you parse meaning faster. You can tell whether a sentence is describing the manner of an action, the degree of a quality, or simply labeling something.

• Writing clarity: choosing the right modifier makes your prose snappier and more precise. You won’t overcorrect with awkward phrases, and your readers won’t be left guessing how something was done.

• Everyday communication: in sports commentary, cooking instructions, or even a casual debate, the way you phrase actions matters. A tiny shift from “slower” to “more slowly” can change the emphasis from a simple comparison to a precise description of pace.

A few more practical sentences to test your intuition

• The driver accelerated more slowly after the traffic light turned green.

• She spoke more slowly as she explained the concept to the group.

• The athlete moved more quickly in the warm-up than in the actual race.

• The dancer glided more softly across the stage, capturing the audience’s attention with a gentle finish.

Bringing it all together

Here’s the bottom line you can carry into any reading or writing task: adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. When you’re describing the manner of an action and you need a comparative degree, use the form more slowly. It’s the precise, formal choice that keeps your language clean and unambiguous. Slower, quick, fast—these words occupy adjacent but distinct roles, and knowing how to switch between them is what makes you sound confident and precise.

If you’re ever unsure in a sentence, a quick test works wonders: ask yourself, “What is this word doing to the verb?” If the answer is that it changes how the action is performed, then a comparative adverb like more slowly is usually the right pick. If you’re describing the noun, or the action in a broader sense without comparison, the other forms may fit—just be mindful of the grammar rules at play.

Conclusion: small words, big clarity

Language is a toolkit, and adverbs are some of the most versatile tools you have. By paying attention to who or what they modify, you’ll not only ace questions that expect this nuance but also communicate with more flair and precision in everyday life. The badge of understanding sometimes glints in the quiet corner of a sentence—the moment you switch from a plain verb to a more slowly described action. And that little adjustment? It’s the kind of nuance that separates good writing from memorable writing.