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3rd Grade Identifying Adverbs Worksheets

An adverb is a word that describes a verb. It answers questions like how, when, where, and how often. Third graders learn to tell adverbs apart from adjectives: adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe actions. In "The choir sang softly," the adverb "softly" tells how the choir sang.

Free printable PDF, aligned to Common Core L.3.1.a. One skill per page, answer key on page two.

Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.

A sample 3rd grade sheet. Yours will have different sentences. Click it to print your own.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Underline the adverb in each sentence.

  1. Maya whispered quietly to her best friend.

    Answer: quietly

  2. The old turtle crawled slowly toward the water.
  3. The artists are shading their drawings gently.

Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.

What's on each sheet

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

The reliable routine is verb first, adverb second. Have students underline the action word, then hunt for the word that answers how, when, where, or how often. Watch for the classic mix-up with adjectives: "the fast runner" and "she runs fast" make a good contrasting pair to talk through before the worksheet.

Watch for: Not every word that ends in -ly is an adverb. In 'a friendly dog', friendly describes the dog, so it is an adjective. Adverbs do not always end in -ly. Words like soon, here, never, and fast can be adverbs too.

Common questions about identifying adverbs

What is the difference between an adjective and an adverb?
Adjectives describe nouns: a loud dog. Adverbs describe verbs: the dog barked loudly. When a student is unsure, have them find what the word is describing. A person, place, or thing means adjective. An action means adverb.
How do I teach adverbs to a 3rd grader?
Underline the verb first, every time. Then ask three questions in order: how, when, where. Most grade 3 sentences hide exactly one word that answers one of them. After a few worksheets the routine becomes automatic, and you can add trickier sentences with the adverb at the front.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.3.1.a. Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.