Psst. Looking for an acting tip? Something juicy? Something simple to learn that pays off for years to come? Of course you are: what performer isn’t?! The funny thing about this concept is that it doesn’t sound particularly exciting—in fact, it sounds more like English homework than the secret weapon it is. But it’s one of the best tools you can fold into your process as a performer. Let’s talk about using adverbs in acting.
When actors use adverbs in their acting, they modify the way actions and tactics are played throughout a scene. They can add urgency, stakes, and quirks that are particular to a character’s personality. Adverbs give actors a greater sense of control over how their performance is conveyed to an audience.
We’ve broken this process down into five manageable steps. Once you have the hang of it, you’ll find there are few limits to how you can apply it to your work. Read on and give it a go!
What is an Adverb?
Before we jump in, let’s get some simple grammar out of the way. It might seem a little dry, but, hey: knowledge is power.
An adverb is a word used to describe or modify a verb, adjective or phrase. Unlike an adjective—which adds description or modification to a noun or pronoun—adverbs tend to describe things like mood, “how”, “when”, “to what extent” or “how successfully”.
Example #1: Dante threatened Gus constantly.
In this sentence, we have noun – verb – noun – adverb. The first noun is the subject of the sentence “Dante” (the do-er), and the verb “threatened” is what he is doing to “Gus”, the object of the sentence.
The adverb “constantly” modifies the verb. It tells us how Dante is threatening Gus, and therefore grants the reader more information. Is the adverb completely necessary? No, “Dante threatened Gus.” works perfectly. But something is lost: we lose the mental image of Dante repeatedly harassing poor Gus, the repeat attacks, the animosity between them.
We can also determine the importance of an adverb by changing it.
Example #2: Dante threatened Gus desperately.
Suddenly, the whole dynamic between these two characters is different. Gus, out of nowhere, has all the status and power. It’s the same basic interaction, but the subtext has changed completely.
Using Adverbs in Acting
So how do we go about using adverbs in acting? We use them to modify our characters’ actions and tactics in a scene. Remember: actions are what you use to achieve your character’s objective. They’re the “what” to the “how” of a character’s goal.
#1 Know Your Character
Start by getting to know your character. Character types and personalities are big determiners in how you might successfully deploy adverbs in your acting, not to mention everything else you do on screen or stage. What’s their personality? How are their relationships with others? What’s their status like in the piece—how does their level of power compare with the other characters?
Some of the most interesting choices actors make come from deep character analysis. It can help you defy the expectations of how your character is initially perceived by the audience, adding a sense of depth and complexity to an otherwise straightforward characterisation.
#2 Know The Scene
When you feel confident with your character, turn your attention to the text and do some script analysis. Script analysis is a vital part of any actors’ process; in the context of using adverbs, it will help you start to think about what your character wants, and how they go about getting it (steps #3 – #5).
In this step, pay close attention to the given circumstances of the scene. These are the who/what/where/when/how/why questions that help ground your performance and choices. For example: if the “when” of a scene is “five minutes before the gate closes at the airport”, you won’t have the luxury of time in a scene. Choices will need to be pacier—and an adverb like “desperately” or “anxiously” can add extra spice to a simple tactic such as “seek help”.
#3 Find Your Objective
All good acting begins and ends with the objective: the very reason your character has shown up in this scene in the first place. A good objective is something your character can achieve within the scene (not the entire story, which is their super-objective) and involves the scene partner. This creates conflict, which is the essence of all drama.
Sometimes an objective is straightforward: the bank robber in the scene has a gun on a hostage and you, the cop, want them to surrender. Sometimes, they’re more complex and peppered with subtext—a simple request for a lift home may be the start of a carefully planned seduction. But acting without knowing why your character is on stage or screen is always stagnant. Make a bold choice, and you’ll keep your audience on the edge of their seats.
#4 Determine Your Actions
Once you know what you want, it’s time to ask yourself how you get it. If your character’s objective is to borrow $1000 from a friend, what’s the way they go about it? Do they “beg”? “Bargain?” “Intimidate?” “Seduce?” “Threaten?”
Your character’s personality and status go a long way in determining this: some characters aren’t naturally intimidating, and so “threaten” won’t be a natural option for them to play. A character that’s confident might be more likely to “charm”, while a high-status character like a judge, monarch or sheriff might not flinch when they “dominate”.
The choosing of correct actions or tactics in a scene is an art: it takes a lifetime of acting to master, and to build up your own dictionary of useable words you can apply to scenes. And don’t for get that every single phrase your character utters is a chance to play an action. If one doesn’t work to get you what you want in a scene, pivot to the next. Words are ammunition for an actor—don’t ever take a shot without good aim.
#5 Modify Your Actions With Adverbs
Finally, we bring in the adverbs. Modify a chosen action by describing it—speaking either to character or circumstance. Adverbs justify more interesting choices, as they speak to how effectively the character might deploy their words.
Let’s look at an example:
RUTH: I’m sorry, Delia. You know I’d never willingly hurt you.
Let’s say you’ve read the full script and you determine that Ruth hates Delia. They are constantly jostling for status in their Garden Club, and this line has come after Ruth poisoned Delia’s entry in the flower competition. (Given that this story doesn’t actually exist, this’ll have to stand in for character and script analysis today.)
Ruth’s objective might seem like it’s to apologise, but subtext (and character study) tells us different. Ruth’s objective is to put Delia down. Of course, we need to choose actions to go with this, so let’s say the first sentence is “to apologise” and the second is “to clarify”. If you’re playing along at home, try reciting this line with our chosen objective and actions in place.
Finally, we modify the actions with adverbs. “To apologise” becomes “to apologise coldly”, and “to clarify” becomes “to clarify condescendingly”. And all that wonderful character and script work, the subtext of a character bound by Garden Club society rules but filled to the brim with hate(!), is able to shine through. Try it one more time:
RUTH: I’m sorry, Delia. You know I’d never willingly hurt you.
Suddenly, our Machiavellian gardener is there. Without so much as a sneer, we understand everything about how she regards her scene partner and what she wants in the scene. In two moves, she achieves her every goal.
#BONUS: Don’t Play The Result
Less a step, more a reminder. Don’t play an adverb that promises the result of the scene for the audience. Take the above example of Ruth and Delia. If we were to add the adverb “meanly” to either of our actions, the scene would have a lot less of the subtlety that makes Ruth’s tactics so effective.
Sure, she’s trying to be mean. But ask yourself how she would go about being mean. Play the effort of your character, not the desired result for the audience. It’s the equivalent of actors who, instead of plotting actions, say “this is the part where I get angry” and then show the audience that. Sure, your character might be angry: you need to work out why. And what they do about it.
Conclusion
Using adverbs in acting is all about control. The greater deal of control you can exert on your performance, the more you’ll have a chance to shape and complexify it. Some actors don’t like using adverbs, even actions, to navigate their wants in a scene. “I want it to feel spontaneous,” you often hear. “I don’t plot actions in real life, why should I do it when I’m acting?” To this, we ask the following: if you are gearing up for an important conversation in your life—asking for a raise, giving bad news, telling somebody you love them—do you really put no thought into what you might say? And how? And how the other person might react?
Being able to refine your thoughts, articulate your views and your wants, is a vital skill for actors. That all-important objective has to be life and death for your character in every single scene. You owe it to yourself to gear up for that fight with the very best tools you can find. Play to win.
Good luck!