Which word in the given sentence is an adverb?
The elderly watchman missed the early bus and reached the clinic late on a chilly morning.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → late
An adverb is a word that tells how, when, where or how much something happens. It can also describe an adjective or another adverb, for example she sings sweetly, very hot.
Here “late” tells when the watchman reached the clinic.
| Option | What it tells | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) late (answer) | an adverb: it describes the verb “reached” | The train from Howrah arrived late again. |
| (2) elderly | ends in -ly, but it is an adjective: it describes the noun “watchman” | An elderly lady sat next to me on the bus. |
| (3) early | an adjective here: it describes the noun “bus” | We had an early lunch before the school trip. |
| (4) chilly | an adjective: it describes the noun “morning” | A chilly wind blew all night in Shimla. |