Final answer:
The adverb 'not' in the sentence 'In spite of her defeat, she was not sad at all' modifies the adjective 'sad.' This adverb serves to negate the emotional state expressed by the adjective.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the sentence 'In spite of her defeat, she was not sad at all,' the adverb in question is 'not.' Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, describing manner, place, time, frequency, degree, and level of certainty. In this case, the adverb 'not' modifies the adjective 'sad.'
Thus, it provides additional information about the emotional state of the subject by indicating that she lacks the feeling of sadness, directly affecting the meaning of the adjective it modifies. Adverbs do not modify nouns or pronouns, so they are always tied to verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs within the sentence.
Examples of Adverb Usage
Considering adverbs in other contexts, let's look at a couple of examples:
- 'He walked quite slowly towards the gate.' - Here, the adverb 'quite' modifies the adverb 'slowly,' which then modifies the verb 'walked.'
- 'She laughed very loudly at the joke.' - In this example, 'very' acts as an adverb modifying another adverb, 'loudly,' which in turn modifies the verb 'laughed.'
Understanding how adverbs function helps to clarify their role in a sentence and shows how they can change the intensity or meaning of other words they modify.