'Tom Swifties,' a Word Game

This game is based on the science-fiction books for children by Victor Appleton. The creator of "Tom Swift" was partial to adverbs, and used them a lot. (Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs describe verbs. Most adverbs end in "ly.")

"Tom Swifties" take adverbs one step further. Here's one: " 'Sit down in the back of the boat!' he said sternly." (Get it? The back of a boat is the "stern.")

See if you can complete these "swifties." The blanks indicate the number of letters in the answer, and hints are given in parentheses.

1. "Get ready for a quiz," the teacher said - - - - - - -. (Irritably)

2. "Can I turn on more lights for you?" he asked - - - - - - - -. (Cleverly)

3 "Our baby is due in May," she said - - - - - - - - - - -. (Looking forward to)

4. "Would you like to put the worm on the hook?" she asked - - - - - - - - - -. (Temptingly)

5. "Must we live on the prairie?" he said - - - - - - - - - - -. (Mournfully)

6. "That animal is too big to be a pony!" he said - - - - - - - -. (Harshly, huskily)

7. "I like sleeping in the woods - if I'm in a shelter," he said - - - - - - - - -. (Extremely, vividly)

8. "These raspberries are a lovely deep color," she - - - - - - - noticed. (With alacrity)

9. "Thanks for helping me clean out the fireplace," he said - - - - - - - - - -. (Thankfully)

10. "What's all that foaming water on the river ahead of us?" she asked - - - - - - -. (Quickly)

11. "Hot dogs are my favorite," he admitted - - - - - - -. (Bluntly)

12. "This pie is sour," she said - - - - - -. (Cuttingly)

ANSWERS:

(1) testily; (2) brightly; (3) expectantly; (4) alluringly; (5) plaintively;

(6) hoarsely; (7) intensely; (8) readily;

(9) gratefully; (10) rapidly; (11) frankly;

(12) tartly.