Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Usually (but not always) it is better to eliminate the adverb. Instead, choose a better word to replace the word being modified.
"He ate his food quickly" could be "he bolted his food" or "he wolfed down his food." "She said loudly" could be "she screamed," "she shouted," or "she bellowed." The version without the adverb is actually more descriptive, as well as stronger.
Adverbs that modify adjectives are equally suspicious. "Very small" could be "tiny." "Fairly fat" might be "chubby." An adverb that is modified by another adverb can probably be replaced. "He fights extremely well" is not as elegant as "he fights superbly."
Not every adverb needs to be removed. Consider the above example, "he fights superbly." There isn't a good verb that means "fight superbly." Sometimes the adverb should be left alone.
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