Adjective & Adverb

​Adjective

​​What is an Adjective?

​Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.

​Adjectives modify nouns

​Most students learn that adjectives are words that modify (describe) nouns. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.

• ​Margot wore a beautiful hat to the pie-eating contest.

• Furry dogs may overheat in the summertime.

• My cake should have sixteen candles.

• ​The scariest villain of all time is Darth Vader.

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​Comparative adjectives

​Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify (larger, smaller, faster, higher).

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​They are used in sentences where two nouns are compared, in this pattern:

​Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

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​​Superlative adjectives

​Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest).

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They are used in sentences where a subject is compared to a group of objects.​

​Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

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​​Superlative adjectives

​Superlative adjectives are used to describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality (the tallest, the smallest, the fastest, the highest).

​

They are used in sentences where a subject is compared to a group of objects.​

​Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

​​Adverb

​​What is an Adverb?

• ​An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb (he sings loudly), an adjective (very tall), another adverb (ended too quickly), or even a whole sentence (Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella).

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• ​Adverbs often end in -ly, but some (such as fast) look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts.

• Tom Longboat did not run badly.

• ​Tom is very tall.

• The race finished too quickly.

• Fortunately, Lucy recorded Tom’s win.

​​Examples of Adverb:

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Often, the purpose of the adverb is to add a degree of intensity to the adjective.

• The woman is quite pretty.

• ​This book is more interesting than the last one.

• The weather report is almost always right.​

​​Adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs.

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Often, the purpose of the adverb is to add a degree of intensity to the adjective.

• The woman is quite pretty.

• ​This book is more interesting than the last one.

• The weather report is almost always right.​

​​Adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs.

Multiple Choice

John held plate____

• careful

• carefully

Multiple Choice

julia is a ___ person

• careful

• carefully

Multiple Choice

I ran ___ to station.

• quick

• quickly

Multiple Choice

The journey was ___.

• quick

• quickly

Multiple Choice

You look ___. Did you sleep well?

• tiredly

• tired

Multiple Choice

The baby rubbed her eyes___.

• tiredly

• tired