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ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS
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Adjectives & Adverbs
Adjectives and adverbs are – absolutely – a necessary
component of writing. It’s fine to say that they “just add
details”, but the details are what completes the
communication of information to the reader. They help the
reader create an image and understand precisely what the
writer is saying.
As a general rule, it’s easy to identify adjectives (which
modify nouns) and adverbs (which modify verbs). The only
caution one must exercise is in not confusing the two, as is
commonly done in casual speech
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ADJECTIVES
109
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Adjectives & Adverbs
An adjective is a word or set of words that modifies (i.e.,
describes) a noun or pronoun. Adjectives may come before the
word they modify.
Examples:
That is a cute puppy.
She likes a high school senior.
Adjectives may also follow the word they modify:
Examples:
That puppy looks cute.
The technology is state-of-the-art.
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USES OF ADJECTIVES
An adjective can tell the reader how much – or how many –
of something you’re talking about, which thing you want passed
to you, or which kind you want.
Please use three white flowers in the arrangement.
Three and white are modifying flowers.
If you are using multiple adjectives which are commonly put
together, there’s no need for a comma between the adjectives.
Look at that sweet little puppy!
If the adjectives aren’t usually used together, separate them with
a comma or conjunction.
I’m looking for a small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.
My new dog is small and good-tempered.
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USES OF ADJECTIVES
Adjectives usually go before the noun (e.g. small child)
unless one of the following verbs are involved: be, feel, taste,
smell, sound, look, appear, seem. In these cases, the
adjectives work more like adverbs.
The child is small.
The child seems small.
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Adjectives and Verbs
There are two things to consider when contemplating the
relationship between adjectives and verbs. The first is that
adjectives can come after the verb:
The rock star was crazy.
The cat’s tail is long.
The cookies smell awesome!
That shirt looks great on you..
Note that these are forms of to be or “sense” verbs: to look, to
seem, to appear, to taste, to sound, to feel, to smell, etc. If these
verbs are modifying the noun in front of them, an adjective will
always be required so the noun is properly modified.
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109
Adjectives and Verbs
The second thing to consider is verbs that turn into adjectives;
these are called participles. Usually, the verb has -ing tacked
onto the end of the root form, or it’s the past tense. The adjective
can be placed before the noun or after the verb.
The smiling baby is really cute.
Smiling is used as an adjective here, as is cute.
This is my new washing machine.
Washing is acting like an adjective for machine.
This is my broken washing machine.
This washing machine is broken.
Broken is an adjective which is modifying washing machine.
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Adjectives with the verb “to be”
If the verb to be is modifying the noun which is before it, you will
always need an adjective after to be. For instance:
The homeless man was hungry.
The young kids will be tired after their field trip.
It’s alright to have multiple adjectives both before and after “to
be”:
The old homeless man was cold and hungry.
All the young kids will be tired and cranky after their field trip.
Make sure the verb is actually a form of to be – in past, present or
future tense – rather than a verb tense using to be. If you have
were going (e.g. The kids were going home after their field trip),
there’s no need for an adjective after the verb to be; that’s the
place for an adverb.
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Adjectives with Sense Verbs.
Following a verb which refers to the senses (e.g. see or seem,
taste, feel, sound), be sure to use an adjective to describe the
noun in the clause, instead of an adverb.
She felt bad about her behavior last evening.
The house appears sound, but it hasn’t been inspected yet.
That old mead smells funny.
Exception: When using the verb to look to mean to see with one’s eyes, as
opposed to to seem or to appear, use an adverb to describe the verb.
I looked quickly at the man’s face.
The verb to look is used to mean to see with one’s eyes, and so an adverb
is used.
I looked terrible after the long ordeal.
The verb to look is used to mean to appear or to seem, so an adjective is
used.
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Order of Adjectives
It is a complicated (and not very important point of grammar). The
following rules have exceptions.
Words for color, origin/place, material and purpose do in that
order. Other adjectives come before these.
OTHER
COLOR
ORIGIN/PLA
CE
MATERIAL
PURPOSE
old
red
Spanish
leather
riding
boots
ski
boots
French
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ADVERB
109
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Adjectives & Adverbs
An adverb is a word or set of words that modifies verbs,
adjectives, or other adverbs. Adverbs answer how, when, where,
why, or to what extent—how often or how much (e.g., daily,
completely).
Examples:
He speaks slowly (tells how)
He speaks very slowly (the adverb very tells how slowly)
She arrived today (tells when)
She will arrive in an hour (this adverb phrase tells when)
Let's go outside (tells where)
We looked in the basement (this adverb phrase tells where)
Bernie left to avoid trouble (this adverb phrase tells why)
Jorge works out strenuously (tells to what extent)
Jorge works out whenever possible (this adverb phrase tells to what extent)
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USES OF ADVERBS
Adverbs Adverbs answer the question how (e.g. How is the
dog running?), as well as when, and where.
The dog ran quickly.
Quickly is modifying the verb ran.
The adverb doesn’t have to go after the verb; feel free to vary the
sentence structure to make it more interesting for your reader:
Silently, the girl snuck past her parents’ room.
Adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs.
The dog ran fairly quickly.
The adverb fairly is modifying the other adverb quickly.
The weather report is almost always right.
The adverb almost is modifying the adverb always.
The woman is quite pretty.
The adverb quite is modifying the adjective pretty.
This book is more interesting than the last one.
The adverb more is modifying the adjective interesting.
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An Adverb Between a Verb and its Direct Object
An adverb should not be placed between the verb it is
modifying, and the direct object (whatever the verb may be
modifying). Most adverbs end in -ly, but not all of them, so they
can be difficult to identify. Be sure to look for words which may
be nouns or adjectives but are acting like adverbs.
The woman applied smoothly the lipstick.
The adverb (smoothly) should not be between the verb (applied) and the
direct object (the lipstick). We need to re-write the sentence so the adverb
is in the right spot, preferably right beside the verb.
The woman applied the lipstick smoothly. (better)
The woman smoothly applied the lipstick. (best)
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An Adverb Between a Verb and its Direct Object
I poured slowly the milk into the glass.
I poured the milk into the glass slowly. (better)
I slowly poured the milk into the glass. (best)
Remember to look for adverbs that don’t end in -ly.
Mary just went yesterday to the market.
Mary just went to the market yesterday.
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Misuse of Alike
The word alike is an adverb (even though it seems like an
adjective), and shouldn’t be used to modify a noun; instead, use
an adjective (perhaps same or similar).
My girlfriend and I have an alike hairstyle.
Because hairstyle is being modified, an adjective is required here:
My girlfriend and I have the same hairstyle.
My girlfriend and I have a similar hairstyle.
If you really want to use the word alike, change the wording of your
sentence:
Our hairstyles are alike.
This sentence works because alike is modifying are, not hairstyles.
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Formation of Adverbs
In general: Adjective + -ly
Slow - slowly
exception
example
silent e is dropped in true, due, whole
true → truly
y becomes i
happy → happily
le after a consonant is dropped
sensible → sensibly
after ll only add y
full → fully
Adjective + ally (exception: public - publicly)
adjective
adverb
fantastic
fantastically
Adjectives ending in -ly: use ‘in a … way / manner’ or another
adverb with similar meaning
adjective
friendly
adverb
likely
in a friendly way
in a friendly manner
probably
adjective
adverb
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Comparison of Adverbs
Few words have irregular comparatives and superlatives
positive form
comparative form
superlative form
good
well
difficult
with difficulty
public
publicly
deep
deep (place)
deeply (feeling)
direct
direct
directly (=soon)
hard
hard
hardly (=seldom)
high
high (place)
highly (figurative)
late
late
lately (=recently)
most
most
mostly (=usually)
near
near
nearly (=almost)
pretty
pretty (=rather)
prettily
short
short
shortly (=soon)
The following
daily, enough, early, far, fast, hourly,
adjectives are also
little, long, low, monthly, much, straight,
used as adverbs
weekly, yearly, …
(without modification):
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21.

MISUSES
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Misuse of Alike
The word alike is an adverb (even though it seems like an
adjective), and shouldn’t be used to modify a noun; instead, use
an adjective (perhaps same or similar).
My girlfriend and I have an alike hairstyle.
Because hairstyle is being modified, an adjective is required here:
My girlfriend and I have the same hairstyle.
My girlfriend and I have a similar hairstyle.
If you really want to use the word alike, change the wording of your
sentence:
Our hairstyles are alike.
This sentence works because alike is modifying are, not hairstyles.
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Misuse of Same
The adjective same should modify a noun. If same is modifying a
verb, consider changing same to alike or similarly.
It is common for people and their pets to look same.
Same could modify people or pets, but not look; use an adverb instead.
It is common for people and their pets to look alike.
Of course, there’s always the “to be/sense verb” rule to be
considered:
They are the same.
There may be situations where the “to be/sense verb” rule
doesn’t apply (English is notorious for breaking rules), so try a
couple of wordings to see which sounds better. In situations
where you’re writing informally, it’s alright to use same after a
verb.
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Misuse of Unlike
The adjective unlike does not make sense if used before a
singular noun, because it is used in comparisons; a different
adjective (e.g. different, dissimilar, contradictory, opposite)
should be used instead. However unlike may be used before
plural nouns.
Some people would attempt to be polite, and describe her as “an unlike
person”.
Unlike is inappropriate in this sentence because there is no comparison
being made. It would be better to describe her as an unusual person, or
a unique person.
Their unlike perspectives clash.
Because a comparison is being made between the two
perspectives (a plural noun), unlike is appropriately used.
Remember that unlike can only modify a plural noun, so look for
one in your sentence.
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Misuse of Much
When referring to a noun, if one can count multiples of that noun, it’s
considered a countable noun. If the quantity is generally too many or too
difficult to count, it’s called an uncountable noun. For example, “a grain of
sand” is countable (one grain of sand, two grains of sand), but “sand” itself is
uncountable. For countable nouns, use the adjective many. For uncountable
nouns, use the term much.
How much shoes are in this store?
Shoes are countable, even if there are billions and billions of shoes; use the adjective
many to modify shoes.
How many shoes are in this store?
How much are the shoes in this store? Are they expensive?
In this sentence, how much is referring to the price of the shoes, not the quantity.
Some nouns can be countable or uncountable.
There are many wines for sale.
This sentence refers to the different types of wine which are available for sale.
There are many wine for sale.
There is much wine for sale.
This sentence refers to the quantity of wine which is available for sale.
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Misuse of Like and As.
The confusion in using like or as is caused by a lack of
understanding of the word’s role.
Like is used as a preposition, telling where, when or how the noun
in the sentence is doing whatever it may be doing.
As is used like a conjunction, joining two clauses. A general rule-ofthumb is that like should be followed by an object (to make a
prepositional phrase), and as should be followed by a clause
containing a verb.
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Misuse of Like and As.
Like
Most of the time, “like” compares two things.
Imagine a grown woman acting as a child.
Here, we’re comparing two things (the woman and the child), so like
should be used.
Imagine a grown woman acting like a child.
The same goes for this next sentence where we’re comparing the
mother and the girl:
The little girl, as her mother, has bright red hair.
Even though this sentence has a verb after as, the verb has
belongs to the first clause, The little girl has bright red hair. We
need the adverb like to modify her mother.
The little girl, like her mother, has bright red hair.
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Misuse of Like and As.
As
Frequently, as can be replaced by the way.
No one makes chocolate cake like my mother does.
Because there is a verb after like (does), the conjunction as should
be used. It’s easy to say that about this sentence because as can
be replaced by the way.
No one makes chocolate cake the way my mother does.
No one makes chocolate cake as my mother does.
He can’t play cricket like he used to.
At first glance, there appears to be no verb after like. However,
when speaking, we often leave out verbs which are already implied.
The implied verb is play, as in he used to play cricket. Like should
be changed to as.
He can’t play cricket as he used to before he got so old.
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Double Negatives
Certain adverbs which infer little, few or not often shouldn’t be used
in the same clause as a negative word, as this creates a double
negative. Such adverbs include: scarcely, hardly, barely, rarely, and
seldom
The employees never scarcely had personal time, as the project deadline loomed.
The employees scarcely had personal time, as the project deadline loomed.
My professor doesn’t rarely look at the work we hand in, but he doesn’t send it to
his assistant, either.
My professor rarely looks at the work we hand in, but he doesn’t send it to his
assistant, either.
The vocalist barely achieved the proper note.
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30.

COMMON ERRORS IN ENGLISH
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Bad or Badly
Bad is an adjective; badly is an adverb. Don’t get them confused.
I did bad on my English exam.
I did badly on my English exam.
By the time the speech ended, he wanted to go home bad.
This sentence is possible, if he wants to become a criminal before
going home. (Perhaps he’s going to murder the speaker?)
By the time the speech ended, he badly wanted to go home.
But… remember the rule about sense verbs. If you want to talk
about how something looks or smells, or how someone feels, use
bad.
She felt bad about forgetting her brother’s birthday.
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Good or Well
Good is an adjective; well is an adverb but can also be used as an adjective.
Did you do good on your exam?
Did you do well on your exam?
Did you do a good job on your exam?
Good is modifying job – not the verb to do.
That’s well cake.
That’s good cake.
That cake tastes good.
Remember the rule about sense verbs? Because tastes is used, we need an
adjective instead of an adverb. The same rule applies to to be.
Be good!
This sentence refers to your behaviour.
As an adjective, well is also used to mean in good health, so don’t get it
confused with the adverb.
Be well.
This sentence refers to your health and well-being.
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Sure or Surely
Sure is an adjective; surely is an adverb.
Are you sure the lecture is today?
Mary is surely finished the painting by now.
Surely, Mary will be finished the painting tomorrow.
This is sure to be the best party ever.
Here, sure to be is an idiomatic phrase which is modifying party, so it’s
working like an adjective.
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Sure or Surely
Nearly is an adverb, which means almost; near is a flexible little
word which can be an adjective, verb, adverb or preposition.
I have nearly finished this essay. (adverb)
Is the park near the school? (adverb)
As we neared the restaurant, we could hear the loud music and
voices. (verb)
We have a house on the near side of the lake. (adjective)
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35.

COMPARATIVE & SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES
109
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Comparatives
Comparatives
When comparing two things, you’re likely to get adjectives like
smaller, bigger, taller, more interesting, and less expensive.
Notice the -er ending, and the words more and less. Make sure you
have used the proper ending, or the proper comparative adjective.
Mike is more funny than Isaac.
Mike is funnier than Isaac.
Notice the spelling change for adjectives ending in -y: the
comparative ends in -ier.
This book is boringer than the last one.
This book is more boring than the last one.
Advertising encourages women to be more thin.
Advertising encourages women to be thinner.
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Superlatives
Superlatives
When comparing more than two things, you’ll get words like smallest,
biggest, tallest, most interesting, and least interesting. Notice the -est
ending, and the words most and least. Make sure you use the proper
ending or superlative adjective. Frequently, you’ll find the article the
before the superlative (e.g. the coldest winter).
Martha is the elder of the four sisters.
If there were only two sisters, we could use the comparative elder here. Because
there are four sisters, we need a superlative.
Martha is the eldest of the four sisters.
I think his last book is his least interesting; his third book was the most interesting.
That must be the weirdest play ever written.
Remember that adjectives which end in -y have their spelling changed if -est is
added.
That is the sleepyest puppy of the litter.
That is the sleepiest puppy of the litter.
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Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
Few words have irregular comparatives and superlatives
Farther/further and farthest/furthest are both used to talk about distance.
We use ‘further’ to mean ‘additional’ in some expressions.
She lives three miles farther/further away from the office that I do.
further education further information further discussion
Elder and eldest are used with brother, sister, son, daughter, grandson,
granddaughter.
John’s my eldest brother.
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Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
Few words have irregular comparatives and superlatives
positive form
comparative form
superlative form
good
better
best
bad / ill
worse
worst
little (amount)
less
least
little (size)
smaller
smallest
much / many
more
most
far (place + time)
further
furthest
far (place)
farther
farthest
late (time)
later
latest
late (order)
latter
last
near (place)
nearer
nearest
near (order)
-
next
old (people and things)
older
oldest
old (people)
elder
eldest
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as…..as
We use as….as to say that people or things are equal in some
way.
She’s as tall as her brother.
Is is as good as you expected?
After not we can use so….as instead of as….as.
He’s not so/as successful as his father.
Other useful structures: as much/many as, the same as.
I haven’t got as much time as I thought.
She earns twice as much money as me / as I do.
He went to the same school as me / as I did.
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