Adjectives

The “crayons” of the Grammar World

The old boat sat on the purple whale.

One man fished from the boat.

That whale looks very tame.

AdjectivesAdjectives are words that describe nouns by telling what kind, how many, or which one.

______

___

____

Adjectives answer the questions:

■ How many?■ What kind?■ Which one?

The yellow house is for sale.

Find the noun.house

Ask the question: What kind of house?

yellow houseYellow is the adjective.

Two dogs ran outside.

Find the noun.dogs

Ask the question: How many dogs?

two dogsTwo is the adjective.

That cow fell down.

Find the noun.

cowAsk the question: Which cow?

That cowThat is the adjective.

Let’s Try Some!■ The magnificent butterfly flew

under the branch.■ The butterfly with the colorful

wings rested.■ One butterfly flew quietly

beneath the tree.■ The butterfly fluttered its

delicate wings.

ArticlesDemonstrative AdjectivesComparative AdjectivesSuperlative Adjectives

There are special types of adjectives:

Articles

■A■An■The

A■ Use before words

beginning with a consonant sound.

■ Use with singular nouns.

a cat

a key

a book

An■ Use before words beginning

with a vowel sound and the silent h.

■ Use with singular nouns.

an island

an onion

an honest man

Demonstrative AdjectivesThese adjectives point out specific things.

■this■that■these■those

This, that

This boy is my friend.I want this boy on my team.That soccer ball belongs to me.I bought that ball yesterday.

■use with singular nouns■answers the question which one?

These, those■ use with plural nouns■ answers the question which ones?

These people are working.They are working on these problems.Those books are on the table.The boys used those books to help them.

Comparative Adjectives■ used to compare two nouns or

pronouns.■ Add –er to the end of one syllable

words.■ Add more to the beginning of

multi-syllable words.■ NEVER use –er and more together.

Let’s try some!■ Joe is ______ than Bill.■ Bill works _______ than Joe.■ This car is ___________to drive than

that one.

(tall)

(hard)

(difficult)

taller

harder

more difficult

Superlative Adjectives■ Used to compare three or more

nouns or pronouns■ Add –est to the end of one syllable

words.■ Add most to the beginning of

multisyllable words.■ NEVER use -est and most

together.

Let’s try some!■ Mary has the ______ shirt.■ Mark is the _____ boy.

■ They are the ________ children.■ Chrissy is the ________ girl I know.

(bright)

(tall)

(honest)

(helpful)

brightest

tallest

most honest

most helpful

ADVERBS

ADVERBS ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:⦿How?⦿When?⦿Where?⦿To what extent?⦿Why?

ADVERBS⦿Adverbs describe and modify or change

other words, just as adjectives do.⦿HOWEVER, instead of describing things,

they describe actions & qualities.⦿For example:

◼How did the runner run?◼How deep was the snow?◼How well did the singer sing?

⦿Adverbs have the answers to all these questions!

EXAMPLE⦿He played

guitar skillfully.

⦿He played guitar dreadfully.

⦿He played guitar passionately.

FEATURES OF ADVERBS1. Many adverbs end in –ly2. Adverbs modify

BEWARE!⦿ Rules about adverbs:

1. Use adverbs sparingly because they cause wordiness and awkwardness

2. Beware of words ending in –ly that are not adverbs

● Examples: lovely, lonely, ghastly, and worldly

● These examples do not answer the question HOW?

● These examples are really adjectives!

3. Always go back to the HOW? Rule

HOW?

(3) PLACEMENT OF ADVERBS⦿ Adverbs modifying verbs can usually be moved

around in a sentence w/out changing the meaning.

⦿ Before verb◼Ex: The car immediately stopped.

⦿ After verb◼Ex: The car stopped immediately.

⦿ Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs belong right in the front of the words they modify.

⦿ Before adjective◼Ex: That’s an extremely dangerous corner for

bicycle riders.⦿ Before adverb

◼Ex: The car turned the corner really quickly.