Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly

What are adjectives?• Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns• These words are all adjectives

A hot day A happy camper A silly goose A big, disgusting mess (both “big” and

“disgusting” modify “mess”) She is creative (“creative” is a subject

complement that follows the linking verb “is”)

A boring course (present participle used as an adjective

So what are adverbs?• Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and

other adverbs• Many adverbs end with ly• Many adverbs answer the question

“How?”• These are adverbs:

Eating quickly (modifying a verb)Trying very hard (modifying an adverb)A really big show (modifying an

adjective)

Recognizing Adjectives & Adverbs

• Many words have both an adjective and adverb form

Adjective AdverbHappy kids Playing happilySmooth rock Running smoothlyGood night Eating WellEfficient workers Working efficientlyCasual dress Dressing casuallyQuick meeting Talking quicklyhopeful children Waiting hopefullyReal butter Really hot

Comparatives and Superlatives

• Most adverbs and adjectives also have a comparative and superlative form

Simple Comparative

Superlative

Hot Hotter HottestGood Better BestExciting More exciting Most excitingCareful Less careful Least careful• Use the comparative form to compare two

thingsSally is the larger of the twins (not largest)

• Use the superlative form to compare three or more

August was the hottest month of the year

Double Comparatives

• Don’t use “more” or “most” with –er or –est

X Yesterday was more hotter than todayX That was the most dirtiest story I ever heardX You are the bestest teacher

Absolute Concepts• Don’t use comparatives or superlatives with

absolute concepts• Absolutes have only two possibilities, on or off,

yes or no, with nothing in betweenXThe most perfect student in the classXA very unique idea (say “very unusual” instead)

• These words express absolute concepts that cannot be modified

More priceless Sort of deadQuite on A little bit pregnantVery unanimous Extremely perfectQuite unique Completely anonymous

Don’t use adjectives when adverbs are neededXYou did a real nice job

– (an adjective can’t modify another adjective)You did a really nice job

– (the adverb “really” modifies “nice”)XHe did good

He did well orHe did a good job

XFuel injection helps the car run efficientFuel injection helps the car run efficiently

XCome quick!Come quickly!

XHopefully, it won’t rain– (an adverb explains how something will happen

I hope that it won’t rain

Don’t use needless adverbs• Before using any of these words, check to see if they

add anything to the sentence• Really, very, absolutely, extremely, quite, actually,

somewhat, rather• I am really happy to see you• Grammar is very boring• You are absolutely correct• Her language was extremely crude• You are quite intelligent

• Context will help you decide whether to retain the underlined words

• Keep them only if they add to the meaningXBill Gates is very rich. I hope he gives me some

money. Most college instructors are poor; their students are very

poor.• Note: the terms “good success” and “real good

success” have been reserved for sports broadcasters; do not use them

Compound Adjectives• Two or more adjectives often appear

together separated with commasBrad’s messy, torn papers were scattered all

over the floor.• The words “messy” and “torn” each work

separately to modify “papers”• Connect the words with a hyphen when

they function together before a noun Jack’s gold-plated piercings stood out against

his bright-red sunburn• “Gold-plated” and “bright-red” are

compound adjectives

Compound Adjectives

Terry was well known along the boardwalk (no hyphen)

His SUV was fully equipped

Brad worked full time on his tan

Terry was a well-known jerk (hyphenated)

He drove a fully-equipped SUV

Brad was a full-time chick magnet

• Do not hyphenate the words when they come after the noun they modify

• Notice the difference in these examples

Misplaced Modifiers• Put adjectives and adverbs close to the

words they modify• Notice how the meaning is affected by

the improper placementXAn old pile of clothes is on the floor

A pile of old clothes is on the floorXI almost believe you are finished

I believe you are almost finishedXThe winners will only be contacted

Only the winners will be contactedXI can’t quite do this as well as Fred

I can’t do this quite as well as Fred

• Tell: How? When? Where? To what extent? (How much?)

• patiently loudly carefully sometimes daily always now

• inside there everywhere extremely nearly almost so

• really too so usually especially very today upstairs

• close soon well much little better more less best

• most least twice together quite badly not

Adverbs answer:

How? When? Where? To what extent?