Adjectives and adverbs

Adjectives modify nouns.

A beautiful day An interesting ideaAdverbs modify verbs by telling us how we do something.

She works quietly. They write clearly.Many adverbs are formed by adding ly to the adjective.

easy - easily careful – carefully nice - nicely

A few words, like fast, hard, late and low, take the same form as both adjectives and adverbs.

It was a late movie. I stayed out late.She had a hard time. She studied hard.

Forming adverbs from adjectives

Many adverbs are formed by simply adding –ly to an adjective:

Adjective Adverb

beautiful beautifully

careless carelessly

cautious cautiously

courteous courteously

joyous joyously

quick quickly

Forming adverbs from adjectives

If an adjective ends in –y if often changed to i before the –ly is added:

Adjective Adverb

angry angrily

easy easily

guilty guiltily

happy happily

hasty hastily

shabby shabbily

Forming adverbs from adjectives

If an adjective ends in –le, the –le is dropped before –ly is added:

Adjective Adverb

capable capably

comfortable comfortably

miserable miserably

simple simply

In general: adjective + -ly

adjective example

slow slowly

Exceptions in spelling

exception exampleSilent ‘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

Rules

Adjectives ending in –ic: adjective + -ally (exception: public- publicy)

adjective adverb

fantastic fantasticallyAdjectives ending in –ly: use ‘in a … way / manner’ or

another adverb with similar meaning

adjective adverb

friendly in a friendly wayin a friendly manner

likely probably

Rules

ExceptionsAdjective

Adverb (meaning)

Adverb (meaning)

good well

difficult with difficulty

public publicy

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 adjectives are also used as adverbs (without moficication)

daily, enough, nearly, far, fast, hourly, little, long, low, monthly, much, straight, weekly,

yearly …

ACTIVITY IRead the sentences carefully and apply the rules.1. Paula is a patient teacher. She listens ____.2. Santa Claus is merry. He laughs______.3. Lucas is rapid. He answered the test _____.4. Ben is organized and quick. He ____ finished the task.5. Gladys has clear pronunciation. She talks _____.6. The Senator is well- liked. People talk of him. ( high)7. Barbara dances____. ( graceful).8. My boss greeted the visitors _____. (polite)9. This has to be done ___ ( regular).10. She _______ showed us her trophy. ( happy).11. He is a good coordinator. He does it _______.12. The child ____ took the toys. ( relentless)13. The organization ___ prepared its activity. ( excited)14. The members ____ welcomed the tourists. ( kindly)15. The Boy Scouts ____ completed the kite. (enthusiastic).

ACTIVITY IIWrite the correct form in the blank.1. Jack plays the piano ________. (beautiful)2. Mrs. Cordero speaks very ____. (soft)3. Mara won the race _____. ( easy)4. I see him at the Casino ____. (frequent)5. 5. She acted ____. ( greedy)6. That cave is dangerous. Walk ____ (cautious).7. He stole the cookies. He acted____ (guilty).8. She was late. She drove ____ ( hasty).9. They were poor. They dressed ___ (shabby).10. Someone ____ killed the dog. ( miserable)

ACTIVITY IIII. Read the sentences and complete them:1. Andrea answered the questions_____.(honest)2. John walked to the store very ___. ( slow)3. _______, my sister ruined my dress. (thoughtless)4. ___ the rangers approached the bear. (cautious)5. Paul ___ answered the interview. ( foolish)6. The new secretary works ___. (careless)7. Joe ____ gave a donation. ( generous)8. The feverish man ____ watched his girlfriend.

( jealous)9. Mary apologized ____. ( sincere)10. The dog ____ hid the bone. ( playful)

Activity IV. Read the corresponding words and change them to adverbs taking the rules into consideration.

1. brave

2. competent

3. good

4. bitter

5. angry

6. easy

7. happy

8. simple

9. capable

10. comfortable

11. hasty

12. nice

13. clean

14. dirty

15. rapid

CHALLENGE

I. Demonstrate that you can change these adjectives to adverbs. Remember the rules.1. angry2. happy3. heavy4. noisy5. steady6. clumsy7. cheek

Part II. Let’s continue with the challenge. Read and choose the best alternative.

1. If you always drive ___ you are sure to have an accident.

a. recklessly b. reckless2. Pablo ate his dinner ___.

a. quick b. quickly3. He’ s an awful driver. He never stops ______.

a. smoothly b. smooth4. This case ‘s evidence has been___affected.

a. serious b. seriously5. Mr. Mom and Mrs. Mom squealed at each other

___.a. furious b. furiously

ActivityActivity 1

1. patiently

2. merrily

3. rapidly

4. quickly

5. clearly

6. highly

7. gracefully

8. politely

9. regularly

10. happily

Activity 1

11. well

12. relentlessly

13. exitedly

14. kindly

15. enthusiastically

Activity 2

1. beautifully

2. softly

3. easily

4. frequently

5. greedily

6. cautiously

7. guiltily

8. hastily

9. stabbily

10. misarebly

ActivityActivity 3

1. honestly

2. slowly

3. thoughtlessly

4. cautiously

5. foolishly

6. carelessly

7. generously

8. jealously

9. sincerely

10. playfully

Activity 4

1. bravely

2. competently

3. well

4. bitterly

5. angrily

6. easily

7. happily

8. simply

9. capably

10. comfortably

ChallengePart I

1. angrily

2. happily

3. heavily

4. noisily

5. steadlily

6. clumsily

7. checkily

Part II

1. a

2. b

3. a

4. b

5. b