The document provides an overview of adjectives and adverbs in English. It explains that adjectives modify nouns and adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. It gives examples of adjectives and adverbs and discusses how to form comparatives and superlatives. The document also discusses some rules for using adjectives and adverbs correctly and avoiding common mistakes.

1. Adjectives and Adverbs further explained (English Lesson)
In many cases, you can form adverbs from adjectives simply by adding –ly to the adjective. (If an
adjective ends in –y , then change the –y to an –i and add the –ly ).
Examples: Adjective Adverb Adjective Adverb
constant constantly loud loudly
happy happily sad sadly
However, it is not that simple in all cases. In some instances, the –ly form is the adjectival form.
Examples: She is a friendly child. / The defendant answered the question in a gentlemanly
way.
In other cases, the adjective and adverb have the same form.
Examples: The barefoot boy seemed unaware of his poverty. (adjective)
They enjoyed walking barefoot through the sand. (adverb)
Descriptive modifiers change their form to indicate their function as either adjectives or adverbs. In
addition, adjectives change their form to indicate degrees of quantity or quality.
Positive form is simply the basic adjective. Example: She is a smart girl.
Comparative form compares two persons or items. You either add –er to the positive adjective or
place the word more before it. Examples: tall – taller; handsome – more handsome. She is the smarter
girl.
In general, words of one syllable add –er to form the comparative, and words of two or more syllables
add the word more. However, there are exceptions. The superlative form compares three or more
persons or items. You either add –est to the positive or place the word most before it.
Examples: Positive Comparative Superlative
Slow slower slowest
Foolish more foolish most foolish
Interesting more interesting most interesting
Again, the general rule applies for deciding which format to use when indicating the superlative. Some
words have irregular forms:
Positive Comparative Superlative
Bad worse worst
Good better best
Little less least
Choose the correct word in each sentence. Underline your choice.
1. Mark Russell, the political satirist, is (real, really) well-liked in Europe.
2. Registration day must be the (more, most) frustrating day of the whole semester.
3. Beatrix is the (more, most) traditional-minded twin.
4. Both cars received satisfactory ratings, but this one has the (better, best) maintenance record.
5. The temperatures this summer have been the (cold, colder, coldest) of the decade.
6. The teacher told us to get back to the classroom (real, really) fast.
7. The new notepad computers are the (small, smaller, smallest) ones yet developed.
8. The notepad computers are much (small, smaller, smallest) than the laptop ones produced
only five years ago.
9. That child has the (bright, brighter, brightest) smile I have ever seen.
10. The newly employed teenager tried to manage his money (wise, wisely).
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2. (key to answer):
ADJECTIVES MODIFY NOUNS/PRONOUNS
ADVERBS MODIFY ADJECTIVE, VERB, ADVERB, PARTICIPLES, CLAUSE
Broken -==adj, broken hearted man ,,, talking mayna present participle,
Broken vow> , burnt offering,
1. Really > well-like: adjective
2. Most > a registration day is compared to all the days in a semester
3. More > 2 persons are compared : TWIN
4. Better > both = two, 2 things are compared
5. Coldest > THIS SUMMER compared to all years in a DECADE
6. Really > adv modifying the VERB TOLD, adjective FAST
7. Smallest > NEW compared to old , EVER, OF ALL
8. Smaller > notepad vs. laptop,,, THAN
9. Brightest > ever,,,,
10. Wisely > tried to manage
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3. 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 twit
 A big, bloody mess (both “big” and “bloody” 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 Adverb
Happy kids Playing happily
Smooth rock Running smoothly
Good night Eating Well
Efficient workers Working efficiently
Casual dress Dressing casually
Quick meeting Talking quickly
Hopeful children Waiting hopefully
Real butter Really hot
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4. Comparatives and Superlatives
• Most adverbs and adjectives also have a comparative and
superlative form
Simple Comparative Superlative
Hot Hotter Hottest
Good Better Best
Exciting More exciting Most exciting
Careful Less careful Least careful
• Use the comparative form to compare two things
Sally 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 today
X That was the most dirtiest story I ever heard
X 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 between
X The most perfect student in the class
X A very unique idea (say “very unusual” instead)
• These words express absolute concepts that cannot be modified
More priceless Sort of dead Quite unique
Quite on A little bit pregnant Completely anonymous
Very unanimous Extremely perfect Most favourite
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5. Don’t use adjectives when adverbs are needed
X You did a real nice job
– (an adjective can’t modify another adjective)
You did a really nice job
– (the adverb “really” modifies “nice”)
X He did good
He did well
X Fuel injection helps the car run efficient
Fuel injection helps the car run efficiently
X Come quick!
Come quickly!
X Hopefully, 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 meaning
X Bill 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
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6. Compound Adjectives
• Two or more adjectives often appear together separated with
commas
 Lance’s tiny, tight swimsuit showed off his hairy belly
• The words “tiny” and “tight” each work separately to modify
“swimsuit”
• Connect the words with a hyphen when they function together
before a noun
 Lance’s gold-plated piercings stood out against his bright-red sunburn
• “Gold-plated” and “bright-red” are compound adjectives
Compound Adjectives
• Do not hyphenate the words when they come after the noun
they modify
• Notice the difference in these examples mer – mer
No Hyphen Hyphenated
Lance was well known
along the boardwalk
Lance was a well-known
jerk
His SUV was fully equipped He drove a fully-equipped
SUV
Lance worked full time on his
tan
Lance was a full-time chick
magnet
Misplaced Modifiers
• Put adjectives and adverbs close to the words they modify
• Notice how the meaning is affected by the improper placement
X An old pile of clothes is on the floor
A pile of old clothes is on the floor
X I almost believe you are finished
I believe you are almost finished
X The winners will only be contacted
Only the winners will be contacted
X I can’t quite do this as well as Fred
I can’t do this quite as well as Fred
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