Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly

Using Adjectives and Adverbs
Correctly
Taken from
http://languagearts.pppst.com/adjectives-adverbs.html
Adapted by Mrs. Baughman

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
Happy kids
Smooth rock
Good night
Efficient workers
Casual dress
Quick meeting
hopeful children
Real butter
Adverb
Playing happily
Running smoothly
Eating Well
Working efficiently
Dressing casually
Talking quickly
Waiting hopefully
Really hot

Comparatives and Superlatives
• Most adverbs and adjectives also have a
comparative and superlative form
Simple
Hot
Good
Exciting
Careful
Comparative
Hotter
Better
More exciting
Less careful
Superlative
Hottest
Best
Most exciting
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
Quite on
Very unanimous
Quite unique
Sort of dead
A little bit pregnant
Extremely perfect
Completely anonymous

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 . or
He did a good job.
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

Compound Adjectives
• Two or more adjectives often appear together
separated with commas
Tim’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
Tim’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
Tim was well known along the
boardwalk. (no hyphen)
Tim was a well-known jerk.
(hyphenated)
His SUV was fully equipped.
He drove a fully-equipped SUV.
Tim worked full time on his
tan.
Tim 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.