ADJECTIVES and Adverbs

• ADJECTIVES- describe a noun or pronoun and tell these things:– which one: this, that

– what kind: red, large, sick, cloudy, enormous, petite

– how many: six, four hundred, many, several

Adjectives and ADVERBS

• ADVERBS- describe a verb, an adjective, or another adverb and tell these things:– where: there, here, outside, inside, away

– when: now, then, later, immediately, yesterday

– how: quickly, slowly, stupidly, gracefully, effortlessly

– how often or how long: frequently, never, twice, sometimes

– how much: hardly, extremely, minimally, greatly, too, more

Adjectives with an –ly tailMost adverbs are formed by adding –ly to the adjective, so if

you see an –ly word, it’s usually an adverb.

Adjective Adverb

sad sadly

kind kindly

quick quickly

quiet quietly

artistic artistically (irregular spelling: -ally)

noisy noisily (irregular spelling: y becomes i)

It makes a difference…

• Wrong: This sentence is written awful bad.– How is this sentence written? The question

how means that an adverb is needed, but bad is an adjective. Badly is an adverb.

• Still wrong: This sentence is written awful badly. – How badly? How means that another adverb is

needed, but awful is an adjective.

• Right: This sentence is not written awfully badly—it’s perfect!

• Wrong: I did good on the exam and got a good grade on my report card.– How did I do? An adverb is needed. I did well.

What kind of grade? An adjective is needed: a good grade.

• Right: I did well on the exam and got a good grade on my report card.

Adjective telling what kind Adverb telling how, when,

or whereHe played a hard guitar piece. He pounded the drums hard.

The bird flew past a high building. The bird flew high in the sky.

We are close friends. Sit close to me.

You’re doing a fine job. You are skiing fine since your lesson.

She was in a deep sleep. She dived deep into the water.

That’s the right answer. The teacher said I spelled it right.

Draw a straight line. Go straight to your room.

Pull the ropes tight. These ropes are tightly twisted.

Right or Wrong?

• I am real sure that this is a real diamond, not a fake.

Wrong

• How sure? This question implies that an adverb is needed: I am really sure. What kind of diamond? This question implies that an adjective is needed: a real diamond.

• I am really sure that this is a real diamond, not a fake.

Right or Wrong?

• It was an easy match, and Austin won easy.

Wrong

• What kind of match? = Adjective is needed: an easy match. How did he win? = Adverb is needed: He won easily.

• It was an easy match, and Austin won easily.

Right or Wrong?

• This surely seems like a sure bet.

Right

• How it seems=Adverb=surely

• What kind of bet=Adjective=a sure bet

Adjectives WS-Page 3 Exercise B

1. We are supposed to research haiku, which is a unique form of Japanese poetry.

2. A haiku is a short poem that expresses strong emotion or a vivid image in a few words.

3. After we have read English translations of several Japanese poems, our teacher wants us to pick our favorite poet and write a brief report.

Adjectives WS-Page 3 Exercise B

4. Our reports must be accurate, and we will have to spend two hours in the library.

5. We don’t mind, because all of us think the library is a great place for studying.

6. I am eager to start working on my subject, the famous poet Taniguchi Buson.

Adjectives WS-Page 3 Exercise B

7. I think his poetry is wonderful.

8. The librarian can give me excellent tips on which poetry books I should research.

9. My teacher says her favorite Japanese poet is Kobayashi Issa.

10.My best friend Felicia agrees that these poets are masters.

Adjectives WS-Page 3 Exercise A1. Even as a young man, he had a whimsical

spirit.

2. In his humorous book The Sketch Book, he says he “made many tours of discovery into foreign parts and unknown regions” of his native city.

3. A History of New York, his first book, was popular and successful.

4. His quaint tales of life in the rural valleys near the Hudson River are delightful even today.

Adjectives WS-Page 3 Exercise A5. Most students have heard of “Rip Van Winkle”

and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

6. These stories contain supernatural events.

7. Irving spent many pleasant years in England and Spain.

8. In Spain he wrote about Moorish legends.

9. When he returned to this country, he built a comfortable house that he called “Sunnyside,” near Tarrytown, New York.

10. He spent the rest of his long life there, devoting himself to literary matters.

Adverbs WS- Page 6 Exercise A1. The temperature of the water at

the fish hatchery seldom freezes.

2. The water never freezes.

3. It comes from unusually large springs.

4. It is very clear water.

5. Vapor sometimes rises from warm water.

Adverbs WS- Page 6 Exercise A6. Yesterday I read an article on the literature

of India.

7. Ancient Indian writers first produced hymns called Vedas in about 1500 B.C.

8. Indian literature then entered its classical period.

9. Writers of this period commonly wrote Sanskrit.

10.Writers still use the classical version of Sanskrit.

Adverbs WS- Page 6 Exercise BQuestions the adverbs answer

1. To what degree

2. When

3. How

4. To what degree

5. When

6. When

7. How

8. How

9. How

10. When

1. They had __________wanted to give a puppet show.

2. The two _________ built a puppet theater.

3. Both __________ painted faces on the puppets.

4. Nikki and Emilio ____________based their show on a Latin American folk tale.

5. ___________ had they heard of figure so tragic as the weeping woman.