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ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

Adjectivesare words that describe nouns or pronouns. They may comebefore the word they describe (That is a cutepuppy.) or they may followthe word they describe (That puppy is cute.).

Adverbsare words thatmodify everything but nouns and pronouns. Theymodify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. A word is an adverb if itanswers the question How?, When?, or Where?

The only adverbs that cause grammatical problems are those that answerthe question How?so we will focus on these.

ExampleHe speaks slowly.

Answers the questionHow?

ExampleHe speaks veryslowly.

Answers the questionHow slowly?

Rule 1.Generally, if a word answers the question How?, it is an adverb. fit can have an lyadded to it, place it there.

ExamplesShe thinks slow/slowly.

She thinks how?slowly.

She is a slow/slowly thinker.

Slowdoes not answerHow?so no lyis attached. Slowis an

adjective here.

She thinksfast/fastly.Fastanswers the questionHow?so it is an adverb. Butfastnever

has

an lyattached to it.

We performed bad/badly.

Badlydescribes how we performed.

Rule 2.A special lyrule applies when four of the senses!taste, smell,look, feelare the verbs. "o not as# the How?question to determine if lyshould be attached. nstead, as# if the sense verb is being used actively.f so, use the ly.

ExamplesRoses smell sweet/sweetly.Are the roses actively smelling with noses? No so no ly.

The woman looked angry/angrily.

!id the woman actively look with eyes or are we describing her

appearance? "e are only describing appearance so no ly.

The woman looked angry/angrilyat the paint splotches.

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#ere the woman did actively look with eyes so the lywas added.

She feels bad/badly abot the news.

She is not feeling with fingers so no ly.

Rule 3.The word goodis an adjective while wellis an adverb.

Examples!o did a good "ob.#ooddescribes the job.

!o did the "ob well. Well answersHow?

!o smell good today.

!escribes your odor not how you smell with your nose so

follow with the adjective.

!o smell well for someone with a cold.

$ou are actively smelling with a nose so follow with the adverb.

Rule 4.$hen referring to health, always use well.

Example$ do not feel well.

Rule 5.A common error in using adjectives and adverbs arises fromusing the wrong form for comparison. %or instance, to describe one thingwe would saypoor, as in, &'he ispoor.& To compare two things, weshould saypoorer, as in, &'he is thepoorerof the two women.& Tocompare more than two things, we should saypoorest, as in, &'he is the

poorestof them all.&

Examples One Two Three or More

sweet sweeter sweetest

bad worse worst

efficient% more efficient% most efficient%

%&sually with words of three or more syllables don't

add

&eror &est. &se moreor mostin front of the words.

Rule . ever drop the lyfrom an adverb when using the comparisonform.

CorrectShe spoke 'ickly.

She spoke more 'ickly than he did.

IncorrectShe spoke 'icker than he did.

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CorrectTalk 'ietly.

Talk more 'ietly.

IncorrectTalk 'ieter.