Adjectives and Adverbs

CHAPTER 5

Lesson 1: What is an Adjective?•An adjective is a word that modifies, or describes, a noun or a pronoun.•Adjectives help you see, feel, taste, hear, and smell all of the things you read about.•The noisy crowd cheered for Daria.

Adjectives•They make sentences more interesting and more descriptive.•She sped along the track on her bicycle.•She sped along the narrow track on her sleek bicycle.

Adjectives•Adjectives answer the questions:•What kind?•Fast riders•Which one?•First lap•How many?•Five teams

Articles as Adjectives•Articles•These words are the most commonly used adjectives.•A, an, the

Articles•A and an are indefinite articles. They will come before a noun that names a nonspecific person, place, thing, or idea.•Use a before a noun beginning with a consonant.•Use an before a noun beginning with a vowel.

Articles•The is a definite article. It points to a specific noun.

Forming Adjectives•Forming Adjectives•Many adjectives are formed by altering common nouns.•Storm (noun) = stormy (adjective)•Child (noun) = childish (adjective)

Proper Adjectives•Proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns.•Asia (noun) = Asian (adjective)•Spain (noun) = Spanish (adjective)•Proper adjectives are always capitalized.

Lesson 2: Predicate Adjectives•A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the verb’s subject.•The airplanes were strange.•They were large, heavy, and dangerous.

Linking Verbs•Common linking verbs are the forms of be: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been.

Other Linking Verbs•Predicate adjectives can also follow linking verbs that are not a form of be.•Sam felt anxious about the airplane flight.•The airplane’s compartments felt warm.•  

Lesson 3: Other Words Used as Adjectives•Many nouns and pronouns can be used as adjectives. They can modify nouns to make their meanings more specific.• 

Pronouns as Adjectives•Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, and those are demonstrative pronouns that can be used as adjectives.•This phone has a dial.•That phone has a keypad.

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Possessive Pronouns as Adjectives•Possessive Pronouns: my, your, our, her, his, its, and their are possessive pronouns that are used as adjectives.•Your phone is lighter. •My phone has better reception.

Indefinite Pronouns as Adjectives• Indefinite pronouns: all, each, both, few, most, and some can be used as adjectives.•Originally, few people believed in the idea of the telephone.•Today, most households have at least two phones.

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Nouns as Adjectives•Words that are normally nouns can be used as adjectives.•Renata’s family just opened up an internet account.•This account should help her complete school projects.

Lesson 4: What is an Adverb?•An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Adverbs•Adverbs answer the questions:•How?•Patiently, loudly, carefully•Where?• Inside, there, everywhere•When?•Sometimes, daily, always•To what extent?•Extremely, nearly, almost

Placement of Adverbs•Placement of adverbs in a sentence can vary.•An adverb that modifies an adjective or another adverb is generally placed just before the word it modifies.•An adverb that modifies a verb can be placed after the verb, before the verb, or at the beginning of a sentence.•The rocket ascended suddenly.•The rocket suddenly ascended.•Suddenly, the rocket ascended.

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Intensifiers• Intensifiers are adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs. They are usually placed directly before the word they modify. They usually answer the question “to what extent?”.•We covered our ears very quickly at the shuttle launch.•Common intensifiers: almost, especially, extremely, very, usually, quite, too, really, so.

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Forming Adverbs•Forming Adverbs•Many adverbs are formed by adding the suffix –ly to an adjective. Some words will require spelling changes before adding –ly.•Sudden = suddenly•True = truly•Heavy = heavily

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Lesson 5: Making Comparisons•Adjectives and adverbs can be used to compare people or things.

Comparative Forms of Adj. and Adv.•Use the comparative form of an adjective or adverb when comparing a person or thing to one other person or thing.•For most one syllable modifiers and some two syllable modifiers, add –er to form the comparative.•For some two syllable words and other larger words, add the word more before the adjective or adverb.•The Titanic was larger than the Olympic.• It traveled faster than the other ship.•Sam is more cheerful than Julie in the morning.

Superlative Form of Adj. and Adv.•Use the superlative form of an adjective or adverb when comparing someone or something with more than one other thing or person.•For most one syllable words and some two syllable words, add –est to form the superlative.•For some two syllable words and other larger words, add the word most before the adjective or adverb.• In fact, the Titanic was the largest ship of all.•Of the fleet’s ships, the Titanic raced the fastest.•He is the most famous person I have ever met.

Irregular Comparisons• Irregular Forms of Comparison•Good, better, best (adjectives)•Bad, worse, worst (adjectives)•Well, better, best (adverbs)•Much, more, most (adverbs)•Little, less, least (adverbs)

Lesson 6: Adjective or Adverb?•Some pairs of adjectives and adverbs are often a source of confusion and mistakes in speaking and writing.

Good and Well•Good is always an adjective. It modifies a noun or a pronoun.•The ice-cream sundae was a good invention.

•Well is always an adverb. It modifies a verb, an adverb, or an adjective. •Well is only an adjective when it refers to health.• Ice cream sold well.•He doesn’t feel well.

Real and Really•Real is always an adjective. It must modify a noun or a pronoun.•Medical inventions can make a real difference.

•Really is always an adverb. It must modify a verb, adverb, or adjective.•A few inventions have really changed how we live.

Bad and Badly•Bad is an adjective and must modify a noun or pronoun.•A bad illness can require medicine.•Badly is an adverb and must modify a verb, adverb, or adjective.• I did badly on the last science quiz.

 

Lesson 7: Avoiding Double Negatives•A negative word is a word that implies that something does not exist or happen.

 

Common negative words: •barely, hardly, never, none, nothing, can’t, hasn’t, no, no one, nowhere, don’t, neither, nobody, not, scarcely

What is a double negative?• If two negative words are used where only one is needed, the result is a double negative. Avoid double negatives in your speaking and writing.

Fixing Double Negatives• I can’t hardly believe someone created pajamas for dogs.

•Correct: _____________________________________________

•Or: _____________________________________________