Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives
Definition: An adjective is a word that modifies, or changes, a noun.

EXAMPLE
A cat walked past my window.

Everyone who reads that sentence probably pictures a different cat.

EXAMPLE
A large orange striped cat walked past my window.

Now I have modified the picture in your mind so it matches mine.

Adjectives answer the questions which one, what kind, and how much/many.

Which one	That car has been in a crash.
What kind	We have black squirrels in our neighbourhood.
How much	I ate too much sugar for breakfast.
How many	I saw five swans in our pond.

Definition: The articles are the most common of all adjectives. There are three of them: the, a, and an.

Definite article	the (You know which one you are talking about.)
Indefinite articles	a, an (You don't know which one you are talking about.)

Use ’a’ before a word that begins with a consonant sound (not a consonant letter). Use ’an’ before a word that begins with a vowel sound (not a vowel letter).

'An' was created because it is difficult to say ’a’ before a word that begins with a vowel sound. ’An’ is easier to say. Therefore, it is the sound of the beginning of the word that matters, not the letter itself.

EXAMPLE
‘a’ carrot, ’a’ unicorn, ’a’ yellow apple	(Yes, u is a vowel, but the sound is a consonant y sound)
‘an’ apple, ’an’ umbrella, ’an’ honor	(Yes, h is a consonant, but the sound is a vowel o sound)

Hint: Most adjectives we will deal with in this lesson are descriptive adjectives. They usually come before the nouns they are modifying. Other adjectives in sentences may act as subject complements (predicate adjectives) or as object complements.

Types of Adjectives
When looking at words and how they are used in sentences, sometimes the same word can be used as different parts of speech in different sentences. Words that are usually nouns or pronouns sometimes act as adjectives.

Nouns

NOUNS:
Sometimes nouns are used as adjectives. Rachelle prefers chocolate cookies.
Chocolate is usually a noun, but here it tells what kind of cookies. That tree branch fell through my kitchen window. Tree and kitchen are usually nouns, but here they tell what kind of branch and window.
POSSESSIVE NOUNS:
Possessive nouns actually always act as adjectives.
The teacher's desk is in front of the class. Teacher is a noun, but the possessive form is telling whose desk.
PROPER NOUNS:
Sometimes proper nouns are used as adjectives.
Her dress was covered in Brussels lace. Brussels is a city, but here it is telling what kind of lace.
Hint: Some adjectives are both possessive and proper nouns.
That is Maia's new laptop.
Maia is a proper noun, but the possessive form is telling whose laptop.
Proper Adjectives:
Sometimes new adjectives are formed from proper nouns. Just like proper nouns, proper adjectives need to be capitalized.
Strangely the Chinese restaurant also served spaghetti, an Italian dish. China and Italy are places. They become Chinese and Italian when they are used as adjectives.

Pronouns
Some pronouns can be used as adjectives. If a pronoun is used by itself, it is a pronoun. If it modifies a noun, it is being used as an adjective.

PRONOUNS	EXAMPLE
Which one this, that, these, those	These toys are for the children's shelter.
What kind my, your, his, her, our, their	My brother has lost his skateboard.
How much which, whose, what	Which car belongs to your sister?
How many all, any, both, each, either, few, many, neither, one, several, some	Some people like warm weather.

Hint:  To determine if a pronoun is being used as a pronoun or as an adjective, ask what? after the pronoun. If you get a logical answer, it is acting as an adjective.

EXAMPLE
This is your sundae. (This what? nothing - it is a pronoun.)
This sundae is yours. (This what? sundae - it is an adjective)

Compound Adjectives
Definition: A compound adjective is made up of two or more words put together. Some adjectives are compound. Some are written as one word (closed) and some are hyphenated. Few are written as two words (open).

Hyphenated compounds usually occur when the writer wants to be clear that the first adjective is modifying the second, not that both adjectives are modifying the noun. If the sentence is written with the adjectives as predicate adjectives, they are often not hyphenated.

Use a hyphen:
Generally, use a hyphen when the two adjectives are working together as a single idea. Some combinations generally use hyphens. They include the following:

EXAMPLE
prefixes with words that must be capitalized (pro-American)
numbers or letters combined with words (20-foot)
prefixes with dates (mid-1920s)
to avoid three of the same letter in a row (ball-like)
numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine
prefixes such as ex, near, mid, self, and all (all-seeing, self-serving)
fractions as adjectives or adverbs (one-half serving)

Hyphens for clarity American English uses fewer hyphenated compound adjectives than British English. It is important to use the hyphens when the meaning might be unclear.

EXAMPLE
We bought three pound weights. (We bought three weights that each weighed one pound.) We bought three-pound weights. (We bought several weights that each weighed three pounds.)
I saw a man eating snake. (I saw a man who was eating snake meat.) I saw a man-eating snake. (I saw a snake who eats men.)

Hyphenated adjectives in a list
If you use two or more hyphenated adjectives in a list, you can suspend the hyphen.

EXAMPLE
I like vanilla-, strawberry-, and chocolate-flavored ice cream.

Long hyphenated adjectives
Sometimes it's fun to create long hyphenated adjectives.

EXAMPLE
The about-to-be-senior students were looking forward to their next school year.
My always-annoying-but-sometimes-cute little sister was bugging me again.

Situations not using hyphen
Do not use a hyphen Adverbs combined with adjectives, especially adverbs ending in ly, do not get hyphenated.

EXAMPLE
The slowly moving train blocked the traffic. (Slowly is an adverb)
The slow-moving train blocked the traffic. (Slow is an adjective)

If the compound follows the noun, you generally do not need a hyphen. This is because when it follows the noun, the last adjective remains an adjective, but the first one becomes an adverb.

EXAMPLE
Gina's essay was half finished. (Finished is an adjective describing essay.  Half is now an adverb describing finished.)
My sister is two years old. (Old is still an adjective describing sister, but two describes years and years describes old.)

Order of Adjectives
In sentences, adjectives are usually found before the nouns they modify, but they may also come after the noun if separated by commas, or they may come after a linking verb

Adjectives before the noun:	The fluffy white clouds floated across the sky.
Adjectives after the noun:	Adjectives can be moved to immediately after the noun if commas are placed around them. This can be very effective. The clouds, white and fluffy, floated across the sky.
Adjectives after the verb:	Subject complements that are adjectives are predicate adjectives. Predicate adjectives come after a linking verb. The clouds were fluffy and white.

Coordinate vs. Cumulative Coordinate
Definition: Coordinate adjectives modify nouns in the same way. They describe the same feature. They are often called "equal adjectives." Most coordinate adjectives are adjectives of opinion or evaluation. We don't generally use more than one adjective from any of the other categories together because they sound redundant.

EXAMPLE
The elegant, wealthy lady looks like a model.

Cumulative Definition:
Cumulative adjectives build upon each other and must be in a certain order. They are equally important and give different types of information.

EXAMPLE
The big old black bull followed the young Brahma cow.

Traditional explanation:
The way to check is to put and between the adjectives or see if they can be switched around. If and can be added, or they can be switched and still sound natural, add a comma.

EXAMPLE
The elegant and wealthy lady looks like a model. (sounds fine) The wealthy, elegant lady looks like a model. (sounds fine) but not: The big and old and black bull followed the young and Brahma cow. (doesn't work) The black old big bull followed the Brahma young cow. (doesn't work)

Perhaps an easier explanation:
If the two adjectives have the same number in the chart above, they need a comma.

EXAMPLE
The elegant(#7), wealthy(#7) lady looks like a model. (coordinate adjectives)
The big(#8) old(#11) black(#12) bull followed the young(#11) Brahma(#14) cow. (cumulative adjectives)

Paired meanings:
Sometimes the cumulative adjective works with the noun to create a paired meaning almost like a compound noun. They don't take commas.

EXAMPLE
the cute [little boy] = a little boy who is cute
a frosted [chocolate cake] = a chocolate cake that is frosted
a delicious {frosted [chocolate cake]} = a frosted chocolate cake that is delicious

Clarity:
Sometimes a comma is inserted to clarify that two adjectives modify an adjective-noun combination instead of all the adjectives modifying the single noun.

EXAMPLE
the cunning, sneaky red foxes (red foxes are cunning and sneaky)
the cunning sneaky red foxes (the sneaky red foxes are cunning)

Adverbs Modifying Verbs
You know that words that modify nouns (or pronouns) are adjectives. Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs are adverbs.

Definition: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs answer the questions when, where, how, and to what extent (how much or how long).

• when: Yesterday we went to school. 
• where: We saw the bird there. 

• how: The car drove fast. 
• how much: We mostly agree with you. 

They also confirm that something was or was not done.

• positive: He certainly does feel that way. 
• negative: You should not be late. 

Hint: When adverbs modify adjectives or other adverbs, they are usually answering the question to what extent?

Position of Adverbs
Generally, adverbs make sense directly after the verbs they modify, but they can also be moved around the sentence. It can go at the beginning of the sentence, before the verb, or between a helping verb and the main verb.

EXAMPLE
I walk my dog daily.
Daily I walk my dog.
I daily walk my dog.
I have daily walked my dog.

Hint:  Do not put an adverb between parts of an infinitive verb. Be careful not to move it to a place where it could be confused with a different meaning.

EXAMPLE
I like to often read good books. (incorrect - You like it only when you can do it often.)
I like to read often good books. (incorrect - The books aren't often good but sometimes not good.)
I like to read good books often. (correct)

Adverbs Modifying Adjectives
An adverb can tell to what extent an adjective modifies a noun. An adverb that modifies an adjective is called an intensifier.

EXAMPLE
That is an unusually tall tree. (Unusually tells how tall the tree is.)
Jared's sister is exceptionally smart. (Exceptionally tells how smart the sister is.)

Position of Adverbs
Adverbs that modify adjectives must go directly before the adjectives they modify.

EXAMPLE
The strangely quiet classroom made the teacher wonder what had happened.

Adverbs Modifying Other Adverbs
An adverb can tell to what extent another adverb modifies a word. An adverb that modifies another adverb is called an intensifier.

EXAMPLE
My sister runs very fast. (Very tells how fast she runs.)
Almost daily my teacher gives us a quiz. (Almost tells how daily.)

Position of Adverbs
Adverbs that modify other adverbs must go directly before the adverbs they modify.

EXAMPLE
It seems like my dog can run unusually quickly when she's chasing a cat.

Special Types of Adverbs
Other Types of Adverbs Some nouns can act as adverbs, and some adverbs do unusual jobs.

Definition: Adverbial nouns may appear to be direct objects, but instead of answering the question "What?"they tell where, where to, how long, how far, or how much.

EXAMPLE
Where	We bicycle the back roads for safety and the scenery.
Where to (direction)	We sailed east from Florida.
How long	The car ride lasted four hours.
How far	I run two miles every morning.
How much (measure)	That mug holds eight ounces of hot cocoa.
How much (value)	That gold bar is worth two hundred dollars.

Definition:  Interrogative adverbs ask a question. They include why, where, when, and how.

EXAMPLE
Why are you late?
Where is your homework?
When will you turn it in?
How will you get a good grade?

Definition: Relative adverbs, like relative pronouns, connect clauses. They are the same words as the interrogative adverbs, when, where, and why.

EXAMPLE
That is the store where I bought that jacket.
That is the reason why we were late.
Last Tuesday was when I saw it last.

Definition:   Conjunctive adverbs also join clauses together with a transition. They need a semicolon before them when joining sentences. Some common conjunctive adverbs are anyway, besides, consequently, finally, furthermore, however, instead, likewise, meanwhile, nevertheless, next, otherwise, specifically, still, subsequently, then, therefore, and thus.

EXAMPLE
We got a late start; however, we should be there on time.
I had been planning on going running; instead, I ran on my treadmill.

Adjective vs Adverb
It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between adjectives and adverbs in a sentence. You must ask yourself what word the modifier is modifying.

If the modified word is a noun, the modifier is an adjective. If the modified word is a verb, adjective, or adverb, the modifier is an adverb.

To complete a sentence correctly, you need to determine whether the sentence needs an adjective or an adverb.

EXAMPLE
Cheetahs are speedy animals. (adjective modifying animal)
Cheetahs run speedily. (adverb modifying the verb run)

One area of confusion can be when an adjective is modifying a noun that is acting as an adjective.

EXAMPLE
That is my brother. (My is an adjective modifying the noun brother.)
My brother's bike is broken. (My is still an adjective modifying the noun brother, but now brother is a possessive noun acting as an adjective modifying bike.)

Many people unintentionally use adjectives to describe verbs. Make sure in your writing to use adjectives to modify nouns and pronouns and adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

EXAMPLE
The boys walked slow toward their classroom. (incorrect)
The boys walked slowly toward their classroom. (correct)

Comparing with Adjectives and Adverbs
We often use adjectives and adverbs to compare. There are three degrees of comparison, positive (or negative), comparative, and superlative.

Definition:   If you are talking about only one thing, you can't really compare, but if the word modified possesses that characteristic, it is used in the positive. If it is a negative characteristic, it is in the negative.

EXAMPLE
I am old.
You are young.

Definition:   If you are comparing two things, you must use the comparative (compare) form or degree.

EXAMPLE
I am older than my brother.
You are younger than your sister.

Definition: If you are comparing more than two things, you must use the superlative (super) form or degree.

EXAMPLE
I am the eldest of three sisters.
You are the youngest person in your family.

Hint: Superman is the strongest. Superlative means the best.

Forming Degrees of Comparison

Positives
One syllable adjectives and adverbs
Two syllable adjectives (Check a dictionary if you aren't sure.)
some (including ones ending in ful)
some
Two syllable adverbs
Three syllable adjectives and adverbs

Comparative
add suffix er bigger, older, newer
some (including ones ending in y, ow, le)
use more more often, more careful
can either add suffix eror use more heavier or more heavy cleverer or more clever
use more more quickly
use more more incredible

Superlative
add suffix est biggest, oldest, newest
add suffix er sillier, quieter, politer add suffix est silliest, quietest, politest
use most most often, most careful
can either add suffix estor use most heaviest or most heavy cleverest or most clever
use most most quickly
use most most incredible

 

Negatives	Comparative	Superlative
all adjectives and adverbs	use less less friendly	use least least friendly

Hint:  When you are comparing one thing to the group, you can use the words other or else in your writing or in your mind to clarify what you are comparing.

EXAMPLE
James is taller than any boy in his class. (Is it comparative or superlative?)
James is taller than any other boy in his class. (It is clearly comparative.)
Michelle is a better artist than anyone in her art class. (Which is it?)
Michelle is a better artist than anyone else in her art class. (Clearly superlative.)

Hint:  Watch out for adjectives and adverbs that share the same root. They are not the same word.

EXAMPLE
careful, more careful, most careful
carefully, more carefully, most carefully

Challenging Comparisons
Challenge 1: Irregular Adjectives and Adverbs
Some frequently used adjectives and adverbs form comparative and superlative forms in irregular ways.

EXAMPLE
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
well	better	best
much	more	most
many	more	most
some	more	most

Challenge 2: Multiple Meaning Modifiers
Some positive forms have multiple meanings, and each meaning has different, irregular comparative and superlative forms.

EXAMPLE
little (size)	littler	littlest
little (amount)	less	least
late (time)	later	latest
late (order)	latter	last
old (age)	older	oldest
old (order)	elder	eldest
far (distance)	farther	farthest
far (progress)	further	furthest

 

LITTLER/ LESS
Littler (size): My cat is little, your cat is littler, but his is the littlest.
Less (amount): I only have a little money, you have less than I do, but he has the least money.

 

LATER/ LATTER
Later (time): Sarah was late, Michael was later, but Shelly was latest.
Latter (sequence): I told the secret to Jeremy and Eric, but the latter told Kyle. (The latter is Eric because he is the second in the list) I told the secret to Jeremy, Eric, and Kyle, and the last told Mom. (The last is Kyle because he is the last in the list.)

OLDER/ ELDER
Older (age): My father is old, my grandfather is older, but my great-grandfather is oldest.
Elder (sequence): Of the two brothers, Mark is the elder. Of the four sisters, Mollie is the eldest.

FARTHER/ FURTHER
Farther (distance): John threw the ball far, Shannon threw the ball farther, and Lonnie threw the ball the farthest.
Further (progress): I have gotten far in my new book, Lydia is further in her book, but Michael is the furthest.

Challenge 3: Absolutes
Absolutes don't have a comparative or superlative form because they can't be any more than they already are. Absolutes include:

EXAMPLE
best	worst	first	last	only	pregnant
dead	unique	perfect	straight	round	square

 

EXAMPLE
You can't have something that is better than the best or worse than the worst.
You can't be more dead or more pregnant. (Either you are or you aren't.)
Something can't be more straight or more round. (Either it is straight or it isn't.)

Hint: Absolutes are often superlatives themselves (best, worst) Challenge 4: Often Confused Adjectives and Adverbs

GOOD/ WELL
Good (adjective): I did a good job.
Well (adverb): I did well on that test.
Well (adjective): I had a cold, but I am finally feeling well.

 

BAD/ BADLY
Bad (adjective): I have a bad reaction to corn.
Badly (adverb): We played badly in last night's soccer game.

 

REAL/ REALLY
Real (adjective - opposite of imaginary): A real ladybug flew onto my paper.
Really (adverb - means very): My picture of a ladybug looked really good.

Hint: If you can substitute the word very, really is the correct choice. Challenge 5: Adjectives with countable/not countable nouns

Be careful with using adjectives with countable and non-countable nouns.

You can count: books, dollars, cups, etc.
You cannot count: information, money, sugar, etc.

Therefore you might have many books, dollars, and cups, but you would have much information, money, and sugar.

Countable - (a large number)	Non-Countable - (a large amount)
many, more, most, few, fewer, fewest, several	much, more, most, little, less, least, some

Common Mistakes and Dangling Modifiers
Mistake 1: Double Comparisons
You cannot combine the suffix er or est and the word more or most. You can only use one at a time.

EXAMPLE
The giant was more bigger than the knight. (incorrect)
The giant was bigger than the knight. (correct)

Mistake 2: Double Negatives
You know from math class that a negative plus a negative equals a positive. The same holds true in English. If you use two negatives together, the meaning is actually the opposite.

I did not bring no cookies.
That means you must have brought some cookies.

I did not bring any cookies or I did bring no cookies would be correct.

COMMON NEGATIVE WORDS
barely	hardly	neither	never
no	nobody	none	no one
not	nothing	nowhere	scarcely

Mistake 3: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Definition: A modifier that seems to modify the wrong word is a misplaced modifier. The most often misused adverbs are only and just.

Others often misused include almost, even, hardly, merely, and nearly. The adverb should go in front of the word it modifies.

EXAMPLE
I only want a new laptop for my birthday. (The only thing I want in the world is a laptop for my birthday. I don't want anything else for any other reason.) I want only a new laptop for my birthday. (The only thing I want for my birthday is a new laptop. I do want other things, but not for my birthday.)
Your mother just had enough eggs. (The only thing she had was enough eggs.) Your mother had just enough eggs. (She had enough eggs and no extra eggs.)
Your prank almost was scary. (It probably didn't work at all.) Your prank was almost scary. (It was close to scary.)
All those cookies are not peanut free. (All of the cookies have peanuts.) Not all those cookies are peanut free. (Some are peanut free; some are not.)

Mistake 4: Redundant Modifiers
Be careful not to use adjectives when the trait is part of the noun.

EXAMPLE
A wet rain followed the cold snow. (Isn't all rain wet and all snow cold?)
The tall giant helped the short dwarf. (Aren't giants by definition tall and dwarves short?)

Mistake 5: Illogical Comparisons
When comparing with adjectives and adverbs, make sure your sentence has all the words needed to be clear. You may understand what you are writing about, but if you leave out words, your meaning might be confusing.

EXAMPLE
The students at our school are smarter than Gemini Middle School. (Is it possible for students to be smarter than a school?) The students at our school are smarter than those at Gemini Middle School. (That makes much more sense.)
A Chihuahua's teeth are smaller than German shepherds. (Of course they are. The teeth are tiny. The whole German shepherd is giant. Perhaps the writer meant A Chihuahua's teeth are smaller than a German shepherd's teeth.)
That house is taller than any house in the neighborhood. (The house itself is in the neighborhood, so how can it be taller than itself? That house is taller than any other house in the neighborhood.