Adjectives and Adverbs
Learning Goal: In this lesson, you will learn (or review) what adjective and adverbs are and how they can be used to help make your writing more precise.
Adjectives and adverbs are modifiers; they add colour, precision, and clarity to nouns, verbs, and other words.
- Adjectives describe, identify, or limit a noun or pronoun. The largest group of adjectives is known as descriptive adjectives. Words that are normally classified as nouns are sometimes used as descriptive adjectives. So are some verb forms.
- Pronouns that precede a noun are called possessive adjective.
- The adjectives the, a, and an are called articles.
Adverbs modify a verb, and adjective, another adverb, or a whole clause. They tell how, when, where, why, to what extent, or how often. Many, but not all, adverbs end in -ly.
Examples: The police officer spoke quietly (modifies verb "spoke")
That was a pretty hard test (modifies adjective "hard")
Rachel runs very fast (modifies adverb "fast")
Clearly, nothing has changed (modifies the whole clause)
Use an adjective to modify a linking verb. Use an adverb to modify an action verb.
Examples: You look sad. ("look" is a linking verb, so use an adjective)
Johanna looked sadly at the wilted flowers. ("looked" is an action verb here, so use an adverb)
All well and good:
While well can be an adjective (referring to health) or an adverb, good is only used as an adjective.
Examples:
Incorrect: I play guitar good.
Correct: I play guitar well. (adverb "well" modifies action verb "play")
Correct: I am good at guitar (adjective "good" modifies linking verb "am")
Examples: The police officer spoke quietly (modifies verb "spoke")
That was a pretty hard test (modifies adjective "hard")
Rachel runs very fast (modifies adverb "fast")
Clearly, nothing has changed (modifies the whole clause)
Use an adjective to modify a linking verb. Use an adverb to modify an action verb.
Examples: You look sad. ("look" is a linking verb, so use an adjective)
Johanna looked sadly at the wilted flowers. ("looked" is an action verb here, so use an adverb)
All well and good:
While well can be an adjective (referring to health) or an adverb, good is only used as an adjective.
Examples:
Incorrect: I play guitar good.
Correct: I play guitar well. (adverb "well" modifies action verb "play")
Correct: I am good at guitar (adjective "good" modifies linking verb "am")
Source:
Language Power J. Toronto: Gage, 2003. Print
Language Power J. Toronto: Gage, 2003. Print