Adjectives

Describes a noun or pronoun

Questions

•What kind of?•Which one?•How many?

An adjective may come before the noun or pronoun

• The weary hikers shuffled down the dusty road.

• The green car has two antennas.• Don’t go to the new movie at the mall unless

you want a good nap.

An adjective may come after a linking verb

• Some linking verbs are: be, is, seem, were,and are

• That dog’s skin is wrinkled and dry.

Practice

• This __________ weather really bothers me.• I’m in the mood for a(n) ________ movie.• I’ve never read such a(n) _______

book.• A(n) ______ person makes a poor boss.• My aunt has an unusually __________

voice.•

Adverbs

A word that describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Many adverbs end with “ly”.

Questions

• How?•When?•Where?•How much?

Examples

• The chef carefully spread raspberry frosting over the cake.

• The robber stood there.• Ann was extremely embarrassed when she

stumbled on stage.• That lamp shines very brightly.

Adverbs with Action Verbs

• Be careful to use an adverb-------Not an adjective------ with an action verb.

• Incorrect Usage:The boss slept sound at his desk

• Correct Usage:The boss slept soundly at his desk.

• Incorrect Usage:• The graduates marched proud.

Adverbs with Action Verbs

• Correct Usage:• The graduates marched proudly.• Incorrect Usage:• The batter swung wild at all the pitches.• Correct Usage:

The batter swung wildly at all the pitches.

Practice

• Bright 1. The soap bubbles glistened______ in the midday sun.

• Help 2. The family watched ________ as their house burned.

• Hurried 3. The two teachers spoke _______ between classes.

• Shy 4. The little girl peeked _________ at her new neighbor.

Practice

• Rapid, rapidly 1. Felipe spoke _________ in Spanish to his grandfather.

• Rapid, rapidly 2. Their _________ conversation was difficult for me to follow.

• Quiet, quietly 3. The frog sat ________ on a lily pad.

• Patient, patiently 4. The mother is ________ with her youngster.

• Cheerful, Cheerfully 5. Her _______ smile warmed the room.

Using Adjectives and Adverbs in Comparisons-Comparing Two things• When comparing two things add er to

adjectives and adverbs of one syllable.• Examples:• Grilling food is faster than roasting.• My mother works longer each day than my

father.

Comparison of longer adjectives and adverbs

• Do not add –er to the adjective or adverb• Add the word “more”• Examples:• My dog is more intelligent than my cat.• Marie sings more sweetly than I do.

Practice

• Full 1. This bag of potato chips is _______ than that one.

• Affectionate 2. My dog is _______ than my boyfriend.

• Gray 3. This shirt looks _______ than it did before I washed it.

• Neat 4. The inside of my car is ________ than the inside of my apartment.

Comparing Three Things

• To compare three or more things, add-est to adjectives and adverbs of one syllable.

• Examples:• Grilling food is faster than roasting, but

microwaving is fastest of all.• My mother works longer each day than my

father, but in my family, I work longest.

Longer Adjectives and Adverbs: Comparing Three things or more

• Examples:• My dog is more intelligent than my cat, but

my parrot is the most intelligent pet I have ever had.

• Among the couples I know, my brother and sister-in-law are the most happily married of all.

Practice

• Young 1. Eliza is the _________ of eight children.

• Important 2. The ___________ thing in Julia’s life is clothes.

• Fresh 3. The Metro Mart has the ________ vegetables in town.

• Artistic 4. Of the eighteen students in my class, Juan is the ___________ .

More About Comparing Adjectives and Adverbs

• 1. Do not use both an –er ending and more, or an –est ending and most.

Incorrect: My uncle’s hair is more curlier than my aunt’s.

Correct: My uncle’s hair is curlier than my aunt’s.

2. Certain short adjectives and adverbs have irregular forms:

Adjectives and Adverbs Irregular Forms

bad, badly, worse(comparing two), worst (Comparing three or more)

good, well, better (comparing two), best( comparing three or more)

Little, less ( comparing two), least( comparing three or more)

Much, many, more(comparing two), most (Comparing three or more)

Examples

• The grape cough syrup tastes better than the orange syrup, but the lemon cough drops taste the best.

• Sid is doing badly in speech class, but I’m doing even worse.

Practice

Good AND Well, Bad AND Badly

• Good is an adjective that often means enjoyable, talented or positive.

• Examples:• I had a good day.• Sue is a good skier.• Thing good thoughts.

Troublesome Pairs

• As an adverb, well often means skillfully, or successfully.

• Examples:• Sue skis well.• The schedule worked well.• Pedro interacts well with others.

Troublesome Pairs

• As an adjective, well means healthy.• Example:• The patient is well once again.• Bad is an adjective. Badly is an adverb.• Example:• I look bad.• I need sleep badly.

Practice

• Good, well 1. Ike hums really ________ .• Good, well 2. Did you have a _________

day at school?• Good, well 3. Keep taking the antibiotic until

it’s gone, even if you think you are completely ____________ . bad, badly 4. After a week of liquid only diet,

Ben looks really ____________ .

Avoiding Double Negatives

• Not, nothing, never, nowhere, nobody, and neither are common negative words.

• To correct a double negative, either eliminate one of the negative words or replace a negative with a positive word.

• Example:Incorrect: I shouldn’t go nowhere this weekend.

Double Negatives

• Correct: I should go nowhere this weekend.• Correct: I shouldn’t go anywhere this

weekend.• Incorrect: I couldn’t scarcely recognize you.• Correct: I could scarcely recognize you.

Practice

• 1. I won’t never go to that restaurant again.• 2. Don’t never stick anything into an electrical

outlet.• 3. I won’t never believe a word that Vicky

says.• 4. Some days I feel that I can’t do nothing

right.• Pete won’t say nothing unless he’s sure he’s

right.