Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly

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Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly
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What are adjectives?

• Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns
• These words are all adjectives
• A hot day
• A happy camper
• A silly twit
• A big, bloody mess (both big and bloody
  modify mess)
• She is creative (creative is a subject
  complement that follows the linking verb is)
• A boring course (present participle used as an
  adjective

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So what are adverbs?

• Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other
  adverbs
• Many adverbs end with ly
• Many adverbs answer the question How?
• These are adverbs
• Eating quickly (modifying a verb)
• Trying very hard (modifying an adverb)
• A really big show (modifying an adjective)

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Recognizing Adjectives Adverbs

• Many words have both an adjective and adverb form

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Comparatives and Superlatives

• Most adverbs and adjectives also have a
  comparative and superlative form

• Use the comparative form to compare two things
• Sally is the larger of the twins (not largest)
• Use the superlative form to compare three or more
• August was the hottest month of the year

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Double Comparatives

• Dont use more or most with er or est
• Yesterday was more hotter than today
• That was the most dirtiest story I ever heard
• You are the bestest teacher

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Absolute Concepts

• Dont use comparatives or superlatives with
  absolute concepts
• Absolutes have only two possibilities, on or off,
  yes or no, with nothing in between
• The most perfect student in the class
• A very unique idea (say very unusual instead)
• These words express absolute concepts that cannot
  be modified

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Dont use adjectives when adverbs are needed

• You did a real nice job
• (an adjective cant modify another adjective)
• You did a really nice job
• (the adverb really modifies nice)
• He did good
• He did well or
• He did a good job
• Fuel injection helps the car run efficient
• Fuel injection helps the car run efficiently
• Come quick!
• Come quickly!
• Hopefully, it wont rain
• (an adverb explains how something will happen
• I hope that it wont rain

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Dont use needless adverbs

• Before using any of these words, check to see if
  they add anything to the sentence
• Really, very, absolutely, extremely, quite,
  actually, somewhat, rather
• I am really happy to see you
• Grammar is very boring
• You are absolutely correct
• Her language was extremely crude
• You are quite intelligent
• Context will help you decide whether to retain
  the underlined words
• Keep them only if they add to the meaning
• Bill Gates is very rich. I hope he gives me some
  money.
• Most college instructors are poor their students
  are very poor.
• Note the terms good success and real good
  success have been reserved for sports
  broadcasters do not use them

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Compound Adjectives

• Two or more adjectives often appear together
  separated with commas
• Brads tiny, tight swimsuit showed off his hairy
  belly
• The words tiny and tight each work separately
  to modify swimsuit
• Connect the words with a hyphen when they
  function together before a noun
• Brads gold-plated piercings stood out against
  his bright-red sunburn
• Gold-plated and bright-red are compound
  adjectives

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Compound Adjectives

• Do not hyphenate the words when they come after
  the noun they modify
• Notice the difference in these examples

• Brad was well known along the boardwalk (no
  hyphen)
• His SUV was fully equipped
• Brad worked full time on his tan

• Brad was a well-known jerk (hyphenated)
• He drove a fully-equipped SUV
• Brad was a full-time chick magnet

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Misplaced Modifiers

• Put adjectives and adverbs close to the words
  they modify
• Notice how the meaning is affected by the
  improper placement
• An old pile of clothes is on the floor
• A pile of old clothes is on the floor
• I almost believe you are finished
• I believe you are almost finished
• The winners will only be contacted
• Only the winners will be contacted
• I cant quite do this as well as Fred
• I cant do this quite as well as Fred

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