Adjective or adverb?
Adjectives are words used to modify nouns. They usually go before nouns. Adjectives may also go after be (is, am, are, was, were) and popular verbs like become, seem, look, feel etc.
1. I feel happy. (NOT I feel happily.)
2. She seemed excited. (NOT She seemed excitedly.)
3. They were upset.
Adverbs are words used to modify verbs. They usually express the manner in which something is done. Adverbs are also used to modify adjectives and other adverbs.
An adverb used to modify an adjective or another adverb usually goes before it. Enough is an exception to this rule. It goes after the adjective or adverb it modifies.
Complete the following sentences using the correct words from those given in brackets.
1. Our team played …………………………. (good / well) last week.
2. We have not gathered ………………………… (near / nearly) enough flowers.
3. The old woman was walking …………………………… (slow / slowly) past.
4. Come to my office as ………………………. (quick / quickly) as possible.
5. We had a ……………………….. (really / real) great time at the party. 6. Sophia won the first prize …………………………. (easy / easily)
Answers........
1. Our team played well yesterday. (Here the adverb well modifies the verb played.)
2. We have not gathered nearly enough flowers. (Here the adverb nearly modifies the adjective enough.)
3. The old woman was walking slowly past. (Here the adverb slowly modifies the verb walking.)
4. Come to my office as quickly as possible. (Here the adverb quickly modifies the verb come.)
5. We had a really great time at the party. (Here the adverb really modifies the adjective great.)
6. Sophia won the first prize easily . (Here the adverb easily modifies the verb won.)
Using adjectives
Adjectives are describing words. Adjectives usually go before the nouns they modify (attributive position). They can also go after the verb be (predicative position). Note that most adjectives can go in both positions.
Study the example sentences given below.
The flowers are red.
(Predicative position)
These are red flowers. (Attributive position)
The car is expensive.(Predicative position)
Exercise
Read the following sentences. In all of them, the adjectives are in the predicative position. Change them into the attributive position by rewriting the sentence. Note that the second sentence in the sequence should begin with a pronoun. You will also need to supply a suitable article.
1. The necklace was expensive.…………………………………………………………….
2. The question was tough.…………………………………………………………..
3. The flowers are fresh.…………………………………………………………..
4. The experience was enjoyable.…………………………………………………..
5. The job was tedious. ………………………………………………
6. The memory was painful.………………………………………………..
7. The woman is experienced.…………………………………………….
8. The workmen are skilled.………………………………………………..
9. The development was unexpected.……………………………………………
10. The decision was foolish.…………………………………………………
Answers
1. It was an expensive necklace.
2. It was a tough question.
3. They are fresh flowers.
4. It was an enjoyable experience.
5. It was a tedious job.
6. It was a painful memory.
7. She is an experienced woman.
8. They are skilled workmen.
9. It was an unexpected development.
10. It was a foolish decision.
Mistakes in the use of adjectives
Here is a list of errors that ESL students often make in the use of adjectives.
*.Incorrect: She is more stronger than her sister.
*.Correct: She is stronger than her sister.
Avoid double comparatives. Adjectives of one syllable usually form their comparatives by adding–er to the positive.
Longer adjectives take more.
*.Incorrect: Bombay is further from Delhi than Agra.
*.Correct: Bombay is father from Delhi than Agra. Further means ‘additional’.Farther is used to talk about distance.
*.Incorrect: You have much books.*.
Correct: You have many books.
*.Incorrect: I have many work to do.
*.Correct: I have much work to do.
Use much with uncountable nouns. Use many with countable nouns.
*.Incorrect: She is growing strong and strong everyday.
*.Correct: She is growing stronger and stronger everyday.The comparative form of the adjective is used in structures like these.
*.Incorrect: Let’s go quiet somewhere.
*.Correct: Let’s go somewhere quiet.
The adjective usually goes after expressions like somewhere.
*.Incorrect: I can’t afford that a big car.
*.Correct: I can’t afford that big a car. Note the pattern:that + adjective + a/an + noun
*.Incorrect: Tell me the last news.
*.Correct: Tell me the latest news.Latest means ‘the most recent’.Last means ‘the previous one’.
*.Incorrect: I have less worries than you. *.Correct: I have fewer worries than you. Useless with uncountable nouns. Use fewer with countable nouns.
*.Incorrect: He wasted his all wealth.
*.Correct: He wasted all his wealth.Quantifiers like all, both and half go before possessives.
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