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Writing Workshop - Grammar |
ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, other
adverbs, or whole clauses. Three major problems are the source of most errors
in the use of adjectives and adverbs.
1.
Verbs
are modified by adverbs, not adjectives.
He drives well.
Be
especially careful with good, bad, fine, poor, quick, slow, considerable,
and adjectives ending in y.
|
ADJECTIVES |
ADVERBS |
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He is a good
driver. |
He drives well. |
|
It was a bad
act. |
I acted badly. |
|
It was a fine
performance. |
You performed
excellently. |
|
We made poor
scores. |
We did poorly on
the test. |
|
She is a sure
winner. |
She surly will
win. |
|
Let’s take a
quick drive. |
We drove
quickly. |
|
We went for a
slow walk. |
We walked
slowly. |
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I note a
considerable change. |
It helped
considerably. |
|
He found it an
easy task. |
He did it
easily. |
|
He is a steady
worker. |
He worked
steadily. |
It
is acceptable to use slow and quick as adverbs in
short commands. (Drive slow. Come quick.) The word sure is acceptable as an
adverb in informal speech. (Will you help me? I sure will.)
2. Adjectives and
adverbs are modified by adverbs, not adjectives.
Almost all men like baseball.
(Most
all men is incorrect because all is an adjective and cannot be
modified by the adjective most.)
When the sentence calls for an adverb, be especially careful not to use most
for almost , right for very, some for somewhat,
or real for very.
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ADJECTIVES
|
ADVERBS |
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Most men like
baseball. |
Almost all men
like baseball. |
|
This is the
right note. |
He is very (not
right) quick. |
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There is some
hope. |
The patient is
somewhat better. |
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It was a real
diamond. |
He was really
afraid of the dark. |
Awful, awfully, terrible,
and terribly are overused words. It is better to use them only to
express strong emotion, and then only in the true meaning of awe and terror, not
as substitutes for very or very much.
I was very much ( not awfully or terribly) annoyed.
3.
Linking verbs are followed by adjectives, not adverbs.
I felt bad.
Linking verbs are joining verbs; the words that follow them tell about the
subject.
The
most common linking verbs are verbs of being and verbs pertaining to the
senses. In the first group are to be, become, seem, remain, look, appear,
and prove. In the second group are feel, smell, sound, and
taste.
I felt bad.
He remained happy.
She looks cheerful.
It sounds good.
It tastes sour.
Sometimes, however, some of the verbs listed in the preceding paragraph indicate
action. They are then modified by the adverbs, not adjectives.
|
ADJECTIVE |
ADVERB |
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I feel bad. |
I felt my way
carefully. |
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He looked
cheerful. |
He looked
cheerfully around the room. |
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I became
unhappy. |
I quickly became
the spokesman. |
Note the following correct uses of good and well.
He worked well. (adverb modifying the verb worked.)
It was a
well organized plan. (adverb modifying the principal organized)
I feel
good. (adjective meaning in good spirits)
I feel
well. (adjective meaning in good health)
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