Grammar Handout 001

Adjectives and Adverbs 001

A. An adjective, a word that describes a noun or pronoun, answers the following questions:

WHICH? – – – – – – – – – – –Those books belong to me.

Locate noun: books

Question: which books?
Answer: those books
Adjective: those

HOW MANY? – – – – – – – – –She failed three tests.

Locate noun: tests

Question: how many tests?
Answer: three tests
Adjective: three

WHAT KIND? – – – – – – – –The beautiful, new store just opened.

Locate noun: store

Question: what kind of store?
Answer: beautiful store
new store
Adjectives: beautiful, new

Many adjectives are formed by adding the endings –able, –ful, –ish, –less, or – y to nouns and verbs.

agree – – – – – – – – –agreeable
help – – – – – – – – – –helpful
fool – – – – – – – – – –foolish
care – – – – – – – – – –careless
noise – – – – – – – – –noisy

* The articles (a, an, the) and the possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, its, our, their, whose) are also
adjectives. However, this handout does not deal with these types of adjectives. Therefore, it is not necessary to
identify them in the exercises.

Adjectives usually precede the noun or pronoun they modify. Sometimes, however, they appear after a
linking verb (be, being, been, is, are, was, were, am) and describe the word on the other side.

Examples: Mary is pretty. (Pretty is describing Mary)

The girl is lovely. (Lovely is describing the girl.)
Henry was mad. (Mad is describing Henry.)

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Finding Adjectives: Adjectives are usually close to the words that they modify. Therefore, first locate the
nouns or pronouns in the sentences and ask one of the adjective questions. In addition, if you think a word is an
adjective, say the word and the noun you think it modifies. If it sounds right, you’ve probably found an adjective.
Look at the following list. Which two words don’t sound right together?

happy person
wonderful guy
thin person
very girl
running water

Obviously, very girl makes no sense, so very is not an adjective. Therefore, when you’re looking for
adjectives, rely on what sounds right.

Directions: For each of the following sentences, underline all the adjectives and draw an arrow from the
adjective to the noun that it modifies.

Examples: An unhappy man approached the officer.

The dog is ill.

A sweet child gave his loving mom a kiss.

The little boy is sick.

The sad, tired man walked away slowly.

1. Some adoring fans waited for six hours just to see the popular singer.

2. The noise in the house was loud.

3. The slow jogger finished the long, grueling race.

4. Randy said that Joey was angry.

5. These attractive watches sold very quickly.

6. The torn, dirty boxes were thrown in the garbage.

7. The girl who won the contest is pretty.

8. Seven elderly people moved from the old neighborhood.

9. His jealous sister never had a kind word to say about anybody.

10. Her messy handwriting caused her to fail the writing course.

11. The dark cemetery frightened the two nervous children.

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12. My one comfortable chair is covered in a colorful Spanish fabric.

13. Many angry letters were written to the company by disappointed customers.

14. The perplexed clerk looked at me with a questioning expression.

15. My helpful teenager washed the filthy car yesterday.

16. The shy, quiet boy sat in the darkened corner of the noisy room.

17. I believe that he was happy and excited about the news.

18. The relaxed atmosphere in the quiet library calmed my jittery nerves.

19. Several recent videos were stolen by the brash, young man.

20. The guilty man confessed to the sympathetic judge.

21. We saw an excellent show at the new theater on Thursday.

22. The successful play opened on Broadway to an enthusiastic crowd.

23. I am very sad today.

24. Both narrow bands on the watches resemble a trendy style.

25. These attractive girls are entering the beauty contest.

B. An adverb is a word that describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb.

I. Adverbs that describe verbs answer the following questions:

WHEN? – – – – – – – – – – – They will return home tomorrow.

Locate verb: will return

Question: will return when?
Answer: will return tomorrow
Adverb: tomorrow

WHERE? – – – – – – – – – – – The club meets here.

Locate verb: meets

Question: meets where?
Answer: meets here
Adverb: here

TO WHAT EXTENT? – – – – – The boy always forgets.

Locate verb: forgets

Question: forgets to what extent or degree?
Answer: always forgets
Adverb: always

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 ** HOW? – – – – – – – – – – – Martha answered the question easily.
Locate verb: answered
Question: answered how?
Answer: answered easily
Adverb: easily

II. ADVERBS that describe adjectives and adverbs answer the following question:

**HOW? – – – – – – – – – – – A delightfully charming child won.

Locate adjective: charming

Question: how charming?
Answer: delightfully charming
Adverb: delightfully

HOW? – – – – – – – – – – – Selma spoke too quickly.

Locate adverb: quickly

Question: how quickly?
Answer: too quickly
Adverb: too

** ADVERBS from these two areas make up the largest group. They answer the question HOW, and most of
these adverbs end in ly.

Finding Adverbs: Adverbs are more difficult to spot because, unlike adjectives, which usually precede or are
close to the nouns they modify, adverbs can appear anywhere in the sentences. However, most ly words are
adverbs. Therefore, look for them in the sentences and see if they answer one of the adverb questions,
especially the HOW question.

The following exercises test only adverbs that modify verbs or adjectives. Adverbs modifying other adverbs
will not be addressed in this booklet.

Directions: For each of the following sentences, underline all the adverbs once and draw an arrow from
the adverb to the verb or adjective that it modifies. If a verb is being modified, underline it
twice. If an adjective is being modified, circle it.

Examples: I was furious about the absolutely outrageous price of the car.
(Ask yourself – how outrageous?)

He quickly stopped what he was doing.

(Ask yourself – how did he stop?)

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 She did behave politely at the party.
(Ask yourself – how did she behave?)

**I was secretly hoping he’d call.

(Ask yourself – how was she hoping?)
**Secretly is splitting the verb phrase was hoping.

1. We were secretly meeting every afternoon to plan the party.

2. The bride smiled nervously.

3. The beautifully decorated hotel won an award.

4. They tried desperately to save the man.

5. I quickly left the party when I saw him.

6. Their shockingly bad behavior annoyed us.

7. She reacted negatively to the suggestion about her job.

8. Some lawyers are completely obsessed with status and money.

9. It was raining heavily last night.

10. One soldier had a seriously injured back and was rushed to a hospital.

11. They performed the duet magnificently.

12. She received an A for a perfectly written essay.

13. Martha absolutely refused to change her mind.

14. Her carefully chosen wardrobe cost her dad a thousand dollars.

15. She spoke softly and slowly.

16. They raised their children strictly.

17. The children acted foolishly at the party.

18. Her badly stained dress was ruined.

19. It was an excellently prepared speech.

20. Her son is uncommonly bright.

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 21. Her constantly chattering child is driving me crazy!

22. His meticulously pressed pants always look neat.

23. My parents angrily voiced their opinion about my decision.

24. She generously handed me a hundred dollars for a new dress.

25. I was highly praised for my performance.

Review of Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns and usually precede the words that they modify. Sometimes,
however, adjectives appear after linking verbs and modify the subjects on the other side.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. (Remember, you are not being tested on adverbs that
modify other adverbs.) Most adverbs end in ly and answer the HOW question.

HINTS: These suggestions should work most of the time:

(1) Choose an adjective if the word after the blank is a noun.

Example: Her (adjective) child (noun) is crying.
a. sweet (adjective) b. sweetly

(2) Choose an adjective if a linking verb (be, being, been, is, are, was, were, am) comes before the blank
and you want a word to describe the subject (a noun or pronoun).
Example: Mary is (linking verb) (adjective).
a. happy (adjective) b. happily

(3) Choose an adverb if the word on either side of the blank is an action verb.
Examples: John (adverb) left (verb) the room.
a. quick b. quickly (adverb)

Ed drove (verb) (adverb) during the storm.

a. slow b. slowly (adverb)
Mary did (helping verb) (adverb) call (verb) me.
a. secret b. secretly (adverb)

(4) Choose an adverb if the word after the blank is an adjective.

Example: Ed’s _(adverb)_ high (adjective) grades pleased his mom.
a. surprising b. surprisingly (adverb)

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Directions: Read each sentence carefully and choose either an adjective or adverb to fill in the blanks. Then
write the letter of your choice next to its corresponding number.

1. The boy __________ moved away from the fire.

a. quick b. quickly

2. The __________ boy moved away from the fire.

a. quick b. quickly

3. She was __________.

a. happy b. happily

4. Beth is a __________ girl.

a. nice b. nicely

5. He gave a __________ easy test.

a. surprising b. surprisingly

6. Her __________ husband gave her a bouquet of roses.

a. loving b. lovingly

7. The __________ confused girl took the wrong highway.

a. thorough b. thoroughly

8. She moves __________ .

a. athletic b. athletically

9. She is __________ .
a. athletic b. athletically

10. Agatha Christie is a __________ writer.

a. thrilling b. thrillingly

11. Her __________ expensive coat is beautiful.

a. ridiculous b. ridiculously

12. Eric behaves __________ when he’s at a party.

a. rude b. rudely

13. Bob ran __________ through the woods.

a. swift b. swiftly

14. My __________ ill dog had to have an operation.

a. pathetic b. pathetically

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15. Ted is __________ for his age.
a. intelligent b. intelligently

16. That __________ expensive vase was cracked.

a. incredible b. incredibly

17. I tried __________ to reach you all day yesterday.

a. desperate b. desperately

18. Her __________ daughter won the contest.

a. charming b. charmingly

19. She __________ completed all her work.

a. successful b. successfully

20. Jack’s __________ upset wife sat down and cried.

a. understanding b. understandably

21. She cried __________ over the death of her pet.

a. bitter b. bitterly

22. Leonard’s __________ stylish suits must be expensive.

a. impressive b. impressively

23. The girls in the last row are __________ .

a. noisy b. noisily

24. They __________ decided to leave.

a. immediate b. immediately

25. That __________ patient teacher goes over the homework each day.
a. wonderful b. wonderfully

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