Adjectives and Adverbs

•Adjectives – Describe a NOUN

•Adverbs – Describe a VERB (or
adjective or other adverb)
 Adjective vs. Adverb
• An adjective describes or modifies a noun or a
pronoun.
– Adds info about what kind, which one, or how
many
– Describes how things look, smell, feel, taste,
sound
• An adverb describes or modifies a verb, an
adjective, or another adverb.
– Adds info about how, how much, when, where,
or to what extent.
– Often ends in –ly.
 Adjectives are Modifiers
• Adjectives- words that modify nouns.
– Small car, smelly shoes, bored students

Let’s take a look at what it

means to modify…
Regular
Modified
Regular
Modified
Official Definition of Modify
• To change something.

• In language, it means…
– A word or group of words that add
description to a sentence.
Jeff bought a car.
Jeff bought a green car with blue
rims.
Jeff bought a green car with blue
rims.
Stacy drives a small car.
Stacy drives a small car.
Stacy drives a small car with
giant tires.
Stacy drives a small car with
giant tires.
 What are adjectives?
• Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns
• These words are all adjectives
– A hot day

– A happy camper
– 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
 Adverb
An adverb answers these questions:
How? In what manner?
patiently, boldly, slowly, softly, enthusiastically
When?
recently, later, finally, daily, again, formerly
Where?
outside, here, down, forward, up, away
To what extent? To what degree?
extremely, very, too, rarely, completely, frequently
PP 13-2
 More on 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)
 NOUNS and
ADJECTIVES in red.

VERBS and ADVERBS

in blue.
The dog barked.
Describe how he
Describe the dog
barked
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
The fierce dog
barked loudly.
The girl kicked
the can. Describe how she
kicked
ADVERB

Describe the girl

ADJECTIVE
The young girl
angrily kicked
the can.
Describe the can too
ADJECTIVE
The young girl
angrily kicked
the rusty can.
Now it’s your turn...

Sally walked to the house.

VERB NOUN

Identify the verbs and nouns

Now it’s your turn...

Sally walked to the house.

VERB NOUN

Identify the verbs and nouns

Sally carefully
walked to the
creepy house.
 Recognizing Adjectives & Adverbs
• Many words have both an adjective and adverb form

Adjective Adverb
Happy kids Playing happily
Smooth rock Running smoothly
Good night Eating Well
Efficient workers Working efficiently
Casual dress Dressing casually
Quick meeting Talking quickly
hopeful children Waiting hopefully
Real butter Really hot
 Comparatives and Superlatives
• Most adverbs and adjectives also have a comparative and
superlative form
Simple Comparative Superlative
Hot Hotter Hottest
Good Better Best
Exciting More exciting Most exciting
Careful Less careful Least careful

• 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