Download Adjective or Adverb? - Mercyhurst University

Adjectiveor Adverb?
Basic Rules:
l. Adjectives Modi$ Nouns. Adverbs Modift Verbs, Adjectives, and other Adverbs.
You can recognizeadverbs easily becausemany of them are formed by adding the
suffix u-lyn onto an adjective.
Richardis careless
Rchard talks carebssiy.
Here careless is an adjective that modifies the proper nowr Richard.
Here carelessly is an adverb that modifies the verb lalks.
2. Adverbs cannot modifv nouns.
thayefiur€tfFd€g,
thave{+appit}dog,
The correcl s€ntence should rcad: "I bave a quiet dog."
The correct sentence should read: *l have a happy dog."
3. Adjectives cannot modify verbs,
W
@r+
The correct sentenceshould read "He talks carelesslyaboul his wife."
The t-onect sentenceshould read "He is breathing normally agun',
4. An adjective always follows a form of the verb to he when it modifies the noun
before the verb.
ffi,
I was neryous.
Here nen ous is an adjective and "was" is the form of to be.
ffi\
She has beenslck all week.
Here sick is an adjectivc and "has been" is the form of to be.
5. An adjective always follows a senseverb or a verb of appearance(i.e. feel, taste,
smell, sound, look' appear, and seem)when it modifies the noun before the verb.
Castor ail ra$tes awful'
ffi
I nfs apple smelts sweet.
Hereawful is an adjectivethatmodifiesfte nounorl
Using the adverbawfully would not makeselseherebecauseit would meanthat
the oil is bad at performingthe act of tasting.
Heresweetis an adjectivethat modifiesthe nounapple.
Usingthe adverbsweellywouldnot makesenseherebecause
it would meanthat
the appleperformstheact of smellingthingsin a sweetnumner.
This handoutwasadaptedfrom the OWL at hudue University websiteavailableat:
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Avoiding Common Errors
Good or Well?
l. Good is an adjective, so you do not do good or live good. Remember,though, that an
adjective follows sense-verbsand be-verbs,so you dofeel good, took good, smell gyood,
etc.
2- Well canfunction as either an adverbor an adjective. When well isused as an adverb,
you do well andlive well. When well isused as an adjective,it means"not sick" or "in
good health." For this specificuse of well, it is correctto sayyoufeel well or are wellfor example,when recoveringfrom an illness. When not usedin this health-related
sense,however,well functionsas an adverb;for example,"I did well onmy exam.',
Bad or Badly?
When you want to describehow you feel, you shouldusean adjective. (Why? Feel is a sense
verb; seerule #5 on the other side). So you would say:"I feelbad." Sayingyou feel badly
would be like sayingyou play football badly It wourd meanthat you are unuut. to feel- as
thoughyour handswere numb.
Double Negatives
In Engfish, only one negative is ever used at a time. Adverbs such as scarcely andharclly
already carry anegative connotationand to add anothernegativeis redundani.
ffi;ffit,ff,t;H:{rould
@
read"rheyfound
scarcely
any
The correct senlenceshould read "Hardly anvone came to tlre
patrly."
Sureor Surely?
Sureis an adjective.Surelyis an adverb
ffi\
I am sure that you were there.
ne is turffiady
Here sure is an adjective lhat modifies thc pronoun L
to take oo this project. Here surely is an adverb
lhat rnodifies the adjer;l,jvereacty.
Real or Really?
Real is an adjective Really is an adverb
.g%
She did really weil on that test.
Pc;uiarcultu* crototts krcgiEary
$*th,ts ro r#itij*r.
Here really is an adverb that modifies the adverb well.
Here real is an adjective that modifies lhe noun prohlems
Near or Nearly?
Near canfunction as a verb, adverb, adjective, or preposition. Nearly is used as an adverb to
mean"in a closemanner"or "almost but not quite."
vceare *
r,r*
rrne"d
w.th this proJect.
youirl ,nun*rrffiur*.
r1fbeseeing
Thecat..ffi"
Herenearlyis an adverbthatmodifiestheverbfinished.
Hereneor is an adjectivethat modifieslhenounfuture.
Herenear is an dverb of placethat modifies the verbcrept.