Review Sheet For Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjective

  • Word that modifies, or describes, a noun or pronoun
  • Answers the following questions
  • What kind? green backpack, sturdy tent, spicy stew
  • Which one or ones? last hamburger, third hike, every lantern
  • How many or how much? two flashlights, many insects, little moonlight
  • Examples: Noisy coyotes startled the campers.

(Noisy is an adjective that describes what kind of coyotes.)

Articles

  • a, an and the are the most common adjectives used with singular nouns.
  • Use an before a word beginning with a vowel sound- an axe, an elephant
  • Use a before a word beginning with a consonant sound- a bird, a plane

Proper Adjectives

  • Formed from a proper noun and are always capitalized.
  • Examples:

Proper NounProper Adjectives

IrelandIrish

SpainSpanish

CanadaCanadian

Predicate Adjectives

  • An adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the verb’s subject. The linking verb connects the predicate adjective to the subject.

(Subject) (linking verb) (predicate adjective)

  • Example: The lava looks thick. (Thick describes the lava.)

(Subject) (linking verb) (predicate adjective)

  • Example: The blasts were thunderous. (Thunderous describes the blasts.)

Adverbs

  • A word that modifies or describes a verb, an adjective or another adverb.
  • Answers the following questions:
  • How? Suddenly, carefully, sadly
  • When? now, later, soon
  • Where? there, up, ahead
  • To what extent? completely, totally, fully
  • Examples:
  • The tourists boarded the bus eagerly. (Answers how they boarded)
  • Marco Polo told really wonderful tales of China. (Answers how wonderful)
  • They nearlyalways hung on every word. (Nearly answers to what extent they always hung on every word. Always answers when they hung on every word. )

Making Comparisons

Use the comparative form of an adjective or adverb when you compare a person or thing to another person or thing.

Example: Mt.Rainer is higher than Mt.Hood.

Use the superlative form of an adjective or adverb when you compare someone or something to more than one other person or thing.

Example: Mt.Everest is thehighest of the three mountains.

Rule: For more one syllable modifiers, add –er to form the comparative and

–est to form the superlative.

Base Form (Positive) / Comparative / Superlative
Adjectives / thin
brave / thinner
braver / thinnest
bravest
Adverb / slow
soon / slower
sooner / slowest
soonest

Rule: For most two or more syllable modifiers, add more to form the comparative and add most to form the superlative.

Base Form (Positive) / Comparative / Superlative
Adjectives / beautiful
dangerous / more beautiful
more dangerous / most beautiful
most dangerous
Adverb / calm
brisk / more calmly
more briskly / most calmly
most briskly

Irregular Adjectives and Adverbs

Base Form (Positive) / Comparative / Superlative
Adjectives / good
bad / better
worse / best
worst
Adverb / well
much
little / better
more
less / best
most
least