Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs are commonly described as modifying words. Adjectives primarily provide information about nouns and pronouns, while adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, clauses, and sometimes entire sentences.

Adjectives can describe qualities, characteristics, quantities, or relationships. In a difficult examination, difficult describes the noun examination. Adjectives can occur before a noun, as in a large house, or after a linking verb, as in The house is large.

Adjectives can often be graded. The positive form is the basic form, as in small. The comparative form compares two things, as in smaller, while the superlative form identifies the highest or lowest degree within a group, as in smallest. Some adjectives use more and most, while others have irregular forms such as good, better, and best.

Adjectives can also be arranged in particular sequences when several occur before a noun. English speakers generally follow conventional patterns involving qualities such as opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, and material. Thus, a beautiful small old wooden box sounds more natural than an arbitrary arrangement.

Adverbs provide information about such matters as manner, time, place, frequency, degree, and viewpoint. In She spoke quietly, quietly describes how she spoke. In He arrived yesterday, yesterday indicates when he arrived.

Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to adjectives, such as quick → quickly and careful → carefully. However, not all adverbs end in -ly, and not every -ly word is an adverb. Words such as fast, hard, and early can function as adverbs, while friendly and lovely are generally adjectives.

Adverbs can occupy different positions within a sentence. Their position may affect emphasis, clarity, or meaning. Frequency adverbs, for example, commonly occur before a main verb but after the verb be: She often works late but She is often late.

Some adverbs modify adjectives or other adverbs to express degree: very difficult, extremely quickly, and quite interesting. Others modify entire clauses: Fortunately, nobody was injured.

A common learner difficulty is confusing adjectives and adverbs. For example, She is a careful driver uses the adjective careful to describe the noun driver, while She drives carefully uses the adverb carefully to describe the verb drives.

Correct use of adjectives and adverbs helps writers provide precise descriptions, establish relationships between ideas, and control the detail and emphasis of their communication.