Adjectives and Adverbs
What modifies a noun?
adjective
What modifies a verb?
adverb
adjective
*Shy* students must be courageous if they want to learn English.
Where can adverbs be found?
before or after the word it modifies
What role does an adverb and/or adjective play in the sentence?
gives more details
What modifies an adverb and/or an adjective?
Adverb
Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives and adverbs are both words that describe something. If anyone has ever asked you to describe something in detail, you probably used some adverbs and adjectives along the way. But it can be easy to mix them up and forget which is which, so it's important to know how each one is used.
Look at the placement.
Here's an easy way to know where to put an adjective in a sentence. It will usually appear just before the noun it's describing. By contrast, an adverb will usually appear right after the verb it's describing.
adjective
My roommate is *sick*.
adverb
She answered my question *politely*.
What is an adjective?
An adjective is a word that describes a noun. In other words, it tells us more about a particular person, place, or thing. Adjectives also make it easy to understand which thing you're talking about.
What is an adverb?
An adverb is a word that describes a verb. Just like adjectives, adverbs are used to add detail to a sentence. More specifically, adverbs tell us how, when, or where something happened.
Where can adjectives be found?
Before or after the word it modifies
adverb
Could you *carefully* carry these dishes into the kitchen?
adverb
Gina drives *fast*.
adjective
Gina drives a *fast* car.
adverb
I *rarely* eat beef.
Look at the context.
If you're not sure whether to use an adverb or an adjective, try to figure out what you're describing. Remember, adjectives are used to describe nouns, which means they can explain what kind of thing you have, how many things you have, or which thing you're talking about. Adverbs, on the other hand, are used to describe verbs, which means they can explain how something happened, when something happened, or where something happened.
adverb
Joshua *quietly* entered the library.
adjective
Paul has a *loud* voice.
adjective
Sugar is *sweet*.
adverb
Summers in Texas can be *very* hot.
adjective
The *hungry* bear found food in the dumpster.
adjective
The child crawled into her *warm* bed.
adverb
The diligent student *easily* answered all the questions on the test.
adverb
The doctor finished the operation *quickly*.
adverb
The hungry dog *happily* ate the hot dog we gave him.
adverb
The new student looked at the class *nervously*.
adverb
The students *quickly* finished their work.
adjective
This coffee smells *wonderful*.
adjective
This information about taxes is *helpful*.
adjective
We ate some *delicious* food at a Mexican restaurant.
How do I use adjectives and adverbs?
You know adjectives and adverbs are both words that describe something. But for many people, these words are also easy to mix up. Thankfully, there are some simple rules that will help you know which is which and when to use them.
Look at the ending.
You might have already noticed that many adverbs end with the letters -ly. If you see a word that ends in -ly, there's a good chance it's an adverb, not an adjective. But remember, there are exceptions (is ugly an adjective or an adverb?)