1. Adjectives & Adverbs
Unit 5

2. Adjectives/Predicate Adjectives
An adjective is a word that modifies, or describes, a noun or a pronoun.
The eager, large crowd of visitors examines the
huge painting.
A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and modifies the subject of the sentence.
The painting is realistic and timeless.

3. Questions That Adjectives Answer
What Kind?
brick house
white paper
Which One?
that judge
each answer
How Many?
one daffodil
several roses
How Much?
no time
enough raisins

4. The endless landscape seemed filled with
Find the Adjectives
The endless landscape seemed filled with
strange objects and ghostly figures.
The silent woman was aware of everything around her.
The bright flowers and whitened bones of the desert inspired her.
A piece of red coral was especially eye-catching.
endless, filled (PA), strange, ghostly
silent, aware (PA)
bright, whitened
red, eye-catching (PA)

5. Articles
The articles a, an, and the are always considered to be adjectives.
Indefinite articles = a and an
refer to one of a general group of people, places, things, or ideas
A is used before words that start with a consonant sound; an is used before words that start with a vowel sound.
Definite article = the
identifies specific people, places, things, or ideas
A tiger and an antelope ran through the clearing.

6. Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is made up of more than one word.
usually written in hyphenated form
one-sided opinion
so-called expert
sometimes written in combined form
heartbreaking news
nearsighted witness

7. Find the Articles & Compound Adjectives
Hazleton is an industrial city in the central part of Pennsylvania.
The grandfather clock stands on the living room floor.
A left-handed pitcher threw to a right-handed batter.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a commonsense maxim.
an, the
The, grandfather, the, living room
A, left-handed, a, right-handed
An, a, the, a, commonsense

8. Proper Adjectives
A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun and always begins with a capital letter.
Sometimes the proper noun stays the same when it is used as an adjective.
I enjoy April showers.
Most times an ending must be added: -an,
-ese, -ian, -ish
I ate dinner at an Italian restaurant.

9. Nouns Used as Adjectives
Nouns are sometimes used as adjectives. When this happens, the noun is used immediately in front of another noun and answers the question What Kind? or Which One?
Noun = court Adjective = court date
Noun = morning Adjective = morning meal
Noun = chalk Adjective = chalk tray

10. Find the Proper Adjectives & the Nouns Used as Adjectives
The flood waters reached the top of the barrier.
According to Greek mythology, Zeus is the king of gods and men.
For the pizza party Jane made Italian pasta as a
side dish.
A basketball referee should be in good physical condition.
flood
Greek
pizza, Italian, side
basketball

11. Pronouns Used as Adjectives
Possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) followed by nouns are often called possessive adjectives.
They are pronouns because they have antecedents, and they are adjectives since they answer the question Which One?
my book your friend his idea her courage
its surface our destination their reservation

12. Pronouns Used as Adjectives
The four demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those) are actually demonstrative adjectives when they are followed by nouns.
They also answer the question Which One?
this painting that portrait
these pictures those sculptures

13. Pronouns Used as Adjectives
Some interrogative pronouns (which, what, whose) are followed by nouns. When this happens, they’re actually interrogative adjectives, and they modify the nouns that follow them.
Which student borrowed the library book today?
What time are we leaving for the train station?
Whose project is posted on the bulletin board?

14. Pronouns Used as Adjectives
A number of indefinite pronouns (both, few, many, each, most, some, all, etc.) can be followed by nouns, which makes them indefinite adjectives.
They often tell How Much?
both representatives few complications
many circumstances each attraction
most phenomena some predicaments
all experiments

15. Find the Pronouns Used as Adjectives
Several people are presenting
their interpretations of the novels in class
this afternoon.
Which lawyer will argue her case in court?
Our report can help all students understand what steps we can take to save those animals.
Whose appointment is scheduled in a
few days?
Several, their, this
Which, her
Our, all, what, those
Whose, few

16. Adverbs
An adverb can modify 3 different parts of speech – a verb, an adjective, or another adverb
Adverbs answer the questions Where? When? In What Way? To What Extent? about the verb, adjective, or adverb.
Most adverbs have an –ly ending.

17. Adverbs That Modify Verbs
Where?
drove down
stay nearby
When?
report later
come tomorrow
In What Way?
cautiously approached
walk quietly
To What Extent?
hardly counted
scarcely escaped

18. Adverbs That Modify Adjectives
When an adverb modifies an adjective, it usually answers the question:
To What Extent?
adv. adj. noun verb PA
Very old violins are valuable.
adj. noun verb adv PA
The food was not ready.
adj adv adj noun verb adj. noun
The unusually quiet girls had a secret.

19. Adverbs That Modify Other Adverbs
When an adverb modifies another adverb, it usually answers the question:
To What Extent?
adj noun verb phrase adv adv. Some violins are played extremely rarely.
adj. noun verb adj. adj noun adv adv.
The boy lost the chess game too quickly.
adj. noun verb phrase adv adv.
A spy must move very cautiously.

20. Adverbs That Do Not End With -ly
afterward almost very
quite often there
hard sometimes soon
everywhere long later
here fast straight
Similarly, not all –ly words are adverbs. Lovely, friendly, lively, kindly, lonely, homely, and elderly are used as adjectives.

21. Find the Adverbs People usually handle old violins carefully.
Sometimes airplanes fly quite low in the sky.
The heater ran almost continuously during the day.
Quickly tell your friend the answer.
Orators often speak confidently in front of others.
usually, carefully
Sometimes, quite, low
almost, continuously
Quickly
often, confidently

22. Avoiding Double Negatives
Negative words express the idea of “no.” Not often appears in a shortened form as part of a contraction.
is not = isn’t was not = wasn’t did not = didn’t
Avoid using double negatives, 2 negative words together in the same sentence. Instead, remove one negative word or change it to an affirmative word, which shows the idea of “yes.”
Incorrect: That isn’t no beautiful sofa.
Correct: That isn’t a beautiful sofa.

23. Correct the Double Negatives
any
She doesn’t have no time to work on the project today.
He hardly never refuses when someone asks him for help.
Be careful when walking across the wet floors; we don’t want nobody to slip.
We couldn’t find no one who knew the directions to the museum.
anybody
doesn’t have any/does have no
He hardly ever/(He never is grammatically correct, but it changes the meaning of the sentence.)
don’t want anybody/we want nobody
couldn’t find anyone/could find no one
any

24. Comparative Forms of Adjectives
The comparative form of an adjective compares two things or people.
For most adjectives of one syllable & some of two syllables, add –er to the adjective when comparing.
younger older softer earlier
For most adjectives of two or more syllables, add more before the adjective when comparing.
more colorful more beautiful

25. Superlative Forms of Adjectives
The superlative form of an adjective compares more than two things or people.
For most adjectives of one syllable & some of two syllables, add –est to the adjective when comparing.
youngest oldest softest earliest
For most adjectives of two or more syllables, add most before the adjective when comparing.
most colorful most beautiful

26. Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives
good,
well (healthy)
better
best
bad
worse
worst
many, much
more
most
little (amount)
little (size)
less
littler
least
littlest

27. Comparative Forms of Adverbs
The comparative form of an adverb compares two actions.
For short adverbs, add –er as an ending when comparing.
louder faster harder later
For long adverbs, use more before the adverb when comparing.
more rapidly more harshly

28. Superlative Forms of Adverbs
The superlative form of an adverb compares more than two actions.
For short adverbs, add –est as an ending when comparing.
loudest fastest hardest latest
For long adverbs, use most before the adverb when comparing.
most rapidly most harshly

29. Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adverbs
well
better
best
badly
worse
worst
little (amount)
less
least

30. Use the Correct Comparative or Superlative Form
farthest
The DeAngelos had to walk ________ of all to school. (far)
Not surprisingly, parks that are ________ to population centers have the _________ visitors. (near, many)
He walked ___________ after winning the award. (proudly)
Geysers are one of nature’s ________ phenomena. (interesting)
nearest
most
more proudly
farthest, nearest, most, more proudly, most interesting
most interesting

31. Distinguishing Adjectives from Adverbs
Adjectives and adverbs are often confused, especially when they appear after verbs.
The musicians are professional.
The predicate adjective professional follows a linking verb and describes (modifies) musicians.
The musicians behaved professionally.
The adverb professionally follows and describes (modifies) the action verb behaved.

32. Distinguishing Adjectives from Adverbs
The sound is bad.
The band sounds good.
The soloist seems well. (healthy)
Music is a real art.
A pianist needs sure hands.
Most pianos have eighty-eight keys.
The actor sang badly.
(Good is never an adverb.)
The band played well.
Music is really popular.
Piano music is surely popular.
Piano strings almost never break.
Bad is a PA that modifies the noun sound. Badly modifies the verb sang.
Good is a PA that modifies the noun band.
Well is a PA that modifies the noun soloist. Well modifies the verb played.
Real modifies the noun art. Really modifies the adjective popular.
Sure modifies the noun hands. Surely modifies the adjective popular.
Most modifies the noun pianos. Almost modifies the adverb never, which modifies the verb break.

33. Which is correct, Adjective or Adverb?
I am (real, really) glad we left the park before the thunderstorm.
He was (good, well) enough to go back to school when his fever was gone.
I (sure, surely) appreciate all the assistance that was given.
She proved that she could play (good, well) enough to be first chair flute.
really, well, surely, well

34. Adjective Clauses
An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun.
Starts with a relative pronoun
that which who whose whom
Immediately follows the noun it modifies
They visited the memorial that remembers Holocaust victims.
Requires commas only if not essential to the meaning of the sentence
Remind students that subordinate clauses have subjects & verbs but cannot stand alone because they do not express complete thoughts.

35. Adverb Clauses
An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.
Starts with a subordinating conjunction
after because though when (see pg. 452)
Can be anywhere in the sentence
Requires a comma when it starts a sentence
When she reached the station, Marie phoned.

36. Find the Adjective or Adverb Clause
The Aqua-Lung, which divers strap on, holds oxygen.
Scuba divers wear tanks because they cannot breathe underwater.
After she bought safe equipment, Lee explored the undersea world.
Did you see the meet that our team won yesterday?
The woman who is near the pool is a good swimmer.

37. Bibliography
Carroll, Joyce A., Edward E. Wilson, and Gary Forlini. Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar. Vol. Grade 8. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc., 2008.
Royster, Jacqueline J., and Mark Lester. Writer's Choice Grammar Workbooks : Teacher's Wraparound Edition. Vol. Grade 8. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1996.
Writer's Choice Grammar Workbook 1996 : Grade 8. Vol. Grade 8. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999.