UWF WRITING LAB RULES OF THUMB FOR ADJECTIVE AND ADVERB USE From Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon 1 Created by April Turner Revised by Mamie Webb Hixon July 1, 2010

SPEAKER 1: How are you today? Which respondent are you? SPEAKER 2: I’m good. SPEAKER 3: I’m well. 2

SPEAKER 1: How are you today? Which respondent are you? SPEAKER 2: I’m good. SPEAKER 3: I’m well. [By using “good” as a descriptor, is Speaker 2 saying that he or she is “well behaved”?] 3

Other Common Adjective/Adverb Errors in Spoken and Written English The Williams sisters play tennis remarkable well. How quick time passes when you’re having fun! The applicants felt very badly about missing the first phase of the interview. These encounters make me feel real awkward. Yes, we sure do serve nonalcoholic beverages. 4

CORRECTIONS The Williams sisters play tennis remarkably well. How quickly time passes when you’re having fun! The applicants felt very bad about missing the first phase of the interview. These encounters make me feel really awkward. Yes, we surely do serve nonalcoholic beverages. 5

ADJECTIVE USE Use ADJECTIVES with these verbs: Be-verbs MNEMONIC DEVICE FOR Be-Verbs Mr. Isamarewaswere isarewerebeing amwasbeen Sense Verbs lookfeeltastesmellsound Linking Verbs becomeremainappearseem 6

Some verbs act as both linking verbs and performers of action. LINKING USEACTION USE The speaker soundsThe speaker sounds her good.vowels distinctly. He looked sympathetic.He looked sympathetically at the mourners. 7

Some verbs that are not sense verbs have the meaning of “is” or “are” and, therefore, require adjectives. High school and college seem [are] very different. High school and college students behave differently. The judge remained [was] silent throughout the trial. The jurors entered the courtroom silently. 8

ADVERB USE Most adverbs are formed with the addition of the –ly suffix to an existing adjective: cautiouslysurprisinglyusually safelyinadvertentlyquietly Use ADVERBS to qualify and modify and intensify: You play pinochle well. You play pinochle remarkably well. You play pinochle very well. 9

ADVERB USE Your friendship is generously given happily accepted deeply appreciated 10

Use of Adjectives and Adverbs He is strange.He behaves strangely. Be careful.Drive carefully. The explanation isThink clearly. clear. I am sure.You surely do look good. The response timeWe need to act quickly. was quick. I feel bad.The men are behaving badly. 11

Adjectives and Adverbs Use adjectives after sense verbs such as look, smell, taste, feel, or sound: The steak tastes very good. Use adjectives after linking verbs (is, am, are, was, were and other forms of be): I am usually very prompt for meetings. Most adverbs end in –ly; use adverbs after action verbs: I usually arrive promptly for meetings. 12

The difference between adjectives and adverbs ADJECTIVESADVERBS badbadly carefulcarefully clearclearly courteouscourteously differentdifferently quickquickly strangestrangely suresurely 13

Helpful Tips from The HBJ Workbook, 1992 I feel bad. = I feel badly. = I feel good. = I feel well. = [I am sorry.] [I can’t tell if the surface is rough or smooth. ] [I am happy.] [My health is fine.] [My fingers are especially sensitive.] 14

Bad and Badly Bad is an adjective: I feel bad about the delay. Badly is an adverb: The bruise doesn't hurt so badly now. 15

Which sentence is grammatically correct? Although I never did good in spelling bees, I have always considered myself a decent speller. I did really well on “The 25 Most Commonly Misspelled Words” quiz; I missed only one word – “misspell.” 16

Good and Well Good is an adjective: You look good in blue. You wear it well. Well is an adverb: He gets along well with his co-workers. Well is also an adjective when it is used to refer to health: I am not well today. You look good, and you look well too. 17

Real and Really Real is an adjective meaning "genuine"; really is an adverb: The admiral has real charm, so he is really charismatic. The use of real as an adverb is colloquial or nonstandard: He writes real really well. My high school teachers were real really [or very] strict. 18

Use “real” preceding nouns; use “really” preceding adjectives (“very,” however, is a more formal adverb than “really.”) real excitement a real disadvantage a real friend a real honor a real difference a real crisis a real surprise real love really exciting really disadvantageous really friendly really honorable really different really critical really surprising really lovable 19

Sure and Surely Sure is an adjective meaning “certain.” I am sure that congressional hearings are nothing more than vapid, hollow charades. Surely is an adverb meaning “certainly.” INCORRECT: The city council sure (certain) is making a number of decisions this year. CORRECT: The city council surely (certainly) is making a number of decisions this year. 20

Which sentence is grammatically correct? Tips! We sure do thank you. SPEAKER 1: Are you open Monday? SPEAKER 2: We sure are. 21

Which sentence is grammatically correct? Tips! We sure do thank you. SPEAKER 1: Are you open Monday? SPEAKER 2: We sure are. [Both sentences are incorrect. Since “surely” would sound stuffy here, try “certainly.”] 22

Sort of and kind of Sort of and kind of are often misused in written English by writers who actually mean rather or somewhat: Lannie was kind of rather saddened by the results of the test. 23

Based on the information in this lesson, which speaker is correct? SPEAKER 1: How are you today? Which respondent are you? SPEAKER 2: I’m good. SPEAKER 3: I’m well. 24

LET’S PRACTICE!!! Our instructor pronounces his words very (precise, precisely). precisely My pen was writing so (bad, badly) that I threw it away. badly The experts are (somewhat, kind of) undecided about the wisdom of such a tax. somewhat The woman looked (different, differently) than she did the day before. different 25

LET’S PRACTICE A LITTLE MORE!!! She looks (different, differently) at the situation now. differently I feel (bad, badly) about missing the concert. bad Make sure that she stirs the cookie batter (good, well). well Ted is a (real, really) good singer. really 26