1. Adjective vs. Adverb

2. Rule #1 Adjectives modify (describe) nouns.
Adverbs modify (describe) verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
You can recognize adverbs easily because many of them are formed by adding -ly to an adjective.
EXAMPLE:
Richard is careless.
Here careless is an adjective that modifies the proper noun Richard.
Richard talks carelessly.
Here carelessly is an adverb that modifies the verb talks.

3. Rule #2
Adjectives always follow a form of the verb “to be” when they modify the noun before the verb.
EXAMPLES:
I was nervous.
She has been sick all week.
They tried to be helpful.
It’s easy, mmmkay?

4. Rule #3
Adjectives always follow a sense verb or a verb of appearance — feel, taste, smell, sound, look, appear, and seem — when they modify the noun before the verb.
EXAMPLES:
Sharon's cough sounds bad.
“bad” describing the cough
Castor oil tastes awful.
“awful” describing the oil
The ocean air smells fresh.
“fresh” describing the air.
She seems unhappy today.
“unhappy describing the pronoun “she”.
Adjective
Adjective
Adjective
Adjective

5. Adjective or Adverb? Your dog smells carefully. ADVERB!
Think – what is carefully describing? Dog or smells?
ADVERB!
Here carefully is an adverb that modifies the verb smells. Using the adjective careful here would not make sense, because it would mean that the dog gives off an odor of carefulness.
It describes how the dog is doing the sniffing, not how much the dog smells like carefulness.

6. Bad or Badly? EXAMPLES: I feel bad. I play football badly.
When you want to describe how you feel, use bad (adjective).
When you want to describe how you do something, use badly (adverb).
EXAMPLES: I feel bad.
I play football badly.
adjective
adverb
*The same applies for good & well. Therefore, you do not do good or live good, but you do well and live well.

7. Sure or Surely? Real or Really?
adjective
adverb
EXAMPLES:
I am sure that you were there.
Sure is an adjective that modifies the pronoun I.
He is surely ready to take on the project.
Surely is an adverb that modifies the adjective ready.
Real or Really?
adjective
adverb
EXAMPLES:
She did really well on that test.
Really is an adverb that modifies the adverb well.
Popular culture proposes imaginary solutions to real problems.
Real is an adjective that modifies the noun problems.
*The same applies for near & nearly.