1. Using Adjectives and Adverbs Correctly

2. What are adjectives? Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns
These words are all adjectives
A hot day
A happy camper
A silly twit
A big, bloody mess (both “big” and “bloody” modify “mess”)
She is creative (“creative” is a subject complement that follows the linking verb “is”)
A boring course (present participle used as an adjective

3. So what are adverbs?
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs
Many adverbs end with ly
Many adverbs answer the question “How?”
These are adverbs
Eating quickly (modifying a verb)
Trying very hard (modifying an adverb)
A really big show (modifying an adjective)

4. Recognizing Adjectives & Adverbs
Many words have both an adjective and adverb form
Adjective
Adverb
Happy kids
Playing happily
Smooth rock
Running smoothly
Good night
Eating Well
Efficient workers
Working efficiently
Casual dress
Dressing casually
Quick meeting
Talking quickly
hopeful children
Waiting hopefully
Real butter
Really hot

5. Comparatives and Superlatives
Most adverbs and adjectives also have a comparative and superlative form
Simple
Comparative
Superlative
Hot
Hotter
Hottest
Good
Better
Best
Exciting
More exciting
Most exciting
Careful
Less careful
Least careful
Use the comparative form to compare two things
Sally is the larger of the twins (not largest)
Use the superlative form to compare three or more
August was the hottest month of the year

6. Double Comparatives Don’t use “more” or “most” with –er or –est
Yesterday was more hotter than today
That was the most dirtiest story I ever heard
You are the bestest teacher

7. Absolute Concepts
Don’t use comparatives or superlatives with absolute concepts
Absolutes have only two possibilities, on or off, yes or no, with nothing in between
The most perfect student in the class
A very unique idea (say “very unusual” instead)
These words express absolute concepts that cannot be modified
More priceless
Sort of dead
Quite on
A little bit pregnant
Very unanimous
Extremely perfect
Quite unique
Completely anonymous

8. Don’t use adjectives when adverbs are needed
You did a real nice job
(an adjective can’t modify another adjective)
You did a really nice job
(the adverb “really” modifies “nice”)
He did good
He did well or
He did a good job
Fuel injection helps the car run efficient
Fuel injection helps the car run efficiently
Come quick!
Come quickly!
Hopefully, it won’t rain
(an adverb explains how something will happen
I hope that it won’t rain

9. Don’t use needless adverbs
Before using any of these words, check to see if they add anything to the sentence
Really, very, absolutely, extremely, quite, actually, somewhat, rather
I am really happy to see you
Grammar is very boring
You are absolutely correct
Her language was extremely crude
You are quite intelligent
Context will help you decide whether to retain the underlined words
Keep them only if they add to the meaning
Bill Gates is very rich. I hope he gives me some money.
Most college instructors are poor; their students are very poor.
Note: the terms “good success” and “real good success” have been reserved for sports broadcasters; do not use them

10. Compound Adjectives
Two or more adjectives often appear together separated with commas
Brad’s tiny, tight swimsuit showed off his hairy belly
The words “tiny” and “tight” each work separately to modify “swimsuit”
Connect the words with a hyphen when they function together before a noun
Brad’s gold-plated piercings stood out against his bright-red sunburn
“Gold-plated” and “bright-red” are compound adjectives

11. Compound Adjectives
Do not hyphenate the words when they come after the noun they modify
Notice the difference in these examples
Brad was well known along the boardwalk (no hyphen)
His SUV was fully equipped
Brad worked full time on his tan
Brad was a well-known jerk (hyphenated)
He drove a fully-equipped SUV
Brad was a full-time chick magnet

12. Misplaced Modifiers
Put adjectives and adverbs close to the words they modify
Notice how the meaning is affected by the improper placement
An old pile of clothes is on the floor
A pile of old clothes is on the floor
I almost believe you are finished
I believe you are almost finished
The winners will only be contacted
Only the winners will be contacted
I can’t quite do this as well as Fred
I can’t do this quite as well as Fred