1. Chapter 5: Adjectives and Adverbs
8th Grade English

2. 5.1 What Is an Adjective?
An adjective is a word that modifies, or describes, a noun or a pronoun.
Extraordinary weather can cause strange events.
Adjectives help you see, feel, taste, hear, and smell all the experiences you read about.
During a storm, a boat capsized in the waves.
During a violent storm, a large boat capsized in the enormous waves.

3. 5.1 What Is an Adjective?
Adjectives answer the questions what kind, which one, how many, and how much.
Adjectives
What Kind?
A sudden blizzard
A brisk wind
A destructive flood
Which one or ones?
The first warning
The Mexican earthquake
The last weather report
How many or how much?
Several tornadoes
A few drifts
More ice

4. 5.1 What Is an Adjective?
The most commonly used adjectives are the articles a, an, and the.
A and an are forms of the indefinite article.
The indefinite article is used before a noun that names an unspecified person, place, thing, or idea.
A weather radar can predict an unusual storm.
Use a before a word beginning with a consonant sound.
Use an before a word beginning with a vowel sound.

5. 5.1 What Is an Adjective? The is the definite article.
It points to a particular person, place, thing, or idea.
The six-o’clock news predicted the tornado.

6. 5.1 What Is an Adjective? Proper Adjectives
Many adjectives are formed from common nouns.
Nouns and Adjectives
Common Noun
Common Adjective
Cloud
Cloudy
Nation
National
Statue
Statuesque
Friend
friendly

7. 5.1 What Is an Adjective?
A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun.
Proper adjectives are always capitalized.
Proper Nouns
Proper Adjectives
Honduras
Honduran
Olympus
Olympian
North America
North American
(Queen) Elizabeth
Elizabethan

8. 5.2 Predicate Adjectives
A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the verb’s subject.
The linking verb connects the predicate adjective with the subject.
Some people are extraordinary.
They are very energetic or calm.
Predicate adjectives can follow linking verbs other than forms of be. Forms of taste, smell, feel, look, become, and seem are often used as linking verbs.
You usually feel lucky to know such a person.

9. 5.3 Other Words Used as Adjectives
In addition to their usual uses, many pronouns and nouns can be used as adjectives.
They can modify nouns to make their meanings more specific.

10. 5.3 Other Words Used as Adjectives
Pronouns as Adjectives
Demonstrative pronouns
This, that, these, and those are demonstrative pronouns that can be used as adjectives.
This fingerprint is a loop.
That fingerprint is a whorl.

11. 5.3 Other Words Used as Adjectives
Possessive Pronouns
My, our, your, her, his, its, and their are possessive pronouns that are used as adjectives.
My thumbprint is a double loop, but your thumbprint is a tented arch.

12. 5.3 Other Words Used as Adjectives
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns such as all, each, both, few, most, and some can be used as adjectives.
All fingerprints fit one of seven patterns.
But each fingerprint is unique.

13. 5.3 Other Words Used as Adjectives
Nouns as adjectives
Like pronouns, nouns can be used as adjectives.
In the expression “crime story,” for example, the word crime (normally a noun) is used to modify story.
The fingerprint evidence convicted the murderer.
She was convicted on murder charges.

14. 5.4 What is an Adverb?
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
Teenagers often make a unique impression.
They wear very creative clothing.
They nearly always have their own way of talking.
Adverbs answer the questions how, where, when, or to what extent.
How?
When?
Where?
To What Extent?
Successfully
soon
inside
nearly
Quietly
later
close
completely
Terribly
now
together
quite

15. 5.4 What is an Adverb?
Adverbs can appear in several different positions.
Shari completed the exam quickly.
Shari quickly completed the exam.
Quickly, Shari completed the exam.

16. 5.4 What is an Adverb? Intensifiers
Intensifiers are adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs.
They are usually placed directly before the word they modify.
Intensifiers usually answer the question to what extent.
How does Shari work so quickly?
Intensifiers: almost, especially, extremely, nearly, quite, really, so, too, usually, very

17. 5.4 What is an Adverb? Forming Adverbs
Many adverbs are formed by adding the suffix –ly to adjectives.
Sometimes a base word’s spelling changes when –ly is added.
strong -> strongly
True -> truly
Happy -> happily

18. 5.5 Making Comparisons
Special forms of modifiers are used to make comparisons.
Use the comparative form (-er or more) form of an adjective or adverb when you compare one person or thing with one other person or thing.
Earth is larger than Venus.
Earth orbits the sun more slowly than Venus.
Use the superlative form (-est or most) when you compare someone or something with more than one person or thing.
Which of the four inner planets is the hottest?
Which of the five outer planets rotates most quickly?

19. 5.5 Making Comparisons Regular Forms of Comparison
For most one-syllable words, add –er to form the comparative and –est to form the superlative.
Base Form
Comparative
Superlative
Adjective
Light
Slow
Lighter
Slower
Lightest
Slowest
Adverb
Close
Soon
Closer
Sooner
Closest
soonest

20. 5.5 Making Comparisons
You can also add –er and –est to some two- syllable adjectives.
With other two syllable adjectives, and with ALL two-syllable adverbs, use the words more and most.
Base Form
Comparative
Superlative
Adjective
Windy
Massive
Windier
More massive
Windiest
Most massive
Adverb
Brightly
Quickly
More brightly
More quickly
Most brightly
Most quickly

21. 5.5 Making Comparisons
With adjectives and adverbs having three or more syllables, use more and most.
Base Form
Comparative
Superlative
Adjective
Successful
Mysterious
More successful
More mysterious
Most successful
Most mysterious
Adverb
Awkwardly
eloquently
More awkwardly
More eloquently
Most awkwardly
Most eloquently

22. 5.5 Making Comparisons Irregular Forms of Comparisons
The comparatives and superlatives of some adjectives and adverbs are formed in irregular ways
Base Form
Comparative
Superlative
Adjectives
Good
Bad
Better
Worse
Best
Worst
Adverbs
Much
Little
Well
More
Less
Most
Least

23. 5.6 Adjective or Adverb?
Some pairs of adjectives and adverbs are often a source of confusion and mistakes in speaking and writing.

24. 5.6 Adjective or Adverb? Good or Well Good is always an adjective.
It modifies a noun or a pronoun.
Well is usually an adverb, modifying a verb, an adverb, or an adjective.
Poetry is a good way to express your individuality.
Good poems can communicate ideas well.
Well can be an adjective if it refers to health.
You can write poems even when you don’t feel well.

25. 5.6 Adjective or Adverb? Real or Really Real is always an adjective.
It modifies a noun or a pronoun.
Really is always an adverb.
It modifies a verb, an adverb, or an adjective
Reciting poetry is a real talent.
If you really work at it, you can become good at it.

26. 5.6 Adjective or Adverb? Bad or Badly Bad is always an adjective.
It modifies a noun or a pronoun.
Badly is always an adverb.
It modifies a verb, an adverb, or an adjective.
That wasn’t a bad poem, but you read it badly.
Oh, I feel bad about that.