Adjectives and Adverbs in English
Adjectives are used to modify nouns, e.g. The dog is loud. What is the dog like? loud
Adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs, e.g. The dog barks loudly.
How does the dog bark? loudly
Adjective or Adverb
Adjectives are used to modify nouns:
The dog is loud.
Adverbs are used to modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs:
The dog barks loudly.
Linking Verbs
Some verbs can only be used with adjectives, others might change their meaning when used with an adverb.
|
verb |
used with an adjective |
used with an adverb |
|
look |
look good (= appearance) |
look well (= have a good sense of sight) |
|
feel |
feel good (= state of health/mind) |
feel well (= have a good sense of touch) |
|
smell |
smell good (= odour) |
smell well (= have a good sense of smell) |
|
taste |
taste good (= preference) |
taste well (= have a good sense of taste) |
The following verbs can only be used with adjectives:
be
become
get
grow
keep
remain
seem
sound
stay
turn
Comparison of Adjectives
Positive Form
Use the positive form of the adjective if the comparison contains one of the following expressions:
as … as
Example: Jane is as tall as John.
not as … as / not so … as
Example: John is not as tall as Arnie.
Comparative Form and Superlative Form (-er/-est)
one-syllable adjectives (clean, new, cheap)
two-syllable adjectives ending in -y or -er (easy, happy, pretty, dirty, clever)
|
positive form |
comparative form |
superlative form |
|
clean |
cleaner |
(the) cleanest |
Exceptions in spelling when adding -er / -est
silent ‘e’ is dropped
Example: late-later-latest
final ‘y’ after a consonant becomes i
Example: easy-easier-easiest
final consonant after short, stressed vowel is doubled
Example: hot-hotter-hottest
Comparative Form and Superlative Form (more/most)
adjectives of three or more syllables (and two-syllable adjectives not ending in -y/-er)
|
positive form |
comparative form |
superlative form |
|
difficult |
more difficult |
most difficult |
Comparative Form and Superlative Form (irregular comparisons)
|
positive form |
comparative form |
superlative form |
|
good |
better |
best |
|
bad / ill |
worse |
worst |
|
little (amount) |
less |
least |
|
little (size) |
smaller |
smallest |
|
much / many |
more |
most |
|
far (place + time) |
further |
furthest |
|
far (place) |
farther |
farthest |
|
late (time) |
later |
latest |
|
late (order) |
latter |
last |
|
near (place) |
nearer |
nearest |
|
near (order) |
- |
next |
|
old (people and things) |
older |
oldest |
|
old (people) |
elder |
eldest |
Form and Comparison of Adverbs
Adverbs are used to express how something is done (adjectives express how someone or something is).
Example: The dog sleeps quietly. The dog is absolutely quiet.
Form
In general: adjective + -ly
|
adjective |
adverb |
|
slow |
slowly |
Exceptions in spelling
|
exception |
example |
|
silent e is dropped in true, due, whole |
true → truly |
|
y becomes i |
happy → happily |
|
le after a consonant is dropped |
sensible → sensibly |
|
after ll only add y |
full → fully |
Adjectives ending in -ic: adjective + -ally (exception: public-publicly)
|
adjective |
adverb |
|
fantastic |
fantastically |
Adjectives ending in -ly: use ‘in a … way / manner’ or another adverb with similar meaning
|
adjective |
adverb |
|
friendly |
in a friendly way |
|
likely |
probably |
Exceptions
|
adjective |
adverb (meaning) |
adverb (meaning) |
|
good |
well |
|
|
difficult |
with difficulty |
|
|
public |
publicly |
|
|
deep |
deep (place) |
deeply (feeling) |
|
direct |
direct |
directly (=soon) |
|
hard |
hard |
hardly (=seldom) |
|
high |
high (place) |
highly (figurative) |
|
late |
late |
lately (=recently) |
|
most |
most |
mostly (=usually) |
|
near |
near |
nearly (=almost) |
|
pretty |
pretty (=rather) |
prettily |
|
short |
short |
shortly (=soon) |
|
The following adjectives are also used as adverbs (without modification): |
daily, enough, early, far, fast, hourly, little, long, low, monthly, much, straight, weekly, yearly, … |
|
Comparison
Comparison (-er/-est)
|
|
Comparative ending in -er |
Superlative ending in -est |
|
one-syllable adverbs (hard) |
harder |
hardest |
|
adverbs with the same form as adjectives (early) |
earlier |
earliest |
Comparison (more / most)
|
|
Comparative formed with more |
Superlative formed with most |
|
adverbs ending in -ly (happily) |
more happily |
most happily |
Irregular comparisons
|
positive form |
comparative |
superlative |
|
well |
better |
best |
|
badly |
worse |
worst |
|
ill |
worse |
worst |
|
little |
less |
least |
|
much |
more |
most |
|
far (place + time) |
further |
furthest |
|
far (place) |
farther |
farthest |
|
late (time) |
later |
latest |
