UWF WRITING LAB

RULES OF THUMB FOR ADJECTIVE

AND ADVERB USE

From Real Good Grammar, Too

by Mamie Webb Hixon

Created by April Turner

Adjectives and Adverbs

 Use adjectives after

sense verbs such as
look, smell, taste, feel,
or sound or after linking
verbs (is, am, are, was,
were and other forms of
be): The steak tastes
very good.
 Most adverbs end in –
ly; use adverbs after
transitive and
intransitive verbs/verbs
of action: She submits
her paperwork
promptly.
Bad and Badly
 Bad is an
adjective: I feel
bad about the
delay.

 Badly is an
adverb: It
doesn't hurt so
badly now.
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.
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.
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.
Question and Answer Session
 Are there any
questions
about the rules
of using
adjectives and
adverbs?

 PLEASE ASK!
 LET’S PRACTICE!!!
 Our minister 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
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