UNIT 5.

PART OF SPEECH: ADJECTIVE & ADVERB

UNIT OUTLINE
I. ADJECTIVE
1. Definition
2. Types
3. Function & Position
4. Comparison
II. ADVERB
1. Definition
2. Types
3. Function & Position
4. Adverbs with two forms & different meanings
5. Intensifiers
ADJECTIVE
1. Definition
Adjective: describes the quality, feeling, or state of a noun
Ex: a beautiful girl; she is very happy; she is still single
2. Types
 Opinion adjective: subjective opinion. Ex: beautiful; smart; pitiful …
 Fact adjective: objective fact. Ex: red; rectangular; icy; old; dead …
3. Function & Position
a. As modifier of noun:
 Usually before noun. Ex: a handsome boy; an old man
 After noun:
o Adjective beginning with a- ( alive, asleep, afraid, ajar, ashamed, …)
Ex: I’ve never seen a dragon alive; the boy afraid hid himself behind his
mother.
o Measurement: age, height, distance ….
Ex: 15 years old; 1.7m high; 3km far
o Noun + indefinite word (all, some, many, any…)
Ex: I was working all day long yesterday.
I want something hot.
o Modifier is a group of words (phrase, clause..)
Ex: On his birthday last Monday, we had a big party.
The films harmful to children are not to be shown.
b. As complement: after a liking verb (verb describing quality, feeling, state)
Ex: The girl is very charming ; She seems very happy
SC SC
c. Some adjectives change their meaning depending on position
Ex: He is my old friend ( known for a very long time: bạn tri kỉ / thâm giao)
My friend is old (old in years)
My late uncle (dead); I’m late (not on time)
A heavy smoker (addicted to smoking) ; this bag is heavy (weigh a lot)
The weather is fine (beautiful) ; I’m fine (healthy)
The concerned doctor ( worried) ; the doctor concerned (connected with)
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 A very involved question (complicated) ; the person involved (connected with)
Present employees (now employed) ; the employees present (here now)
A proper question (correct) ; the question proper (itself)
A responsible girl (with a sense of duty) ; the girl responsible (who was blamed)
d. Adjectives in –ing & in –ed
 -ing: describing the quality. Ex: exciting; interesting; charming
 -ed: describing the feeling (person, animal). Ex: tired; interested; bored…
e. Word order: adjectives + noun: the following order
Opinion – size – age – shape – color– origin – material – purpose (participle,
gerund, noun) + Noun (OpSASCOMP)
Ex: A cheap white silver Japanese clock watch.
f. Comparison
 Types
 Inferiority
+ The least: I’ve got the least.
+ less … than: I’ve got less money than you; He is less intelligent than you
+ not as … as: He is not as rich as you are.
 Equality: as … as: He is as intelligent as his father
 Comparative
+ One-syllable adjectives: Adjective + -er. Ex: bigger; faster; longer
+ Long adjectives: more … than. Ex: more intelligent than; more happy
(happier) than; more simple (simpler)…
 Superlative
+ One-syllable adjectives: Adjective + -est. Ex: biggest; fastest; longest
+ Long adjectives: more … than. Ex: the most + adjective
Ex: the most happy (happiest); the most handsome
g. Some special cases
 Irregular form: good => better, the best; bad => worse, the worst
 Further / furthest: for distance & not distance.
 Farther / farthest: for distance only
Ex: I’m exhausted. I can’t go any farther / further
I need further information
 Older / oldest: age
 Elder / eldest: position in family
Ex: He is the oldest student in this class
I’ve got 3 siblings. The eldest sister is 20 years old
 Double comparison: the + comparative , the + comparative
Ex: The harder you try, the better result you get.
 Superlative between two: the + comparative
Ex: Of the two students, this one is the more intelligent.

ADVERB
1. Definition
An adverb describes the circumstances of an action, answering the questions: when, where
why, how what for?

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2. Types
a. Adverb of time: identifies the time of an action: today. Tomorrow, now then….(when?)
Some special adverbs
 Still: to emphasize continuity; used in affirmatives & questions
Still has the same positions as adverb of frequency
Ex: The patient is still lying on the bed; Is Martha still in hospital?
 Yet: used mainly in questions & negatives.
Ex: Has your new passport arrived yet? – No, not yet.
 Already: means ‘before now’ or ‘so soon’; used in questions & affirmatives
Ex: Have you already finished lunch?; This machine is already out of date or This
machine is out of date already.
 Since from a point of time to the present
+ since + a point of time: perfect tenses. Ex: I’ve been waiting for you since noon
+ since + a clause => subordinate verb: past simple; the main verb: perfect tense
Ex: Since I moved to HCMC, I’ve made a lot of friends
 Ago from a point of time back to the past; always past simple
Ex: I met her two days ago
 For ⇔ duration of time
+ unfinished action: perfect tense. Ex: I’ve lived in DL for 11 years (still live there)
+ completed action: past simple. Ex: I lived in DL for 11 years (now in HCMC)
 Till / until
+ In affirmative: duration before a point of time, including that point of time.
Ex: I’ll wait for her till 12:00. (I’ll leave after 12:00)
+ In negative: duration right after a point of time, including that point of time
Ex: Your suit won’t be ready till Friday. You can collect it then
 By
+ In affirmative: before a point of time, not including that point of time.
Ex: You can see me by 9:00 tomorrow. (I have an appointment at 9
o’clock)
+ In negative: duration after a point of time, not including that point of time
Ex: Your suit won’t be ready by Tuesday. You can collect it Thursday
b. Adverb of frequency (how often?): always, sometimes, often, rarely …
Position of adverb of frequency
 Before ordinary verbs. Ex: I always get up early in the morning
 After ‘to be’. Ex: He is always late to school
 After the 1st auxiliary, if any. Ex: I have never been to America
 For emphasis, adverb of frequency can be put at various positions, except
‘always’
Ex: I sometimes go to school late; Sometimes, I go to school late
c. Adverb of degree: quite, fairly, rather
 Fairly: usually with ‘good’ adjectives (positive)
 Rather: usually with ‘bad’ adjectives (negative)
Ex: She is fairly beautiful but rather short.
d. Adverb of manner (how). We usually add –ly to adjective.
Ex: They are living very happily. She left the room hurriedly.
But we don’t add –ly to adjective ending in –ly.
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 Ex: He talked to me in a friendly way. (not friendlily)

3. Function & Position

Adverbs describe the circumstances of an action and are in function as modifier of a verb,
an adjective, an adverb, or a sentence

Position
 Adverb of time: usually at the beginning or at the end of a sentence
Ex: Yesterday, I went to school late; I went to school late yesterday.
 Adverb of place: usually after the verb or at the end
Ex: Yesterday my friend & I went to the zoo.
 Adverb of manner: usually after the verb
Ex: He walked slowly around the front yard
For emphasis, they may be at different positions

4. Adverbs with two forms & different meanings

 Hard: with great effort. Ex: You have to study hard to pass the exam
Hardly: almost not. Ex: They could hardly speak because of fear.
 Last: opposite to first. Ex: He set up first but arrived last.
Lastly: finally. Ex: Lastly, I’d like to thank all of you for coming.
 Late: opposite to early. Ex: He always go to school late
Lately: recently + perfect tense. Ex: I’ve been receiving a lot of junk mail lately
 High: distance. Ex: The plane is flying very high in the sky
Highly: to a high standard / level. Ex: The boss highly appreciates your contribution
 Just: recently. Ex: I’ve just been offered a new job
Justly: fairly. Ex: I don’t think you are treated justly
 Near: close, soon. Ex: The winter is coming near.
Nearly: almost. Ex: I nearly fell off the ladder

5. Intensifiers: Words to strengthen adjective & adverb

 Countable noun: many more, a lot more. Ex: I’ve got many more friends than you
 Uncountable noun, adjective, adverb: much, far, a lot. Ex: I’ve got much / far / a lot
more money than you. He is much / far richer than you.
 Very: Ex: You’re very mistaken. She’s very much better. It’s the very best / worst
meal I’ve had. This idea has very much interested me. Old Mrs Page is very much
alone.

Some special cases: we don’t use ‘very’

Ex: The children are fast asleep; They are wide awake (not ‘very’)
Some fixed phrases: deeply hurt; painfully embarrassed, highly respected; richly
deserved; badly needed; bitterly cold.

Exercise 11
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Choose the right forms in these sentences
1. Is your house much (further / farther)
2. Who is the (oldest / eldest) in this class?
3. Your driving is (worse / worst) than mine.
4. It’s the (less / lesser) of two evils.
5. Have you heard the (last / latest) news?
6. We have no (further / farther) information.
7. Jane Somers writes (good / well).
8. His (latest / last) words were: ‘The end’.
9. This is the town’s (oldest / eldest) house.
10. My flat is (littler / smaller) than yours.
11. I’ve got (less / lesser) than you.
12. Jane is (older / elder) than I am.
13. This is the (most / more) expensive.
14. His English is (better / best) than mine.
15. It’s the (best / better) in the shop.
16. It ‘s the (furthest / farthest) point west.
17. It’s the (oldest / eldest) tree in the country.
18. She’s my (older / elder) sister.
19. I’ve got the (less / least)!
20. You’ve got the (most / more)!
Exercise 12
Choose the right adverb in each sentence
1. Farm workers have to work very………………during the harvest. (hard/hardly)
2. Farm workers earn………………enough money to pay their bills )hard/hardly)
3. I got off first in the race but arrived……………… (last/lastly)
4. -and………………,I’d like to thank all those who made my success possible. (last/lastly)
5. We’ve been receiving a lot of junk mail……………… (late/lately)
6. The postman brings my mail so………………I rarely see it before I go to work. (late/lately)
7. I’m sure the boss thinks very………………of you. (high/highly)
8. If you want to succeed, you should aim……………… (high/highly)
9. I don’t think you were treated very……………… (just/justly)
10. I’ve………………been offered a job in Mexico! (just/justly)
11. Please don’t go too………………the edge of the platform. (near/nearly)
12. I ……………… fell off the edge of the platform. (near/nearly)
Exercise 13: Supply by or till
1. I’ll wait ………………Monday before answering his letter.
2. I intend to stay in bed………………10 o’clock tomorrow morning.
3. Your suit will be ready……………… Friday.
4. Your suit won’t be ready……………… Friday. You can collect it then.
5. Your suit won’t be ready……………… Friday. You can collect it next Monday.
6. I’m sure I’ll have left………………Monday.
7. Your aunt says she won’t leave………………Monday. Monday is the day she’s going to
leave.