Unit 6: Adjectives and Adverbs

Read the paragraph to learn about adjectives and adverbs. Pay attention to the bolded and
underlined words.

My Mother’s Special Garden

My father constantly teased my mother about the amount of time she

spent in her beautiful rose garden. He told her that she treated the
garden as if it were a human being, perhaps even her best friend.
However, Mom ignored his teasing and got up early every morning to
take care of her special plants. She would walk among the thick
green bushes that were covered with huge flowers of every color.
While she was walking, she would remove any weeds that threatened
her delicate beauties. She also trimmed the old flowers carefully to make room for their
bright replacements. Any unwanted pests were quickly killed. When she was finished, she
always returned from the garden with a wonderful smile and an armful of fragrant
flowers for us all to enjoy.

Source: Great Writing 2, National Geographic Photo source: wayfair.ca

1. What does this paragraph describe?

____________________________________________

2. The writers mother treated the roses as if they were human beings. Find two
example sentences from the paragraph that show how she protected her roses.

a. _________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________

Adjectives

An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or a pronoun.

 The quiet girl slept near her cute puppy.
 The road was bumpy, but the trip was thrilling!
Types of adjectives
Descriptive adjectives name a quality or a characteristic of the noun they are modifying.
Rotten apples
Bright sky

Definite adjectives specify which or how many.

This novel
Those flowers

Indefinite adjectives are used to describe nouns or pronouns.

Some grapes
Many people

Numerical adjectives express how many or in which order.

Four apples
Two horses
Second place

Nouns and pronouns can also function as adjectives.

Lisa’s coat
Mary’s notebook
Bus stop

5 Uses of Adjectives
1. Use adjective before a noun. Adjective (s) + noun
I have a blue sweater.
The soup has a horrible taste.
If there is more than one adjective…
Opinion Size Age Shape Color Origin material purpose
delicious, huge, old, oval, yellow, Canadian, wooden, walking,
great, tiny, young, round, green, Greek, ceramic serving
wonderful small new rectangular red American
  She bought a large white serving plate from Homesense last weekend.
 He is making a strong black walking stick now.

Although you can use more than one adjective before a noun, you should not use
over three adjectives.

2. Use adjectives after be verbs. Be+adjectives

 The speech is long and boring.
 My sister is shorter than me.
 The flowers are pretty.

3. Use adjectives after sense verbs (seem, feel, sound, smell, taste…) [Note: these
sense verbs are stative verbs] sense verb + adjective
 The soup smells terrible.
 The idea sounds great!
 The blanket feels soft.

However, if you are using the above verbs as action verbs, you cannot add adjectives
after them.
 The chef is tasting the soup.
 The girl is smelling the flower.

4. Use a noun as an adjective to describe another noun. Noun (as an adjective)+noun

 I have a grammar book.
 She is waiting at the bus stop.

5. If an adjective is used in Use 4, the adjective goes before the noun (adjective).
Adjective +noun+noun
 I have an old grammar book.
 She is playing a yellow soccer ball.
Adverbs
An adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Types of adverbs
Time: Let’s go now. (when)

Place: They went inside. (where)

Manner: Rachel played the piano beautifully. (how)

Degree: Susan is quite angry. (extent)

Miscellaneous: Apparently, he missed the bus; therefore, he will have to take a taxi. (a

statement/a transition)

Helpful hint: Be careful not to confuse adjectives and adverbs. First, find the nouns and
pronouns. Then see if there are any words modifying them; if so, those words are probably
adjectives. Next, find the verbs. Then, see if there are any words modifying the verbs; if so,
those words are probably adverbs.

Review Questions:
1. Adjectives are used to describe ______________ or ___________________.
2. Identify the adjectives in the following sentences.
 The play expertly portrays the complicated and intricate web of human
relationships.
 We have just received your letter concerning the upcoming publication of your
new horror novel.
 This article thoroughly examines the role of technology in strong reading and
writing skills.
3. Adverbs describe _____________, ________________, and _____________.
4. Identify the adverbs in the following sentences.
 The elderly man limped painfully after his surgery.
 I shop at that store often.
 Mom hid her jewelry carefully.
 The play expertly portrays the complicated and intricate web of human
relationships.
 We have just received your letter concerning the upcoming publication of your
new horror novel.
 This article thoroughly examines the role of technology in strong reading and
writing skills.