English Grammar Glossary - Adjectives And Adverbs

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Adjectival Noun

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An adjective can sometimes function as a noun; the young, the rich, etc. These are adjectival nouns, meaning the people who are young, the people who are rich, etc.

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Adjective

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An adjective modifies a noun. It describes the quality, state, or action that a noun refers to.

ADJECTIVE RULES:

i) Adjectives can come before nouns: a new car

ii) Adjectives can come after verbs such as be, become, seem, look, etc.: that car looks fast

iii) They can be modified by adverbs: a very expensive car

iv) They can be used as complements to a noun: the extras make the car expensive

(Words the describe or "modify" nouns and pronouns. One-word adjectives usually come right before the word they modify and questions like "How many?" or "Which one?".)

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Adjuncts

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An adjunct is part of a sentence and modifies the verb to show time, manner, place, frequency, and degree.

Eg: It is nearly done. ('Nearly' describes the degree to which the action has been done.)

Eg: I go there twice a week. ('Twice a week' describes the frequency with which the action is done.)

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Adverbials

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An adverbial is a group of words that functions in the same way as an adverb:

Eg: Before the play, we met up in a pub near the theatre.

'Before the play' functions in the same way as an adverb of time such as yesterday, etc.

See Also: Adjuncts

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Adverbs

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Most adverbs in English are formed by adding -ly to an adjective. An adverb is a word that modifies the meaning of a verb; an adjective; another adverb; a noun or noun phrase; determiner; a numeral; a pronoun; or a prepositional phrase and can sometimes be used as a complement of a preposition.

(Words that give added meaning to a verbs and sometimes to other adverbs or adjectives. Adverbs usually follow the verb they modify; however, they may be found before the verb or within the verb phrase. Adverbs tell when...where...why...how...the action of the verb takes place.)

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Adverb Spelling Notes

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i) Adjectives ending -l still take -ly; careful-carefully.

ii) Adjectives ending -y change to -ily; lucky-luckily

iii) Adjectives ending -ble change to -bly; responsible-responsibly

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Adverbs of Degree

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Adverbs of degree increase or decrease the effect of the verb.

Eg: I completely agree with you. (This increases the effect of the verb, whereas 'partially' would decrease it.)

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Adverbs of Manner

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Adverbs of manner modify a verb to describe the way the action is done.

Eg: She did the work carefully.

('carefully' modifies the verb to describe the way the work was done, as opposed to quickly, carelessly, etc..)

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Adverbs of Place or Location

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Adverbs of place show where the action is done.

Eg: They live locally.

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Adverbs of Time

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Adverbs of time show when an action is done, or the duration or frequency.

Eg: He did it yesterday. (When)

They are permanently busy. (Duration)

She never does it. (Frequency)

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Adverbs Modifying Adjectives

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An adjective can be modified by an adverb, which precedes the adjective, except 'enough' which comes after.

Eg: That's really good.

It was a terribly difficult time for all of us.

It wasn't good enough. ('Enough' comes after the adjective.)

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Adverbs Modifying Adverbs

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An adverb can modify another. As with adjectives, the adverb precedes the one it is modifying with 'enough' being the exception again.

Eg: She did it really well.

He didn't come last night, funnily enough.

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Adverbs Modifying Determiners, Numerals & Pronouns

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Adverbs such as almost; nearly; hardly; about, etc., can be used:

Eg: Almost everybody came in the end.

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Adverbs Modifying Noun Phrases

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Some adverbs of degree can modify noun phrases.

Eg: We had quite a good time.

They're such good friends.

Quite; rather; such; what (What a day!) can be used in this way.

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Adverbs Modifying Nouns

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Adverbs can modify nouns to indicate time or place.

Eg: The concert tomorrow

Eg: The room upstairs

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Attributive Adjectives

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An attributive adjective comes before a noun and not after a copula verb, like BE, SEEM, etc.

See Also: Predicative Adjective; Adjective