ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
29/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
35. An Adjective is a word used to modify a noun or a pronoun. An Adverb is a word
used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adjectives and adverbs are very
closely related in both their forms and their use.
36. Comparison. The variation of adjectives and adverbs to indicate the degree of
modification they express is caled Comparison. There are three degrees of comparison.
The Positive Degree indicates the mere possession of a quality; as, true, good, sweet,
fast, lovely.
The Comparative Degree indicates a stronger degree of the quality than the positive; as,
truer, sweeter, better, faster, lovelier.
The Superlative Degree indicates the highest degree of quality; as, truest, sweetest,
best, fastest, loveliest.
Where the adjectives and adverbs are compared by inflection they are said to be
compared regularly. In regular comparison the comparative is formed by adding er, and the
superlative by adding est. If the word ends in y, the y is changed to i before adding the ending; as, pretty, prettier, prettiest.
Where the adjectives and adverbs have two or more sylables, most of them are compared
by the use of the adverbs more and most, or, if the comparison be a descending one, by the
use of less and least; as, beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful, and less beautiful,
least beautiful.
37. Some adjectives and adverbs are compared by changing to entirely different words in
the comparative and superlative. Note the folowing:
Page 33
POSITIVE
COMPARATIVE
SUPERLATIVE
bad, il, evil, badly
worse
worst
far
farther, further
farthest, furthest
forth
further
furthest
fore
former
foremost, first
good, wel
better
best
hind
hinder
hindmost
late
later, latter
latest, last
little
less
least
much, many
more
most
old
older, elder
oldest, eldest
NOTE.— Badly and forth may be used only as adverbs. Well is usualy an adverb; as, He
talks well, but may be used as an adjective; as, He seems well.
38. Confusion of Adjectives and Adverbs. An adjective is often used where an adverb
is required, and vice versa. The sentence, She talks foolish, is wrong, because here the
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
30/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
word to be modified is talks, and since talks is a verb, the adverb foolishly should be used.
The sentence, She looks charmingly, means, as it stands, that her manner of looking at a
thing is charming. What is intended to be said is that she appears as if she was a charming
woman. To convey that meaning, the adjective, charming, should have been used, and the
sentence should read, She looks charming. Wherever the word modifies a verb or an
adjective or another adverb, an adverb should be used, and wherever the word, whatever its
location in the sentence, modifies a noun or pronoun, an adjective should be used.
39. The adjective and the adverb are sometimes alike in form. Thus, both the folowing
sentences are correct: He works hard (adverb), and His work is hard (adjective). But,
usualy, where the adjective and the adverb correspond at al, the adverb has the additional
ending ly; as, The track is smooth, (adjective), and The train runs smoothly, (adverb).
EXERCISE 18
Page 34
In the following sentences choose from the italicized words the proper word to be
used:
1. The sunset looks beautiful beautifully.
2. The man acted strange strangely.
3. Write careful carefully and speak distinct distinctly.
4. Speak slow slowly.
5. He acted bad badly.
6. He behaved very proper properly.
7. The boat runs smooth smoothly.
8. He is a remarkable remarkably poor writer.
9. I am in extremely extreme good health.
10. The typewriter works good well.
11. The bird warbles sweet sweetly.
12. He was terrible terribly angry.
13. He was in a terrible terribly dangerous place.
14. He talks plainer more plainly than he ever did before.
15. The dead Roman looked fierce fiercely.
16. The fire burns brilliant brilliantly.
17. You are exceeding exceedingly generous.
18. He struggled manful manfully against the opposition.
19. My health is poor poorly.
20. He is sure surely a fine fellow.
21. Have everything suitable suitably decorated.
22. That can be done easy easily.
23. I can speak easier more easily than I can write.
24. The music of the orchestra was decided decidedly poor.
25. She is a remarkable remarkably beautiful girl.
26. The wind roared awful awfully.
27. The roar of the wind was awful awfully.
28. I have studied grammar previous previously to this year.
29. I didn't study because I felt too bad badly to read.
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
31/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
30. The roses smel sweetly sweet.
31. They felt very bad badly at being beaten.
32. That violin sounds different differently from this one.
33. The soldiers fought gallant gallantly.
Page 35
34. She looks sweet sweetly in that dress.
35. I can wear this coat easy easily.
36. Speak gentle gently to him.
37. He talks warm warmly on that subject.
38. He works well good and steady steadily.
39. He stood thoughtful thoughtfully for a moment and then went quiet quietly to his
tent.
40. He walked down the street slow slowly, but al the time looked eager eagerly about
him.
41. The music sounds loud loudly.
42. That coin rings true truly.
43. He looked angry angrily at his class.
44. He moved silent silently about in the crowd.
45. His coat fits nice nicely.
46. That is easy easily to do.
47. He went over the work very thorough thoroughly.
EXERCISE 19
The adjectives and adverbs in the following sentences are correctly used. In every
case show what they modify:
1. The water lay smooth in the lake.
2. She looked cold.
3. The train runs smoothly now.
4. The sun shone bright at the horizon.
5. The sun shone brightly al day.
6. She looks coldly about her.
7. Be careful in your study of these sentences.
8. Study these sentences carefuly.
9. We found the way easy.
10. We found the way easily.
11. He looked good.
12. He looked wel.
13. We arrived safe.
14. We arrived safely.
15. Speak gently.
16. Let your speech be gentle.
EXERCISE 20
Page 36
Write sentences containing the following words correctly used:
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
32/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
Thoughtful, thoughtfuly, masterful, masterfuly, hard, hardly, cool, cooly, rapid, rapidly,
ungainly, careful, carefuly, eager, eagerly, sweet, sweetly, gracious, graciously.
40. Improper Forms of Adjectives. The wrong forms in the folowing list of adjectives
are frequently used in place of the right forms:
RIGHT
WRONG
everywhere
everywheres
not nearly
nowhere near
not at al
not much or not muchly
il
ily
first
firstly
thus
thusly
much
muchly
unknown
unbeknown
complexioned
complected
EXERCISE 21
Correct the errors in the following sentences:
1. She goes everywheres.
2. Hers is the most ily behaved child I know.
3. Not muchly wil I go.
4. Use the lesser quantity first.
5. He is nowhere near so bright as John.
6. You do the problem thusly.
7. The causes are firstly, ignorance, and second, lack of energy.
8. They came unbeknown to me.
9. He is a dark complected man.
10. It al happened unbeknownst to them.
11. His vote was nowhere near so large as usual.
41. Errors in comparison are frequently made. Observe carefuly the folowing rules:
1. The superlative should not be used in comparing only two things. One should say, He is Page 37
the larger of the two, not He is the largest of the two. But, He is the largest of the three,
is right.
2. A comparison should not be attempted by adjectives that express absolute quality—
adjectives that cannot be compared; as, round, perfect, equally, universal. A thing may be
round or perfect, but it cannot be more round or most round, more perfect or most perfect.
3. When two objects are used in the comparative, one must not be included in the other;
but, when two objects are used in the superlative, one must be included in the other. It is
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
33/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
wrong to say, The discovery of America was more important than any geographical
discovery, for that is saying that the discovery of America was more important than itself—an
absurdity. But it would be right to say, The discovery of America was more important
than any other geographical discovery. One should not say, He is the most honest of his
fellow-workmen, for he is not one of his felow-workmen. One should say, He is more
honest than any of his fellow-workmen, or, He is the most honest of all the workmen.
To say, This machine is better than any machine, is incorrect, but to say, This machine is
better than any other machine, is correct. To say, This machine is the best of any
machine (or any other machine), is wrong, because al machines are meant, not one
machine or some machines. To say, This machine is the best of machines (or the best of
all machines), is correct.
Note the folowing rules in regard to the use of other in comparisons:
a. After comparatives folowed by than the words any and all should be folowed by
other.
b. After superlatives folowed by of, any and other should not be used.
4. Avoid mixed comparisons. John is as good, if not better than she. If the clause, if not
better, were left out, this sentence would read, John is as good than she. It could be Page 38
corrected to read, John is as good as, if not better than she. Similarly, it is wrong to say,
He is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, man in history.
EXERCISE 22
Choose the correct word from those italicized:
1. The older oldest of the three boys was sick.
2. Of Smith and Jones, Smith is the wealthiest wealthier.
3. Of two burdens choose the less least.
4. Which can run the fastest faster, John or Henry?
5. Of the two men, Smith and Jones, the first former is the better best known.
6. Which is the larger largest of the two?
7. Which is the best better of the six?
8. Which is the larger largest number, six or seven
9. Which is the more most desirable, health or wealth?
10. My mother is the oldest older of four sisters.
11. The prettier prettiest of the twins is the brighter brightest.
12. This is the duller dullest season of the year.
13. The other is the worse worst behaved of the two.
14. Which was the hotter hottest, yesterday or to-day?
15. That is the cleaner cleanest of the three streets.
EXERCISE 23
Correct any of the following sentences that may be wrong. Give a valid reason for
each correction:
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
34/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
1. He was the most active of al his friends.
2. He is the brightest of al his brothers.
3. Of al the other American Coleges, this is the largest.
4. Philadelphia is larger than any city in Pennsylvania.
5. Philadelphia is the largest of al other cities in Pennsylvania.
6. No city in Pennsylvania is so large as Philadelphia.
7. That theory is more universaly adopted.
8. He was, of al others, the most clever.
9. This apple is more perfect than that.
Page 39
10. No fruit is so good as the orange.
11. The orange is better than any fruit.
12. Of al other fruits the orange is the best.
13. The orange is the best of al the fruits.
14. The orange is better than any other fruit.
15. That is the most principal thing in the lesson.
16. Which has been of most importance, steam or electricity?
17. He was more active than any other of his companions.
18. This apple is rounder than that.
19. This apple is more nearly round than that.
20. Paris is the most famous of any other European city.
21. Pennsylvania is the wealthiest of her sister states.
22. No state is so wealthy as Pennsylvania.
23. Pennsylvania is the wealthiest of any of the States.
24. Pennsylvania is wealthier than any of her other sister states.
25. New York is one of the largest, if not the largest city in the world.
26. That book is as good if not better than mine.
27. John is taler than any other boy in his classes.
28. John is taler than any boy in his class.
29. Iron is the most useful of al other metals.
30. Iron is the more useful of the metals.
31. Iron is the most useful of the metals.
32. Of iron and lead, lead is the heaviest.
33. Iron is among the most useful, if not the most useful metal.
34. He is among the oldest if not the oldest of the men in the Senate.
35. That picture is more beautiful than al the pictures.
42. Singular and Plural Adjectives. Some adjectives can be used only with singular
nouns and some only with plural nouns. Such adjectives as one, each, every, etc., can be
used only with singular nouns. Such adjectives as several, various, many, sundry, two, etc.,
can be used only with plural nouns. In many cases, the noun which the adjective modifies is
omitted, and the adjective thus acquires the force of a pronoun; as, Few are seen, Several
have come.
The adjective pronouns this and that have plural forms, these and those. The plurals must Page 40
be used with plural nouns. To say those kind is then incorrect. It should be those kinds.
Those sort of men should be that sort of men or those sorts of men.
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
35/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
43. Either and neither are used to designate one of two objects only. If more than two
are referred to, use any, none, any one, no one. Note the folowing correct sentences:
Neither John nor Henry may go.
Any one of the three boys may go.
44. Each other should be used when referring to two; one another when referring to
more than two. Note the folowing correct sentences:
The two brothers love each other.
The four brothers love one another.
EXERCISE 24
Correct such of the following sentences as are incorrect. Be able to give reasons:
1. He is six foot tal.
2. I like those kind of fruit.
3. He lost several pound.
4. I have not seen him this twenty year.
5. Have you heard these news?
6. Are they those kind of people?
7. He rode ten mile.
8. There were fifteen car-load of people.
9. These kind of books are interesting.
10. Several phenomenon marked his character.
11. There are a few crisis in every man's career.
12. Each strata of the rock lies at an angle.
13. The poem has six verse in it.
14. Either of the five wil do.
15. Little children should love each other.
16. Neither of the large cities in the United States is so large as London.
17. You wil be able to find it in either one of those three books.
Page 41
18. Those two brothers treat one another very coldly.
19. Neither of the many newspapers published an account of it.
20. Either law or medicine is his profession.
21. Some ten box of shoes were on the train.
22. Those two statements contradict one another.
23. The Sahara Desert has several oasis.
24. How can he associate with those sort of men?
45. Placing of Adverbs and Adjectives. In the placing of adjective elements and
adverbial elements in the sentence, one should so arrange them as to leave no doubt as to
what they are intended to modify.
Wrong: A man was riding on a horse wearing gray trousers.
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
36/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
Right: A man wearing gray trousers was riding on a horse.
The adverb only requires especial attention. Generaly only should come before the word
it is intended to modify. Compare the folowing correct sentences, and note the differences in
meaning.
Only he found the book.
He only found the book.
He found only the book.
He found the book only.
The placing of the words, almost, ever, hardly, scarcely, merely, and quite, also
requires care and thought.
EXERCISE 25
Correct the errors in the location of adjectives and adverbs in the following
sentences:
1. I only paid five dolars.
2. I have only done six problems.
3. The clothing business is only profitable in large towns.
4. The school is only open in the evening.
5. I only need ten minutes in which to do it.
6. He had almost climbed to the top when the ladder broke.
7. I never expect to see the like again.
8. A black base-bal player's suit was found.
Page 42
9. Do you ever remember to have seen the man before?
10. The building was trimmed with granite carved corners.
11. People ceased to wonder gradualy.
12. The captain only escaped by hiding in a ditch.
13. I never wish to think of it again.
14. On the trip in that direction he almost went to Philadelphia.
15. Acetylene lamps are only used now in the country.
16. He only spoke of history, not of art.
17. I know hardly what to say.
18. I was merely talking of grammar, not of English literature.
19. The girls were nearly dressed in the same color.
20. He merely wanted to see you.
46. Double Negatives. I am here is caled an affirmative statement. A denial of that, I
am not here, is caled a negative statement. The words, not, neither, never, none, nothing,
etc., are al negative words; that is, they serve to make denials of statements.
Two negatives should never be used in the same sentence, since the effect is then to deny
www.gutenberg.org/files/22577/22577-h/22577-h.htm
37/202
8/8/12
Practical Grammar and Composition
the negative you wish to assert, and an affirmative is made where a negative is intended. We
haven't no books, means that we have some books. The proper negative form would be,
We have no books, or We haven't any books. The mistake occurs usualy where such forms
as isn't, don't, haven't, etc., are used. Examine the folowing sente