Adjectives and Adverbs Usage: Common Errors and Differences
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Adjective and Adverbs – Common Errors
Adjectives
•
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns.
•
Adjective Test: The _____ thing is very _____.
•
Correct
: The
quiet
thing is very
quiet
.
•
Incorrect
: The
quietly
thing is very
quietly
.
•
Adjectives answer the following questions:
•
“Which one?”
•
“What kind?”
•
“How many?”
Adverbs
•
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other
adverbs.
•
Adverbs generally end in
–ly
.
•
Adverbs answer the following questions:
•
“Where?”
•
“When?”
•
“How?”
•
“How often or how long?”
•
“How much?”
Commonly confused
adjective/adverb pairs
•
Since many adverbs are formed by adding an
–ly
suffix to an existing adjective, people often confuse
adjective/adverb pairs such as
real
and
really
or
sure
and
surely
.
•
To determine which word you need, replace the
commonly confused adjective with a synonym that
does not have a corresponding confusing option.
Real
and
really
•
Real
is an adjective meaning “genuine”:
•
The admiral has
real
charm.
•
Really
is an adverb meaning “very”:
•
He is
really
charismatic.
•
Note: in academic writing, avoid
really
and
very
as many
professors see these words as informal.
•
The use of
real
as an adverb is colloquial and
nonstandard:
•
He writes
really
(NOT real) well.
Sure
and
surely
•
Sure
is an adjective meaning “certain”:
•
Are you
sure
(certain)?
•
Yes, I’m
sure
(certain) about the date.
•
Surely
is an adverb meaning “certainly”:
•
You
surely
(certainly) do look good.
•
This Bundu mask
surely
(certainly) is expensive.
That’s all, folks!
•
This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar
Mini-Lesson Series
•
Lessons adapted from
Real Good Grammar, Too
by
Mamie Webb Hixon
•
To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s
website
where you can
take a self-scoring quiz
corresponding to this lesson
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Learn the differences, common errors, and how to distinguish between commonly confused adjective/adverb pairs like real/really and sure/surely. Enhance your understanding of when to use each correctly.
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Presentation Transcript
Writing Lab Adjective and Adverbs Common Errors
Adjectives Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Adjective Test: The _____ thing is very _____. Correct: The quiet thing is very quiet. Incorrect: The quietly thing is very quietly. Adjectives answer the following questions: Which one? What kind? How many?
Adverbs Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adverbs generally end in ly. Adverbs answer the following questions: Where? When? How? How often or how long? How much?
Commonly confused adjective/adverb pairs Since many adverbs are formed by adding an ly suffix to an existing adjective, people often confuse adjective/adverb pairs such as real and really or sure and surely. To determine which word you need, replace the commonly confused adjective with a synonym that does not have a corresponding confusing option.
Real and really Real is an adjective meaning genuine : The admiral has real charm. Really is an adverb meaning very : He is really charismatic. Note: in academic writing, avoid really and very as many professors see these words as informal. The use of real as an adverb is colloquial and nonstandard: He writes really (NOT real) well.
Sure and surely Sure is an adjective meaning certain : Are you sure (certain)? Yes, I m sure (certain) about the date. Surely is an adverb meaning certainly : You surely (certainly) do look good. This Bundu mask surely (certainly) is expensive.
Thats all, folks! This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon To find out more, visit the Writing Lab s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson
