GMAT Grammar Book: Adjectives and Adverbs

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Adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe, or modify, nouns. They give additional descriptive information to a noun: hungry child, beautiful flowers, French doors, old man.

An adjective is considered neither singular nor plural. A final plural –s is never added to an adjective.
I saw some beautiful models at the show. NOT: I saw some beautifuls models at the show.

Adjectives only modify nouns, pronouns and linking verbs (see this page for more information on linking verbs). Adjectives normally come before the nouns they modify, or follow linking verbs. If more than one adjective is used, a comma is placed between to separate them.

The giant, green (Adjectives) monster (noun) chased the tiny, frightened (adjectives) astronauts (noun).

Adjectives that modify a singular countable noun are usually preceded by a, an, or the which is determined by the vowel sound of the adjective, not the noun.

a delicious apple an ugly duckling the scary story

Adverbs

Adverbs are used to describe, or modify, verbs (except linking verbs), adjectives, or other adverbs.

Adverbs are often formed by adding –ly to an adjective.

Adjective: rapid Adverb: rapidly

Adverbs are often used to modify, give additional information to, adjectives.

She is extremely (adjective) nervous (adjective).

The following words are also adverbs: almost, fast, often, so, too, well. An adverb can be identified because it answers the question: How?

She is extremely nervous. (How nervous is she?)
We almost won. (How did we win?)
The bird flew fast. (How did the bird fly?)
Steven eats too much candy. (How much candy does Steven eat?)
Stacy plays violin well. (How does Stacy play violin?)

Adverbs can be placed in several positions, depending on the sentence.

• Adverbs are often placed at the beginning of a sentence. It is followed by a comma in this instance.

Usually, the girls go to the mall on the weekend.

• Adverbs can also be placed at the end of a sentence.

The girls go to the mall on the weekend usually.

• Adverbs can be placed before simple present and simple past verbs (except be).

The girls usually go to the mall on the weekend.
The girls usually went to the mall on the weekend.

• Adverbs follow the verb be in its simple and past forms.

Joan is normally in the competition. Cows were frequently in the field.

• Adverbs are placed between an auxiliary verb and a main verb.

He has always gone to work early.

• In a question, an adverb is placed directly after the subject.

Does the bus always come on time?

Exercise 18: Using Adjectives and Adverbs

Underline the correct adjective or adverb in parentheses. Then write AJ for adjective, or AV for adverb, in the blank at the end of the sentence to determine in what capacity the chosen word is used.

Example: He likes (sad, sadly) movies. __AJ__

1. They sing (good, well). _______
2. Ellen’s chocolate cake is (delicious, deliciously). _______
3. The students speak (fluent, fluently) English. _______
4. The students speak English (fluent, fluently). _______
5. This is an (awesome, awesomely) painting. _______
6. The lady at the opera sang (beautiful, beautifully). _______
7. (Incredible, Incredibly), the baby survived the plane crash. _______
8. That is a (considerable, considerably) fee to enter the game. _______
9. The fee is (considerable, considerably) more than I expected. _______
10. He needs to swim (fast, fastly) in order to beat the champion. _______




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