<p>English Test Study Guide for 6/7 Adjectives and Adverbs</p><p>Adjectives An adjective describes a person, place, thing or idea. Ex: A large crowd of young people entered the building. I read four volumes.</p><p>Adjectives describe or modify nouns in three ways: What kind? How many? Which one?</p><p>Proper Adjectives These are formed from proper nouns and must be capitalized. Review the chart on p. 379 on how to form proper adjectives. Some examples of proper adjectives are:</p><p>The American flag A Mexican restaurant An April wedding (some proper adjectives do not have any change in spelling from their proper noun form)</p><p>Articles A, an, and, the are called articles. </p><p>A and an are indefinite articles. A is used before words with a consonant sound. An is used before words with a vowel sound.</p><p>The is a definite article. It identifies specific people, places, things or ideas.</p><p>Demonstratives This, that, these, and those are called demonstrative adjectives when they describe nouns. When they are used without a noun, they are called demonstrative pronouns. They point out people, places, and things.</p><p>Ex: This car is my favorite. (demonstrative adjective) Ex: This is my favorite car. (demonstrative pronoun)</p><p>Adjectives that Compare Comparative adjectives compare two things or people. </p><p>For most one syllable adjectives (and some two) you just add –er to make the comparative. Ex: Is Venezuela larger than Peru? </p><p>For most adjectives with two or more syllables you use the word more to make an adjective comparative. Ex: Kate’s dress is more beautiful than mine.</p><p>Superlative adjectives compare more than two things or people.</p><p>For most one syllable adjectives (and some two) you just add –est to make the superlative. Ex: She is the youngest player in the group.</p><p>For most adjectives with two or more syllables you use the word most to make an adjective superlative. Ex: That blanket is the most colorful one in the store. *Review the chart on p. 385 of Special Adjectives that Compare. This shows common irregular comparative and superlative forms.</p><p>Adverbs Many, but not all, adverbs end in –ly. </p><p>Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Ex: People handle old violins carefully. (modifies the verb handle) Very old violins are valuable. (modifies the adjective old) Some violins are played extremely rarely. (modifies the adverb rarely)</p><p>When they modify adjectives or other adverbs, they are often called intensifiers.</p><p>Adverbs that Compare The comparative form of an adverb compares two actions. The superlative form of an adverb compares more than two actions.</p><p>Long adverbs (and those that end in –ly) require the use of more and most to form the comparative and superlative. Ex: more attentively (comparative) most attentively (superlative)</p><p>Short adverbs can use –er and –est as endings to form the comparative and superlative. Ex: sing louder (comparative) sing loudest (superlative)</p><p>* Review the chart on p. 399 of irregular comparative and superlative forms.</p><p>Telling Adverbs and Adjectives Apart Adverbs and adjectives are often confused. Remember to look at what the word is modifying. This may help you figure out if a word is an adjective or an adverb.</p><p>Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. Remember, a predicate adjective follows a linking verb and modifies the subject of a sentence. Ex: The sound is bad. (adjective)</p><p>Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Ex: The actor sang badly. (adverb)</p><p>Avoid Using Double Negatives The adverb not is a negative word. It is often used in contractions. Be careful to avoid using two negative words in the same sentence. WRONG: The clarinet isn’t no new instrument. CORRECT: The clarinet isn’t a new instrument.</p>