Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
About this topic
Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns (a tall tree, she is happy), answering which, what kind and how many. They have comparative (taller) and superlative (tallest) forms, or use more/most for longer words. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs, answering how, when, where and to what extent (quickly, soon, here, very). Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective, but not all (fast, well, often).
Together these modifiers add detail and precision. Adjectives usually come before the noun or after a linking verb, while adverbs can move around a sentence. When several adjectives pile up, English prefers a natural order: opinion, size, age, colour, origin, material (a lovely small old red Italian leather bag).
Worked example: in "The extremely tired runner finished slowly", extremely is an adverb modifying the adjective tired, tired is an adjective describing runner, and slowly is an adverb modifying finished. A good test is that adverbs answer how, when or where, but adjectives answer what kind or which one.
Common mistakes include confusing good (adjective) with well (adverb): say she sings well, not she sings good. Another is using double comparatives (more taller) or double negatives (I don't have no pens). Choose a stronger verb or noun rather than stacking adverbs: "she whispered" is better than "she said very quietly".
Key ideas
- Many adverbs end in -ly
- Comparatives and superlatives
- Good vs well
Quick check
Use cases: where Adjectives and Adverbs helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Adjectives and Adverbs before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Adjectives and Adverbs without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Adjectives and Adverbs changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Adjectives and Adverbs in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Strong reading and writing are needed in every subject, job and exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is Adjectives and Adverbs?
Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
What will I learn in Adjectives and Adverbs?
Many adverbs end in -ly. Comparatives and superlatives. Good vs well.
Is Adjectives and Adverbs part of English?
Yes. It is one of 60 English topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Adjectives and Adverbs lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Adjectives and Adverbs?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.