Sometimes we are not sure when to use an adverb or an adjective. This
short guide provides an overview and rules to using both adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives:
Adjectives Modify Nouns. They are placed directly before a noun: Tom is an excellent singer. I bought a comfortable chair. She's thinking about buying a new house. Adjectives are also used in simple sentences with the verb 'to be'. In this case, the adjective describes the subject of the sentence: Jack is happy. Peter was very tired. Mary'll be excited when you tell her. Adjectives are used with sense verbs or verbs or appearance (feel, taste, smell, sound, appear and seem) to modify the noun which comes before the verb: The fish tasted awful. Did you see Peter? He seemed very upset. I'm afraid the meat smelled rotten. Adverbs: Adverbs modify Verbs, Adjectives and Other Adverbs. They are easily recognised because the end in '-ly' (with a few exceptions!): Adjective -> careful / Adverb -> carefully Adjective -> quick / Adverb -> quickly Adverbs are often used at the end of a sentence to modify the verb: Jack drove carelessly. Tom played the match effortlessly. Jason complained about his classes constantly. Adverbs are used to modify adjectives: They seemed extremely satisfied. She paid increasingly high prices. I was suddenly surprised by Alice. Adverbs are also used to modify other adverbs: The people in the line moved incredibly quickly. She wrote the report unusually neatly. Exercise A) Choose the Correct Answer:
1. My friend is a ______ driver. a. careful b. carefully 2. He plays the piano very _____. a. hard b. hardly 3. I read ______ in order to enjoy every page. a. slow b. slowly 4. Mary is an ______ student. a. intelligent b. intelligently 5. Ann is an _____ student. a. excellently b. excellent 6. I jumped in the car and drove _____ to school. a. quick b. quickly 7. Your boy was very _____ in class today. a. badly b. bad 8. The boss spoke _____ to his employees. a. soft b. softly 9. Our friends wanted to buy a _____ car. a. cheaply b. cheap 10. Madonna is a ______ dancer. She dances very _______ a. good - well b. well - good 11. In the United States, food is not as_______() as in Europe. a. expensively b. expensive 12. James did not want to wake his girlfriend, so he left _____. a. quiet b. quietly 13. I can't understand him. He doesn't speak very _____ a. clearly b. clear 14. We had a _____ time in Mexico City. a. greatly b. great 15. I understood the question, but I couldn't answer very _____. a. quickly b. quick 16. I don't have a _____ time making friends. a. hardly b. hard 17. John arrived at the airport _____, and ended up missing his flight. a. late b. lately 18. Ever since he met Sara, he has looked very _____. a. happily b. happy 19. I can hear the _____ rain falling on the roof. a. loudly b. loud 20. She is a very kind and _____ person. a. gentle b. gently
B) Adjective or Adverb?: 1) If you drive ___ you could have an accident. (a) recklessly (b) reckless 2) The teacher explained the assignment ___. (a) careful (b) carefully 3) There was a ___ noise last night. Did you hear it? (a) loud (b) loudly 4) Paul walks so ___ in his new boots. (a) loud (b) loudly 5) Jason ate his dinner very ___. (a) quick (b) quickly 6) Those apples look ___. May I have one? (a) delicious (b) deliciously 7) He's an awful driver. He never stops the car ___. (a) smoothly (b) smooth 8) Pavarotti is an opera singer. He sings ___. (a) beautiful (b) beautifully 9) This situation requires a ___ investigation. (a) serious (b) seriously 10) Sometimes, driving at night can be very ___. (a) dangerous (b) dangerously 11) They shouted ___ at each other. (a) angry (b) angrily 12) If you ask ___, I will give it to you. (a) polite (b) politely 13) Try to speak ___ if you are giving a speech. (a) clear (b) clearly 14) Why are you so ___? (a) angry (b) angrily 15) He is a __ driver. (a) careless (b) carelessly 16) Frank always works so ___! (a) slow (b) slowly 17) Sara speaks so ___ that I can't understand her. (a) fast (b)fastly. 18) Sara opened the door ___. (a) slow (b) slowly 19) It is a beautiful __ day. (a) clear (b) clearly 20) Jessica writes so ___. Look at these mistakes! (a) careless (b) carelessly 21) Hank drives ___. I'm worried about him. (a) dangerous (b) dangerously 22) I didn't sleep __ last night, so I feel __ today. (a) good, terrible (b) well, terrible c) well, terribly 23) Lee is a ___ speller. (a) bad (b) badly 24) ___ the car changed directions. (a) Sudden (b) Suddenly 25) Please try to be more ___. (a) careful (b) carefully 26) If you want tourists to visit your country, you must treat them ___. (a) pleasant (b) pleasantly 27) Liberace played the piano__. (a) perfect (b) perfectly 28) Max is a ___ talker, but he never listens. (a) fast (b) fastly 29) Shannon writes very ___. (a) neat (b) neatly 30) Karen is the best student in class. She studies___. (a) hard (b) hardly