Modifier Unit Notes

Part 1: Adjectives

An adjective modifies, or describes a noun or pronoun.

They tell: how many

How many

Which one

What kind

The suspicious detective asked some clever questions.

Some pronouns can be used as adjectives. When used alone, they are pronouns; when followed by a noun, they are adjectives.

That is the best choice.

That tire is flat.

The yellow cap is mine.

Do you like my yellow cap?

Mel looks unhappy. (watch out for predicate adjectives!) They are separated

The floor is clean. from their nouns.

Part 2: Adverbs

Adverbs modify verb, adjectives, and other adverbs.

An adverb answers: how

when

where

to what extent

Many adverbs end in –LY

Bart worked rapidly.

We live here now.

The story was very funny.

They had left rather quickly.

Part 3: Adjective or Adverb

It is often hard to decide whether an adjective or adverb should be used in a sentence.

First, decide what word is being described.

Second, decide if the word being described is a noun or pronoun, or if the word is a verb, adjective, or adverb.

Third, adjectives will modify nouns and pronouns. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.

My cousin is somewhat shy.

This has been an extremely mysterious case.

The jewels have mysteriously disappeared.

We left early.

Donna has an early appointment at the dentist’s office.

You must handle the new pups (gentle, gently). Your choice tells how to handle the pups. Handle is a verb. Therefore, choose (gently) since it is an adverb.

Stella (quick, quickly) pulled on the emergency rope. The choice tells how to pull on the rope. Pull is a verb. Therefore, choose (quickly) since it is an adverb.

Joe felt (bad, badly) since he played poorly. The choice tells about Joe. Joe is a noun. Therefore, choose (bad) since it is an adjective.

Part 4: Special Problems

A. Adjective and Adverbs in Comparisons

1. Use the comparative to compare two person or things. Josh is taller than Craig.

Use the superlative to compare more than two. Michael is the tallest of the three brothers.

Most one-syllable modifiers and many two-syllable modifiers form the comparative by adding –er, and the superlative by adding –est. short, shorter, shortest. Clever, cleverer, cleverest.

Modifiers of three syllables or more, and those that would be hard to pronounce with –er, -est endings, use more to form the comparative, and most to form the superlative.

Dangerous, more dangerous, most dangerous.

Loudly, more loudly, most loudly

Some modifiers are compared Irregularly:

Good, well better best little less least

Much more most badly worse worst

Old older, elder oldest, eldest

Bad worse worst

Far farther farthest

2. Do not leave out the word other or else when comparing something with everything else of its kind.

WRONG : Pat is faster than any boy in Stevens. (Is Pat a boy? Does Pat attend Stevens?)

RIGHT : Pat is faster than any other boy in Stevens.

WRONG : Chicago’s airport is larger than any airport in America.

RIGHT : Chicago’s airport is larger than any other airport in America.

3. Do not use both –er and more, or –est and most, at the same time.

WRONG: Linda is more happier than she has ever been.

RIGHT : Linda is happier than she has ever been.

B. Double Negatives

1. Do not use two or more negative words in the same sentence.

2. These are also negative words:

No never scarcely

Hardly none no one

Nobody nothing not or (n’t)

Never neither barely

C. Kind These are singular Kinds These are plural

Sort Use with this and that Sorts Use with these and those

D. Extra Here and There

Get rid of the extra here and there in sentences. The word this includes the meaning of here. The word that includes the meaning of there.

WRONG: This here is my cat’s favorite toy.

WRONG: Where did you find that there hammer?

E. Them and Those

Them is only used as an object. Those can be used as an adjective or pronoun.

Those are my jeans. I will wear them tomorrow.

I will wear those jeans tomorrow.