Adjectives and Adverbs
1. Kinds of adjectives
- Quality (brave), Quantity (some milk, much), Number (several, few, first), Demonstrative (this/that/these/those + noun), Distributive (each, every, either, neither + singular noun), Interrogative (which pen?), Proper (Indian).
- A word that qualifies a noun is an adjective; the same word standing alone is a pronoun (This pen = adjective; This is mine = pronoun).
2. Degrees of comparison
- Two persons/things → comparative + than. More than two → the + superlative.
- Choosing from two → the + comparative: the taller of the two; the better of the two; the lesser of two evils.
- Exclude the subject with a comparative: bigger than any other city. Include it with a superlative: the biggest of all cities.
- Compare like with like: the climate of Puri is better than that of Delhi; streets … than those of London.
- No double comparatives: costlier (not more costlier).
- Not compared: unique, perfect, complete, round, square, universal.
- Latin comparatives take "to": senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior, preferable (never "more preferable").
- Two qualities of one person: more brave than wise.
- Gradual change: hotter and hotter. Parallel change: the harder …, the more ….
- much + comparative (much wiser); the very + superlative (the very best).
- Irregular: good–better–best, bad–worse–worst, little–less–least, many/much–more–most, far–farther–farthest.
3. Confusing adjectives
| Pair | Use |
|---|---|
| elder / older | elder, eldest — family members only; older, oldest — persons and things |
| later / latest | time |
| latter / last | position: latter = second of two; last = final of many |
| little / a little / the little | no (negative) / some (positive) / not much but all there is |
| few / a few / the few | same meanings, for countable nouns |
| fewer / less | fewer = number (countable); less = quantity (uncountable) |
| many / much | countable / uncountable |
| some / any | some in positive sentences and requests; any in negatives and questions |
| each / every / either / neither | all take a singular noun and verb; either/neither = one of two |
- this kind of question (not these kind of).
- After linking verbs (look, smell, taste, feel, seem, grow) use an adjective: smells sweet, tastes good.
- Order of adjectives: number → opinion → size/shape → age → colour → origin → material → noun (two beautiful round wooden tables).
- a ten-day journey (no s in a compound adjective).
4. Adverbs
- Kinds: manner (quickly), time (yesterday), place (here), frequency (often), degree (very).
- Same form as adjective: fast, hard, early, late. "Fastly" does not exist.
- hard (with effort) vs hardly (almost not); late (not on time) vs lately (recently).
- good (adjective) → well (adverb): sings well.
- Formation: happy–happily, true–truly, due–duly, whole–wholly, full–fully.
5. Position
- Manner: after the verb, or after the object if there is one (drives the car carefully).
- Frequency (always, often, seldom, never): before the main verb, after "be" (I seldom meet him; She is never late).
- enough comes after the adjective: strong enough.
- only: put next to the word it qualifies.
6. Degree words
- too = excess, usually negative: too weak to walk. very = high degree: very nutritious.
- so … that = result. too … to = impossibility.
- much with comparatives and past participles; very with positive adjectives and present participles.
- fairly (pleasant ideas) vs rather (unpleasant ideas).
7. Inversion and fixed forms
- Negative adverb first → inversion: Never have I seen…; Seldom does he go…; Only then did I realise…
- Hardly/Scarcely … when; No sooner … than.
- seldom or never (not "seldom or ever"); nothing else but; reached home (no "to"); elected president (no "as"); within an hour (before the end) vs in an hour (at the end).