MODIFIERS ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS FOR QUIZ #1, Part 2 of 5 Directions: Choose the correct modifier. Note whether it is an ADVERB (ADV) or an ADJECTIVE (ADJ).

What is an ADVERB? It ADDS to a VERB. He ran SLOWLY. The dog waddled WIDELY. The cat called LOUDLY. The man sang BADLY. An ADVERB tells you MORE about the VERB. It ADDS to the VERB.

So… what is an ADJECTIVE? It ADDS to a NOUN! (It doesn’t add to the VERB, it adds to the other one, the NOUN.) The FAT man ran. The THIN woman walked. The UGLY dog growled. The BALD cat called loudly. An ADJECTIVE tells you MORE about a NOUN. It ADDS to the NOUN.

1. Laura is the (taller, tallest) of the two sisters.

1. Laura is the (taller, tallest) of the two sisters. Tallest is an ADJECTIVE (ADJ) – it describes NOUNS/the SISTERS.

2. That is the (most fast, fastest) car on the road.

2. That is the (most fast, fastest) car on the road. ADJECTIVE/ADJ – As it describes the NOUN, the CAR

3. Spring is the (most beautiful, beautifulest) time of year.

3. Spring is the (most beautiful, beautifulest) time of year. ADJ

4. After waking up, the kitten became (playful, playfully).

4. After waking up, the kitten became (playful, playfully). ADV/ADVERB – It ADDS to the VERB – became…

5. My uncle has not lived his life (happy, happily).

5. My uncle has not lived his life (happy, happily). ADV

6. Finding a job was the (most good, best) solution.

6. Finding a job was the (most good, best) solution. ADJ

7. The house was decorated (attractive, attractively).

7. The house was decorated (attractive, attractively). ADV – it ADDS to the VERB – decorated…

8. I thought the book was written (well, good).

8. I thought the book was written (well, good). ADV – ADDS to the VERB, WRITTEN…

9. The program is the (shorter shortest) of all the programs.

9. The program is the (shorter shortest) of all the programs. HINT: The key here is “of all” – it is the SHORTEST of all… And it is an ADJ as it ADDS to the NOUN

10. The guard hardly has (nothing anything) to do.

10. The guard hardly has (nothing anything) to do. HINT: Oh no, it’s a trick. This is a NOUN, not an ADJ or an ADV. It is ALSO a DOUBLE NEGATIVE…

10. The guard hardly has (nothing anything) to do. … a DOUBLE NEGATIVE is a negative no, like “I ain’t got no candy.” Horrid grammar aside, if you AIN’T got NO, you DO have SOME…

11. The dog wanted outside (bad badly).

11. The dog wanted outside (bad badly). ADV BIG HINT: Many ADVERBS end in “-ly”… SADLY, BADLY, FIRMLY, HOPEFULLY, etc… Not a RULE, but it is a hint…

12. The doctor said my overall condition is (well, good).

12. The doctor said my overall condition is (well, good). ADJ Hint – WELL adds to VERBS – is an ADV. GOOD adds to NOUNS – is an ADJ. Feel WELL. GOOD clothes…

13. It doesn’t take a lot of money to dress (good, well).

13. It doesn’t take a lot of money to dress (good, well). ADV

14. She gave the supervisor her (most firm, firmest) handshake.

14. She gave the supervisor her (most firm, firmest) handshake. ADJ

15. He drives a (late model, late-model) car.

15. He drives a (late model, late-model) car. ADJ HINT: Not a MODEL car, but a LATE- MODEL car – so you use the hyphen. Same with red-eye gravy. It’s not EYE gravy, but RED-EYE gravy…

MODIFIERS Cont… As you’ve studied in your text, a modifier can be a group of words that MODIFIES a word. WHERE you place those words can MESS UP your sentence… Try these:

In the next 5 questions, if the modifier is placed correctly, mark C. If it is misplaced or vague, rewrite the sentence…

16. I saw a dollar walking down the street.

16. I saw a dollar walking down the street. – DID YOU? A dollar walking down the street? Rewrite it so that YOU are “walking down the street.”

CORRECT ANSWER: 16. Walking down the street, I saw a dollar. NOW the modifier “walking down the street” changes/modifies “I” and not the “dollar.”

17. Unlike other dogs, Chris loves his spaniel.

UNLESS Chris is a dog, it should be written like this: 17. Chris loves his spaniel, unlike other dogs.

18. While driving the car, the baby fell asleep.

UNLESS the baby is driving the car, try this – or some version where YOU are driving the car… 18. While I was driving the car, the baby fell asleep.

19. Tim noticed the woman who was riding the bus.

It’s OK, but a bit vague – is the woman riding the bus? If so, it’s OK. If Tim’s riding the bus, you need a rewrite… 19. Tim, who was riding the bus, noticed the woman.

20. You should only write the outline for the report.

This is OK, as long as the outline is all you have to write for the report. If there is more than one project, however, we do have a problem… Another problem is if only YOU should write the outline for the report. Generally, OK, though!