Adjectives and Adverbs Ms. Sanacore 6 th Grade

What is an adjective? An adjective is a word that modifies, or describes, a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives answer the questions what kind, which one, how many, and how much. Ex. A heavy rainstorm soaked the campsite. (Heavy describes “rainstorm.”)

Adjectives Articles The most commonly used adjectives are the articles a, an, and the. Use a before a word beginning with a consonant sound. Use an before a word beginning with a vowel sound. The is an article that points to a particular person, place, thing, or idea.

Adjectives Proper Adjectives A proper adjective is formed with a proper noun. Ex. Proper Noun = China Proper Adjective = Chinese

Adjectives Predicate Adjectives A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the verb’s subject. Ex. A volcanic eruption is violent. (Violent describes the subject eruption.)

Adjectives Pronouns as Adjectives Demonstrative Pronouns: This, that, these, and those are demonstrative pronouns. They can be used as adjectives. Ex. This canoe is made of wood and leather. (This modifies canoe.)

Adjectives Pronouns as Adjectives Possessive Pronouns: My, our, your, her, his, its, and their are possessive pronouns. They are used as adjectives. Ex. My skateboard is newer than your bike. (My and your modify skateboard and bike.)

Adjectives Pronouns as Adjectives Indefinite Pronouns: Indefinite pronouns such as all, each, both, few, most, and some can be used as adjectives. Ex. Most people like pizza. (Most modifies people.)

Adjectives Nouns as Adjectives Like pronouns, nouns can be used as adjectives. In the expression “mountain climber,” for example, the word mountain (normally a noun) modifies, or describes, climber.

Adverbs What is an adverb? An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs answer the questions how, when, where, or to what extent.

Adverbs can appear in different positions in sentences: after the verb, before the verb, at the beginning. Ex. The tourists boarded the bus eagerly. The tourists eagerly boarded the bus. Eagerly, the tourists boarded the bus.

Adverbs Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs usually come directly before the words they modify. Ex. Marco Polo told really wonderful tales of China. People were very eager to hear stories. They nearly always hung on every word.

Adverbs Many adverbs are formed by adding the suffix –ly to adjectives. Sometimes a base word’s spelling changes when –ly is added. Ex. near › nearly gentle › gently easy › easily