Modifiers PDF

Modifiers 3 Adjectives and adverbs are usually single word modifiers—that is, they describe, limit, transform, change, or qualify some other word or words. Sometimes modifiers are not part of the basic sentence structure; they fle...

Modifiers 3 Adjectives and adverbs are usually single word modifiers—that is, they describe, limit, transform, change, or qualify some other word or words. Sometimes modifiers are not part of the basic sentence structure; they flesh out the skeletal structure but do not change it. For example, if the underlined modifiers were deleted, the following sentence structure would be unaltered; however, the sentence itself would be dull and lifeless. Suddenly, John Grady came over a steep rise and saw a panoramic sweep of brilliant blue water and alabaster sand. John Grady came over a rise and saw a sweep of water and sand. Other times modifiers are not merely descriptive additions but part of the basic sentence structure. For example, if the adjectives in the following sentences were deleted, the structures would be unfinished or incomplete; and would result in a major grammatical error—an incomplete sentence or sentence fragment. The water is ice cold. Atticus seemed angry. The court declared the law unconstitutional. The auditor is here. ¨Adjectives Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns to express attributes such as description, quality, quantity, or type. They often answer the questions: Which one? What kind? and How many? In other words, adjectives give descriptions or specific details to a noun or pronoun. Minos was a wise king of Crete. (an adjective asking what quality of a king?) Fair and just, Minos ruled many years. (what kind?) Two authors we have studied depict Minos in the underworld. (how many?) Remember that Minos was a mythological king. (which one?) You must memorize the function of adjectives because this information will be useful in determining adjective clauses later. You can usually identify adjectives by their characteristic positions or functions. Before nouns (and occasionally pronouns) rusty scissors flexible ideas complaisant dogs infinitesimal few After the intensifier adverb very very beatific smile very cacophonous hallway  very innate capacity very baleful howl After forms of the linking verbs: be, become, appear, seem, grow, remain, taste, sound, look, smell, and feel. These adjectives are called predicate adjectives. Predicate adjectives modify the subject of the sentence. Her life seems replete with passion. Disaster is imminent if you do not study. His career plans look more visionary than realistic. Her performance at the soccer game was lackluster. After a verb like bind, call, consider, declare, make, paint, sweep, scrub, wash, iron, boil, bake, plane, keep, fasten, leave, or render to modify a direct object as an object complement I call such conduct rude. The news on CNN made him angry. He painted his house purple. His house was painted pumpkin orange. She swept the floor of the warehouse clean. She makes grammar playful. They fastened the labels traitor and white supremacist on him. The darkness of night made the castle especially gloomy. “The widow she cried over me, and called me a poor lost lamb, and she called me a lot of other names, too.” Mark Twain Occasionally, the adjective may come after the noun for dramatic effect. The effect is like a non-essential element of a sentence such as an appositive. Notice the punctuation. The waif, tired and hungry, trudged on through the snow. A great variety of people, good and bad, make up the congregation. A chair, large and inviting, stood before the fire. After our singing, we left the hospital, leaving the patients happy. Scout, bored and confused, attempts to explain the Cunninghams. Adjectives sometimes can be created from nouns when combined with certain suffixes. Of the suffixes often used to form adjectives, the following are among the most typical. -able: debatable, forgivable, likeable, palatable, applicable -al: banal, general, loyal, regal, maniacal -ate: appellate, delicate, inanimate, temperate, compassionate -ative: combative, demonstrative, negative, relative -ent: dependent, efficient, prudent, silent -ful: bountiful, restful, willful, youthful -ian: agrarian, equestrian, humanitarian, patrician -ic: democratic, eccentric, gastric, manic -ish: coltish, girlish, selfish, sheepish, ghoulish -ive: abusive, elusive, impulsive, positive, affrontive -ous: monotonous, monstrous, tremendous, wondrous, decorous -y: crafty, hazy, rocky, starry, lucky A specific type of adjective occurs and is called a proper adjective. Because they are derived from proper nouns, these modifiers are capitalized. Biblical archeology White identity Faulknerian rhetoric Boston newspaper Asian cuisine Bostonian dialect un-American speeches India ink non-European food Indian curry pre-Columbian pottery anti-Canadian policies neo-Platonic criticism pro-Communist riots French toast Pan-African relief Indian corn Korean manufacturing German beer Appalachian music Black authors Japanese pearls Also, all prefixes before a proper noun or proper adjective use a hyphen and the prefix is not capitalized but the proper noun or adjective is. Similar to proper adjectives, some nouns can be used as adjectives to modify other nouns; therefore, how the word functions determines the part of speech it is. sofa cushion name brands piano music glass window bread dough snack food motel lobby ring finger Some words may be used as either adjectives or pronouns. For example, this, that, these, either, neither, most, what, some, whose, and those are called demonstrative pronouns when they take the place of nouns or other pronouns, but they also are called demonstrative adjectives when they modify nouns or pronouns. They act as directives, as a pointing finger to a noun. Notice that the demonstrative adjectives most often comes directly before the noun it is modifying and the demonstrative pronoun stands alone. Demonstrative adjective: That guitar belongs to Miss Maudie. Demonstrative pronoun: That is Miss Maudie’s guitar Demonstrative adjective: Neither argument is acceptable to Aunt Alexandra. Demonstrative pronoun: Neither of the arguments is acceptable to Aunt Alexandra. Demonstrative adjective: Aren’t those wildflowers beautiful? Demonstrative pronoun: Yes, those are more colorful than the ones we saw earlier. Demonstrative adjective: Some animals are more susceptible to rabies, which attacks the brain. Demonstrative pronoun: Dogs and bats are some that are highly susceptible to rabies infection. Two or more adjectives of equal weight that precede the same noun and modify it separately are called coordinate adjectives, and a comma should separate them. Either of two tests can help you tell whether adjectives are coordinate and thus require commas; they are coordinate (1) if and can be inserted between them or (2) if their order can be reversed without confusion. Coordinate adjectives: They went on a long, exciting trip to Northern California.  Non-coordinate adjectives: They saw some lovely antebellum plantations in south Louisiana. Coordinate adjectives: See the loud, bright colors in her design. Non-coordinate adjectives: My uncle loves the bright colored lights of Christmas. Coordinate adjectives: By a deep, wide river he sat down with his head in his hands. Non-coordinate adjectives: Then he stopped and looked and saw that the earth was hot and barren. Adjectives that combine to form a single unit of modification are called compound adjectives. For example, Cartman read a bedtime story with saber- toothed tigers. A hyphen usually separates each element of the compound adjective when they precede the noun, which they modify. Those that follow the noun contain no hyphens. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. You must check a good dictionary for usage. world-famous so-called well-known long-term zero-liability better-educated poorly-organized off-the-wall never-to-be-forgotten man-eating one-way hard-fought military-history red-hot white-hot self-taught well-documented twenty-one long-distance household thirty-two closemouthed far-reaching mint-flavored Leon Fleisher was a world-famous pianist of the mid-twentieth century. Leon Fleisher, the mid-twentieth century pianist, was world famous. Apple is very closemouthed about their new product. The typically closed-mouthed Apple corporation hates leaks of its new products. St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross discuss the white-hot intensity of God’s love. St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross discuss God’s love as being white hot in its intensity. The Assad family left a small town in northern Syria on a bitterly-cold day. The day was bitterly cold when the Assad family left the small town in northern Syria. The zero-liability clause increased his car insurance. He has zero liability with his insurance company. Those children loved their peppermint-flavored ice cream. The children’s ice cream became peppermint flavored at the center of the chocolate. ¨Adverbs Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and whole clauses. Consequently, you will find the flexible adverb in variety of forms and positions within sentences. Jonas spoke incredulously. (an adverb modifying a verb) Millie grinned in a very sheepish way. (an adverb modifying an adjective)  Galel dragged himself home quite sadly. (an adverb modifying another adverb modifying the verb) Adverbs answer certain questions within a sentence especially when it comes to the action verb: How? When? Where? How far? What direction? How long? What time? How often? To what degree? To what extent? In what manner? Again, memorize the function of adverbs because you will need these concepts as you deal with adverb clauses, later. Gage Bacall, the new intern, spoke yesterday. (when?) Tai Chou looked everywhere. (where?) The cross country team easily won their meet this weekend. (in what manner?) The alarm rings hourly. (how often?) Aleksy can almost remember. (to what extent?) One test for an adverb is whether it can be moved within a sentence and not change the overall meaning of the sentence. I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States. Faithfully, I will execute the Office of President of the United States. I faithfully will execute the Office of President of the United States. I will execute faithfully the Office of President of the United States. I will execute the Office of President of the United States, faithfully. Many adverbs are made by the addition of –ly to adjectives: boldly, smoothly, actively, gracefully, and suddenly. These adverbs can usually be moved to various positions in a sentence to stress subtle differences of tone or meaning. Suddenly, all the lights went out. All the lights suddenly went out. All the lights went out suddenly. Be careful, though. Not all adverbs can be moved, and not all words ending in -ly are adverbs. The following words are adjectives because of their function as modifying nouns, not because they end in -ly. his costly assets his hourly pay her friendly decorum the lively beat the lovely facsimile a seemly choice his manly ultimatum an early class their nightly walk a likely area the bodily harm a weekly meeting A small but widely used group of adverbs includes now, then, soon, still, last, here, there, always, never, once—expressions of time, place, distance, and frequency. These adverbs, too, can often be moved about in sentences. Each position carries a different tone and gives various subtleties of meaning. Careful placement, thus, becomes an important feature that can highlight a writer’s intentions. Now, we hope to graduate. We now hope to graduate.  We hope now to graduate. We hope to graduate now. In the first sentence, the opening use of the adverb can stress the speaker’s lack of enthusiasm for performing an unpleasant or difficult task in order to graduate. In the second sentence, placing the adverb after the subject weakens the emotional impact felt by the subject and emphasizes the verb hope. In the third sentence with the adverb coming after the verb, the stress is placed not on the subject or the verb but on the expectations of the impending graduation; a tone of finality accompanies the speaker’s voice. In the last sentence, delaying the adverb now to the end of the sentence gives a tone of exasperation and emphasizes an immediate demand. Also movable are the conjunctive adverbs: furthermore, however, therefore, also, thus, instead, consequently, for instance, and so forth. Sometimes called transitional expressions, these conjunctive adverbs modify whole clauses and provide transition between sentences and paragraphs. Notice how they are punctuated correctly. The commercial is extremely annoying; also, it is insulting to women. The commercial is extremely annoying; it is also insulting to women. The commercial is extremely annoying; it is insulting also to women. The commercial is extremely annoying; it is insulting to women also. Gilgamesh laments Enkidu’s death; however, he is more concerned with his own mortality. Gilgamesh laments Enkidu’s death; he is, however, more concerned with his own mortality. Gilgamesh laments Enkidu’s death; he is more concerned, however, with his own mortality. Gilgamesh laments Enkidu’s death; he is more concerned with his own mortality, however. Another type of movable adverb is produced by the combination of some, any, every, and no; and words like how, place, way, and where: somehow, someplace, anyway, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, somewhere. Do not add an s to these modifiers. Somehow we managed to get the canoe righted. We somehow managed to get the canoe righted. We managed somehow to get the canoe righted. We managed to get the canoe righted somehow. Is there a water park anywheres around here? Anyways, the mistake is yours. The suffixes –ward and –wise produce adverbs like backward, southward, lengthwise, and clockwise. These adverbs usually occur after a verb or its object. The man was walking backward. Cut the board lengthwise. With some adverbs, the qualifiers restrict or intensify adjectives and other adverbs: too, very, nearly, quite, really, rather, hardly, slightly, somewhat, supposedly, and so forth. However, these qualifiers or intensifiers appear immediately before the words they modify and answer only one question: to what extent?. Warning, use these adverbs sparingly and only when necessary. Avoid using the word basically. The boat was hardly visible from shore. He turned down my request very cheerfully. The supposedly civilized Gilgamesh roared at Enkidu. They were too eager for their own good. She said she was nearly ready two hours ago. Adverbs that function as interrogatives—when, where, why, and how—normally appear at the beginning of a clause or before an infinitive. Where is the next meeting? Why does John Grady trust Dueña Alfonsa? He did not know when the funds would be available. The epic’s prologue explains why Gilgamesh is considered heroic. Notice the punctuation, question, and statement forms of the interrogative adverbs. Some nouns can also function as adverbs. Just like nouns functioning as adjectives, you must label nouns used in this way as adverbs. The students left yesterday for their retreat. I am joining them tomorrow. We will return Monday. ¨Comparative and Superlative Forms Most adjectives and adverbs have three forms, sometimes called degrees of quality or quantity. The positive form is the simple form of a modifier and expresses no comparison at all. The comparative form makes a comparison between two people or things, and between a person or thing and other individual members of a group. The superlative form compares three or more people or things and describes the position of a person or thing within its group. The superlative indicates the highest degree. Most one-syllable and some two-syllable adjectives and adverbs show degree with –er or –est forms. However, some adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative and superlative forms. Adjectives and adverbs without –er or –est form their degrees with more and most or less and least. These adjectives and adverbs have at least two but usually three or more syllables: more careful, most important, more fully, less suddenly, least spacious, etc. You can be sure that any word with a degree form is either an adjective or an adverb. Adjective—regular one syllable Positive: Lake Jordan is large. Comparative: Lake Martin is the larger of the two lakes. Superlative: Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes.  Adjective—irregular Positive: In light years, Mercury is not far from the Sun. Comparative: Saturn is farther from the sun than Jupiter. Superlative: Currently, Pluto is farthest from the Sun. Adjective—two syllables Positive: The lazy student did no homework. Comparative: The lazier student did less homework. Superlative: The laziest student always does the least homework. Positive: The laboratory was spacious. Comparative: The laboratory was more spacious than the classroom. Superlative: The laboratory was the most spacious room in the building. Adjective—three syllables Positive: Symbolism is a significant figure of speech. Comparative: Symbolism is a more significant figure of speech than similes. Superlative: Paradoxes are the most significant of the three figures of speech. Positive: A capricious and often brutal administration ran his country. Comparative: Afterwards a more capricious and often brutal administration ran the country. Superlative: Finally, a most capricious and consistently brutal administration runs the country. Adverb—one syllable Positive: Lake Martin is near to my home. Comparative: Lake Jordan is nearer to my home than Lake Martin. Superlative: Yellow Water Creek is the nearest body of water. Adverb—two syllables Positive: He arrived early for the dinner party. Comparative: He arrived earlier than anyone else. Superlative: Of all the guests, he arrived earliest. Adverb—three syllables Positive: The campaign was carefully planned. Comparative: This year’s campaign was less carefully planned than last year’s. Superlative: This year’s campaign was the least carefully planned of the three. Some adjectives and adverbs do not follow the regular methods of forming their degrees and thus are irregular. Memorize these irregulars. Positive Comparative Superlative bad (adjective) worse worst badly (adverb) worse worst  good (adjective) better best ill worse worst late later last or latest little less least well (adverb) better best many more most much more most far (comparisons of distance) farther farthest far (comparisons of time or quantity) further furthest Pay particular attention to the adjectives and adverbs bad, good, less, many, far, and well. There can be confusion with these words. Bad / Badly Bad is an adjective modifying nouns and pronouns. Therefore, bad should follow linking verbs as a predicate adjective. Gangs are bad for civilized society. The test results were bad. Badly is an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The teacher soon tired of reading badly written essays. Honi slept badly last night. Good / Well Good is always an adjective modifying nouns and pronouns. The good singing at Mass kept us alert. She turned in a good essay. Well is often an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The choir sang well at Mass. She did well on the essay for the exam. He hits the ball well, but his concentration is not good. Well may be an adjective when it is associated with three meanings: a. to be in good health. She feels well. I am well. b. to appear well-dressed or well groomed He looks well in that suit. c. to be satisfactory All is well. Far / Farther / Further Far of course refers to distance; however, it can refer to an abstract idea taken in addition.  The mountains are far away. It is far better to be overcautious than to be careless in driving. Farther and farthest is the adjective comparative and superlative of far; therefore, these refer to physical distance, too. Two kilometers is farther than three miles. We walked farther than we intended. Shawn walked the farthest of the group. Further and Furthest are comparative or superlative adjectives or adverbs depending on their usage. These words express abstract relationships of degree or quantity, usually meaning in addition or additionally. Further describes the degree or extent of an action or situation. If you can substitute more or additional, use further. He carried that argument further than I would. (adverb usage) The poet went further with his metaphors than most poets. That idea was the furthest one from my mind. (adjective usage) Fewer / Less Fewer is used with separate nouns that can be counted and made plural: fewer dollars, fewer cars, fewer mistakes, fewer items to buy. Less is used with nouns that cannot be counted or made plural and are usually abstract. Use less when referring to a whole: less money, less art, less trouble, less opprobrium. Statistically, people in third-world countries often have fewer resources for advancing. Theoretically, people in third-world countries often have less experience in global economics. In addition to these commonly confused words, there are inappropriate comparative and superlative forms. Use the comparative degree when comparing two things; use the superlative degree when comparing more than two things. Do not use the comparative form to refer to more than two items or the superlative to refer to only two. Superlative is used with groups, comparative with individuals. Inappropriate Comparative: Jones is the more interesting of all the lecturers. Revised: Jones is the most interesting of all the lecturers. Inappropriate Superlative: We should buy the fastest of the two printers. Revised: We should buy the faster of the two printers. Do not make comparisons and superlatives by combining an -er comparative word and more or less; or an -est superlative word and most or least. In other words, avoid double comparisons—the use of more and most with another comparative or superlative modifier. Sentences containing double comparisons are nonstandard. Inappropriate Double Comparative: My room is more cleaner than your room.  Revised: My room is cleaner than your room. Inappropriate Double Superlative: Kayla is the least smartest person in the class. Revised: Kayla is the least gifted person in the class. Inappropriate Double Comparative: This summer is more hotter than the last. Revised: This summer is hotter than the last. Inappropriate Double Superlative: The most unusualest piece in the collection was an ebony necklace. Revised: The most unusual piece in the collection was an ebony necklace. Make sure that your sentences compare only items of a similar kind. In other words, do not “compare apples and oranges.” Unbalanced comparison: Jay’s score was better than Daonta. Corrected: Jay’s score was better than Daonta’s. Unbalanced comparison: My iTunes music library is bigger than my brother. Corrected: My iTunes music library is bigger than my brother’s. When making a comparison between a single thing or an individual, to a group of which it is part, include the word other, of, or else to maintain logical clarity. In other words, include other, of, or else when comparing one member of a group with the rest of the members of the group. Illogical: My cousin Jack is taller than anyone in the family. Because Jack belongs to the family, he is being compared to himself also, which means he can not be taller than himself. Clarified: My cousin Jack is taller than anyone else in the family. Illogical: Diamond, a crystalline form of carbon, is harder than any mineral in the world. Since diamond is also one of the minerals of the world, this sentence says illogically that diamond is harder than itself, which is improbable. Clarified: Diamond, a crystalline form of carbon, is harder than any other mineral in the world. Illogical: Mitchell ran more races than anyone in his club. He is also a member of the club; therefore, he cannot run more races than himself. Clarified: Mitchell ran more races than anyone else in his club. Illogical: John F. Kennedy was younger than any American president. Clarified: John F. Kennedy was younger than any other American president. Some adjectives, called absolutes, cannot logically express degree; they have no comparative or superlative forms. For example, one thing cannot be more first than another or more infinite: something is either first or not, either finite or infinite. Likewise, correctness, perfection, uniqueness, reality, and faultless do not have degrees. Thus, one thing cannot be more perfect, more correct, more real, or more unique, than another. Something is perfect or imperfect, unique or not unique, correct or incorrect, or flawed or faultless.  Illogical comparative: She has the more unique personality. Logical revision: She has the unique personality of an artist. Illogical superlative: John Grady’s ambition is to create the most perfect horse and ranch. Logical revision: John Grady’s ambition is to create the perfect horse and ranch. Common Absolute Modifiers complete correct dead empty endless entirely equal eternal fake false fatal faultless finite first flat full horizontal impossible infinite identical last opposite perfect real round square true unique vertical You must also remember about elliptical comparisons and the pronoun usage with them. When using a comparison in combination with the conjunction than plus a personal pronoun, the form of the latter is determined by its function as the subject, nominative case, or object. Nominative: He is older than I [am]. Objective: I like his cousin better than [I like] him. Like nouns, adjectives and adverbs can be mistaken in usage with other parts of speech. Access / Excess Access it the noun meaning having the right to use. Their access to the files was denied. Excess is an adjective meaning superfluous. The teachers told the students to remove all excess books from their lockers. Adapt / Adept / Adopt Adapt is a verb meaning to adjust to. The seniors adapted well to their new classrooms. Adept is an adverb, which means skillful. Few students are as adept at swimming as is Andrew. Adopt is a verb also meaning to follow by choice. John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins never truly adopt Mexican culture. All ready / Already All ready, which consists of two separate words used as an adjective, means ready or prepared to begin. Already, which is an adverb, means by or before this time or even now. Michael is all ready to learn to drive. He has started studying the driver’s manual already. Awful / Awfully Awful is the adjective meaning inspiring fear or awe in someone, and awfully is the adverb form. Joseph’s performance was awful. No one has played as awfully as he did that game. Bad / Badly / Ill Bad is an adjective meaning evil, unfavorable, not good, harmful. In indicating a person’s state of health or physical feelings, say, “He feels ill (not bad or  badly).” In designating the manner in which a person feels mentally, psychologically, or the manner in which something is done, use the adverb badly. I felt badly (not bad) about disappointing her. Joan feels badly about the poor quiz grade. He did most of his homework badly. In addition, do not use badly as a synonym of greatly or very much. The refugees were greatly (not badly) in need of food and medical help. Continually / Continuously Continually is an adverb meaning frequently and regularly at intervals. The office continually interrupted the class with inane requests. Continuously is also an adverb but means constantly or without stopping. Throughout his grief, Gilgamesh continuously wailed for his departed friend Enkidu. Discreet / Discrete Discreet is an adjective for showing respect, and being tactful. The principal put out a discreet notice of suspensions. Discrete is also an adjective meaning separate and distinct. Enkidu’s discrete abilities to be cautious and think of all contingencies set him aside from Gilgamesh’s impulsiveness. Eminent / Imminent Eminent is an adjective meaning prominent, distinguished, or highly esteemed. Gilgamesh refused to heed the eminent councilmen of Uruk; therefore, he journeyed foolishly to Humbaba’s lair. Imminent is also an adjective that means something is about to happen. Enkidu always feels that there is imminent danger when Gilgamesh wishes to make his name famous. Eventually / Ultimately Eventually is an adverb meaning in the end or finally at an unspecified time in the future. Eventually, Gilgamesh must realize that his hubris is his chief problem. Ultimately is also an adverb meaning the furthest possible extent or greatest extreme. Gilgamesh’s lost quest for immortality ultimately destroys his hubris. Ingenious / Ingenuous Ingenious is an adjective meaning clever, original, and inventive. John Grady is ingenious when it comes to taming horses.  Ingenuous is an adjective also meaning naïve, frank, trusting, or candid. John Grady’s ingenuous personality is no match for the evil machinations of Alfonsa. Huck looked at her with wide ingenuous eyes. Lose / Loose Lose is a verb meaning to misplace or fail to win. Despite Gilgamesh’s determination, he will lose to the gods. I will lose my appetite if I smell chitterlings. Loose is the adjective meaning the opposite of tight. In Rawlins’s eyes, John Grady has a loose discipline when it comes to Blevins. The tethered horses broke loose in the battle. Mean / Ugly Avoid using mean and ugly as synonyms of unkind and vicious. That horse has vicious (not mean) disposition. She often says unkind (not ugly) things about her acquaintances. Nice Nice properly means discriminating, hard to please, or subtle. A nice distinction exists between these two chemistry problems. She made several nice points in her argument. Do not use nice to mean good, pleasing, pleasant, enjoyable, entertaining, attractive, becoming, etc. He is really a nice guy. Past / Passed Past is an adjective or noun, and passed is a verb. The past hour never passed quickly. Perspective / Prospective Perspective is a noun that means a view or point-of-view. Don Hector’s perspective of John Grady changes when he realizes Grady’s affair with his daughter. Prospective is an adjective meaning expected, likely to happen or become in the future. A meeting to discuss prospective changes in government rules has been scheduled in the Senate. John Grady and Alejandra’s clandestine meetings have a prospective tone of a pessimistic outcome. Poor / Poorly Poor is the adjective, and poorly is the adverb. This poor student cannot comprehend grammar. He did poorly on every test. The gap between rich and poor had widened; however, he lived as poorly as his peasant parishioners. Quick / Quickly Quick is the adjective, and quickly is the adverb. With a quick turn of the wheel he avoided hitting the car. He turned the wheel quickly to avoid hitting the car. Quiet / Quietly / Quite Quiet is the adjective meaning the making of little to no noise or action. She spoke in a quiet voice. The holy time is quiet as a nun breathless with adoration. (Wordsworth) Quietly is the adverb denoting noiselessly or soundlessly. She spoke quietly so as not to disturb anyone. Holy time quietly exhales as the nun breathes the rosary. Quite is an intensifying adverb that signals a significant degree or absolute extent. Interrupting the nun’s prayers is quite out of the question. Seeing nuns was quite common in Ireland until the late twentieth century. Real / Really / Reality Real is the adjective meaning existing as fact, and really is the adverb meaning truly or actually. Reality is a noun. Because our perceptions of the real world are ever changing, postmodern critics believe it is next to impossible to comprehend reality as it really is. Respectfully / Respectively Respectfully is an adverb meaning with esteem. One of John Grady Cole’s fatal flaws is that he always treats enemies respectfully. Respectively is also an adverb meaning in the order mentioned. John Grady’s home problem, his departure, and finding his idea of Paradise are respectively treated in chapters one and two of the novel. Sensual / Sensuous / Sinuous Sensual is an adjective, which means appealing to the bodily physically rather than the mind or soul, especially those associated with sexual pleasure. Alejandra’s sensual touch is too much for John Grady, and he succumbs to her advances. The production of the ballet is sensual and passionate. Sensuous is also an adjective, which means pleasing to the senses and a person’s sense of beauty, especially those involved in the experiences of art, music, and nature. Sensuous is used without any sexual connotations, and thus appeals to the intellect and soul, too. Alfonsa and Don Hector derive sensuous delight from their games of chess and billiards respectively. Sinuous is an adjective, which means winding with curves and turns, and indirectly devious. The motions of a snake are sinuous. The lithe, supple, or sinuous turns of a cat give him an air of indifference. A. In the following sentences, underline all adjectives and circle all adverbs. 1. The weightlifter grunted and groaned trying to lift the heavy barbell. 2. Because of the dense fog, the nervous detective could see only a dim outline of the figure. 3. Kristin brought some Norwegian cookies her grandmother made for the club’s last party. 4. Tuyen was completely calm when we jumped out and yelled “Happy Birthday!” 5. Very often the best team does not win the championship tournament. 6. The rank of Eagle Scout is a great honor because it is difficult to achieve. 7. When cooking Chinese cuisine, vegetables must be fried very quickly. 8. If a cancer patient does not receive the treatment immediately, he will be in great danger. 9. The young woman in the melodrama sat forlornly by the riverbank and sang a melancholy tune. 10. The essential ability to analyze fiction helps one to think creatively and abstractly. 11. I like Emily Dickinson’s work better than any other poet’s. 12. Judson’s essay was harder to understand than Len’s, but was the best of anyone else’s. 13. Xavier’s facile but shallow intellect made him unhappy because of the difficulties in his showcase performance. 14. Parsimonious New Hampshire voters, who have a phobia about taxes, refused to past the proposed gasoline tax for all semi-trucks coming through their state. 15. So long as the eclectic band kept the beat going strong, what they played became immaterial and could be haphazardly selected. B. In the following sentences, correct any errors in the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs. Write the correct answer above the sentence. 1. Our team feels badly about losing the game last night. 2. Marnie plays chess and backgammon good. 3. Shulmen should be better soon. 4. German shepherds are the more dependable of all the popular guide dogs for the blind. 5. The Smithsonian’s natural history wing is the most complete of the two museums. 6. The grass on the front lawn is deader than that on the back. 7. The new missile is more faster than its predecessor. 8. The mainest thing to remember is that the clutch does not work. 9. Because he wrote the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson is regarded as one of the most important Americans in United States history. 10. As Dueña Alfonsa plays chess with John Grady, she delves the farthest into his plans and intentions. 11. Lacy Rawlins is more gregarious than any of Texas runaways. 12. Latavia’s meals are tastier than anybody’s. 13. According to Dueña Alfonsa, a women’s reputation must be more impeccabler than a man’s. 14. I prefer Monet’s paintings to Renoir. 15. John Grady broke more horses than anyone at the hacienda. 16. All honor to the one who rides the most swiftest. 17. Siegfried was a more nobler man than we knew. 18. Soccer is the sport Iggy plays well of all. 19. I may have little money, but you have fewer than I. 20. The length of the sofa is longer than the wall. 21. Trissy did bad on the first three tests of the term, but her performance on the final test was the worst of all. C. Above the modifier write the appropriate form of the adjective or adverb shown in parentheses. 1. Early in the twentieth-century, electric cars ran (fast) than steam cars. 2. Of all those who spoke, the first candidate gave the (weak) speech. 3. The Egyptian exhibit was (fascinating) than any other. 4. Shaw’s play Pygmalion was transformed into My Fair Lady, one of the (popular) musicals of all time. 5. The (small) species of shark grows to no longer than six inches. 6. Her backhand was (good) than anyone else’s on the team. 7. Last night we saw the (bad) movie of the year. 8. My partner played her cards (expertly) than I. 9. When Gilgamesh reaches Utnapishtim, he has traveled (far) than any other mortal. 10. The author, William Least Heat Moon, an American Indian college professor, decided to travel (slow) all over the United States on older back roads. 11. Between Gunther and Hagen, it would be difficult to decide who was (treacherous). 12. Siegfried’s pursuit of the bear gave the hunting party a (good) entertainment than his episode with the lion. 13. Of all ladies, Kriemhild was wronged (great) and deserved it (little). D. In the following sentences, underline all adjective and adverb modifiers. Next, identify each modifier as either an adjective or an adverb writing the answer above the word. In addition, circle the part of the sentence each modifies and draw an arrow from the modifier to the word it modifies. adj adv 1. The value of the new stock jumped dramatically. 2. The old town had a rather efficient sawmill; nevertheless, the economy was distressed. 3. The company now reluctantly accepts full responsibility. 4. Abruptly, the local newspaper quit printing the controversial cartoon. 5. The white Persian kittens were extremely fat. 6. Sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs can permanently damage an athlete. 7. Sedately, Utnapishtim presents the abstruse problem of human mortality and divine immortality to Gilgamesh. 8. Because Blevins is too volatile to retrieve his pistol, John Grady goes instead, in order to avoid difficulty. 9. John Grady, Lacy Rawlins, and Jimmy Blevins are looking for someplace to call home. 10. Unlike the 1950s and 60s with the NASA astronauts, many students have no such cynosures today. 11. The Black citizens of Maycomb County consider Atticus Finch worthy as a trusted neighbor because he defends Tom Robinson valiantly. 12. The celebrated Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes sardonically stated: “To obtain a man’s opinion of you, make him mad.” E. Circle the word that correctly completes the sentence. As you do this exercise, think of the rules that apply for your choices. 1. He is (adapt, adept) at working out crossword puzzles. 2. Cheryl can be very (adopt, adept) at word processing. 3. The assistant manager was (discreet, discrete) in answering the complaints of customers; however, he could not place potential employees in (discreet, discrete) categories of good and bad. 4. The existentialist knew that (eventually, ultimately) he would solve the philosophical mystery; he, therefore, (eventually, ultimately) considered suicide the rational act. 5. Did you (lose, loose) your only (lose, loose) pair of work pants? 6. He (respectfully, respectively) submitted his opinion to the judge; however, because John, Tom, and Larry were a butcher, a baker, and a lawyer (respectfully, respectively), the judge threw out the case. 7. The (sinuous, sensual, sensuous) music and balmy air led the dancers to more (sinuous, sensual, sensuous) movements. 8. Send the new brochure to all (perspective, prospective) customers; it shows that we are a fair and courteous company from our customer’s (perspective, prospective). 9. After (ingeniously, ingenuously) destroying the boat, Gilgamesh’s solution to the problem of crossing of the Ocean of Death was not (ingenious, ingenuous) for an epic hero. 10. We met an (eminent, imminent) Babylonian archeologist whose announcement of his current find was (eminent, imminent). 11. The teacher grew weary of the (continual, continuous) text messaging in class, therefore, banning all cell phones and other devices. 12. Beginning at two p.m., a (continual, continuous) line of fans flowed into the stadium to watch the Drum Corps International Championship, which began at seven. 13. A (good, well) job offers opportunities for advancement, especially for those who do their jobs (good, well). 14. (Farther, Further) research showed that walking (farther, further) would improve his health. 15. Because of spell checkers, students can produce papers containing (fewer, less) errors in (fewer, less) time. 16. The partygoers felt (bad, badly) about being early and ruining the surprise. 17. Our school has a fine laboratory and a (nice, good) gymnasium. 18. Darrin spread some (ugly, mean, vicious) gossip about Jeanie because she refused to go out with him. 19. Gary was not pretending when he said he felt (bad, ill, badly). 20. The novel with all its twists and turns and hypotheses was (very, awfully) suspenseful. 21. Mrs. Forbes, the opera coach, has a (nice, pleasing) voice. 22. There are (less, fewer) people unemployed this year than there were last year. 23. A man’s (really, real) life is that accorded to him in the thoughts of other men by reason of respect or natural love. Joseph Conrad 24. On opening day in 2001, the Mets had (fewer, less) fans than did the Yankees. 25. Joseph Hawkins (respectively, respectfully) turned in his resignation to the board of directors. 26. Please return to your (respective, respectful) classrooms as soon as possible. 27. The leave on their trees look (more dead, deader, dead) in winter. 28. Some people believe that the stock exchange is the (most perfect, perfect, best) way to set market prices. 29. The soccer loss to the rival conference team was (fatal, most fatal, most severe) to our record this year. 30. Avoiding the obstructions gave the forward-going column of infantry the (sensual, sensuous, sinuous) movement of a serpent. 31. Because his masked voice was so (quiet, quite, quietly), no one (quiet, quite, quietly) understood his (perspective, prospective) changes to the athletic calendar. 32. To consider someone (poor, poorly), sometimes says more about the speaker’s status than the person they are judging. F. The following passage contains errors involving incorrect modifiers. Underline the errors, and write the corrections above the word or words. Some modifiers may need to be omitted altogether. omit Many times high school students blame their teachers for the awful tedious work involved in studying. The most primary key to success in studying is the previously development of slowly and deliberate reading comprehension for difficult reading passages. This type of carefully, active reading has been shown to develop the earliest is one’s academic career when the brain is creating connections and networks. Often the student has neglected to develop active reading skills at the elementary level, and thus the brain is underdeveloped for studying more complex ideas and abstract concepts. Regardless, anyone can recover from this deficiency by the most rigorous demands and challenges one places on oneself while reading. With real close attention, the brain has a remarkable ability to rewire itself at any time, which can lead clear to success when the student accepts the challenge and begins to remediate his lack of reading skills. G. The following sentences contain problems with adjectives and adverbs. However, some sentences may be correct. No sentence contains more than one error. You will find that the error is underlined and lettered. Assume that all other elements of the sentence are correct and cannot be changed. Remember  do not change the meaning of the sentence. If there is an error, select the one underlined part that must be changed in order to make the sentence correct, and write the answer to the blank at the far left of the sentence. In the middle blank space write the concise and best correction for the problem. _____ _________________________ 1. The author’s second novel is quite different from A her first and, in characterization at least is more superior to it. No error B C D E _____ _________________________ 2. The crew looked skeptical at the director as he A described his plan to film, without stopping for any reason, two hours in the life of a Portuguese B C D fishermen. No error E _____ _________________________ 3. The ballerina, the smallest of the two dancers who A have recently joined the company, has a distinctly athletic style that some critics consider B C D unseemly. No error E _____ _________________________ 4. Believing her productivity to be greater than her A B fellow workers, Susan was certain that she would receive a pay increase. No error C D E _____ _________________________ 5. I insist there are less errors being made in first A B C period than in second. No error D E _____ _________________________ 6. I still do not agree with his contention that her A argument is as logical as, if not more logical than yours. No error B C D E _____ _________________________ 7. In this modern world of today, there are so many A B C more gadgets than our grandparents had ever dreamed possible. No error D E _____ _________________________ 8. When the teachers saw the results of the diagnostic A B test, they agreed that Sarah has more trouble with grammar than me. No error  C D E _____ _________________________ 9. After the reprimand, the student spoke polite to her A quiet teacher, and they agreed that she has more anger issues than most students. No error B C D E _____ _________________________ 10. After the letter arrived from the admissions office, I A opened it, optimistically it was the acceptance letter I had been nervously awaiting. No error B C D E _____ _________________________ 11. Coach Donovan spoke sharp to the hard working A B Teri when she arrived to tennis practice two hours late. No error. C D E _____ _________________________ 12. The Emperor Penguin is one of the most unique A birds in the world because instead of flying it walks and slides around on its belly. No error. B C D E _____ _________________________ 13. That Judge Moore would be hard on the defendant A was never made more clearer than when she sentenced the man to forty years in prison. No error. B C D E _____ _________________________ 14. The house, constructed just after World War II, A stood in a working-class area of modest one-family homes along a tree-lined street. No error. B C D D E _____ _________________________ 15. In particular, Jeannie remembered the constant A B growing tension between the widow of the deceased and the creditors who claimed that her late B C D husband owed them millions. No error. E _____ _________________________ 16. The article claims that during the 1960s the music of A The Rolling Stones and The Beatles was more widely heard around the world and more popular B C with rock ‘n’ roll fans than the Beach Boys. No error. D E _____ _________________________ 17. A problem faced by China in its economic A B development is the rapid increasing gap between the affluent and the poor. No error.  C D E _____ _________________________ 18. Jackson’s incredible, bad performance in the jazz A concert last Friday night was due to his weakened condition from the flu that was going around. B C D No error. E _____ _________________________ 19. If a jury indicts a person, the trial takes place before another jury or judge following the procedures of an adversarial system in which the government A B C prosecutor and the accused person’s defense lawyer each does his best to present evidence in a D light that discredits his opponent’s argument. No error. E _____ _________________________ 20. Interesting, one of the main drivers behind the A ever-increasing power of personal computers is the need of game players for machines that can B C process information at greater speed. No error. D E H. In each of the following sentences, some part of the sentence or the entire sentence is underlined. Beneath each sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is better than any of the alternatives, choose answer A; otherwise, choose one of the others that best corrects the problem(s). Write your answer in the blank on the left. Remember do not change the meaning of the sentence. _____ 1. Psychotherapy has become a major influence in modern life, now nearly every one uses its vocabulary. a. life, now nearly every one b. life; this is demonstrated in how nearly every one today c. life so that now every one today d. life; indeed, nearly everyone e. life, which means that now nearly everyone _____ 2. Because the workers approached their jobs with very little interest and almost no energy, their productivity was, not surprisingly, very low. a. their productivity was, not surprisingly, very low b. this lowered, not surprisingly, their productivity  c. not to anyone’s surprise their very productivity was lower d. their very low productivity was not to anyone’s surprise e. their productivity, being very low, was not surprising _____ 3. Your results must be as good or even better than those of your predecessor. a. must be as good or even better than b must be as good as or even better then c. has to be as good or even better then d. must be as good as or even better than e. must be as good or better than _____ 4. Lacy Rawlins must admit that John Grady is by far a better cowboy than he. a. Lacy Rawlins must admit that John Grady is by far a better cowboy than he. b. Lacy Rawlins must admit that John Grady is by far a better cowboy than him. c. Lacy Rawlins must admit that John Grady is a better cowboy than him. d. That John Grady is a better cowboy than Lacy Rawlins must be admitted. e. Lacy Rawlins admits that John Grady is the better cowboy. _____ 5. Cormac McCarthy seems to admire T. S. Eliot more than other modern poets. a. Cormac McCarthy seems to admire T. S. Eliot more than other modern poets. b. Cormac McCarthy seems to admire T. S. Eliot more than other modern poets do. c. Cormac McCarthy seems to admire T. S. Eliot more than he does other modern poets. d. Cormac McCarthy seems more admiring of T. S. Eliot more than he does other more modern poets. e. Cormac McCarthy seems to admire T. S. Eliot better than any other modern poet. _____ 6. The waiter walked slow and steady, burdened by the heavy tray of plates in his arms. a. walked slow and steady b. walked slowly and steady c. walked slowly and steadily d. walked slow and steadily e. walked slow and careful _____ 7. The threat of thunderstorms and hail, in addition to the blistering heat, makes it increasingly unlikely that the graduation will be held outdoors. a. makes it increasingly unlikely that the graduation will be held b. make it increasingly unlikely that graduation will be held c. are increasing the likelihood that graduation will not be held d. increasingly making it unlikely that the graduation will be e. makes the holding of the graduation increasingly unlikely _____ 8. Last summer, more travelers passed through airports in Chicago than New York.  a. New York b. New York did c. compared to New York’s d. New York ones e. in New York _____ 9. To be a world-class athlete in any sport, one must be willing to sacrifice oneself completely to a superhuman regimen of training, travel, and competition. a. one must be willing to sacrifice oneself completely b. a complete sacrifice of oneself c. one must be willing to sacrifice themselves completely d. they must be willing to sacrifice themselves completely e. one must be willing to sacrifice yourself completely _____ 10. While passing by the fire station, the siren began to screech loud, which scared the children. a. the siren began to screech loud, which scared the children b. the siren began screeching loudly, which scared the children c. the screech of the loud siren scared the children d. the children were scared by the loud screech of the siren e. the children heard the siren screeching loudly and scared them _____ 11. Regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history, John McEnroe combined subtlety and power more effectively than the play of perhaps any other player in tennis history. a. power more effectively than the play of perhaps b. power more effective than the play of perhaps c. power more effectively than was the play, perhaps, of d. power more effectively, perhaps, than e. power, and more effective than perhaps _____ 12. Contrasting the deviousness and self-interest of the clergy, Anthony Trollope also describes the kindness of the farmer who gives Mrs. Quiverful a ride to Barchester. a. Contrasting the deviousness and self-interest of the clergy, Trollope also describes b. Not only does Anthony Trollope contrast the deviousness and self-interest of the clergy, he describes, too, c. In order to contrast the deviousness and self-interest of the clergy, Anthony Trollope also describes d. Anthony Trollope contrasts the deviousness and self-interest of the clergy and then e. As a contrast to the deviousness and self-interest of the clergy, Anthony Trollope also describes _____ 13. The compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach are at once mathematically precise and deeply emotional, thereby creating an unprecedented fusion of “head and heart.” a. Bach are at once mathematically precise and b. Bach are once and for all mathematically precise and c. Bach together are mathematically precise and d. Bach are mathematically precise at the same time as being e. Bach, mathematically precise and _____ 14. The newspaper article reported that job prospects for a website designer are now as good as a software engineer. a. job prospects for a website designer are now as good as a software engineer b. the job prospects of a web designer are now as good as a software engineer c. the job prospects for a website designer are now as good as a software engineer’s d. a website designer now has job prospects as good as software engineers e. a website designer’s job prospects are now as good as software engineers _____ 15. Because of continually complaining about low pay and poor working conditions, the workers went on strike to protest against the company’s policies. a. Because of continually complaining about low pay and poor working conditions, b. While they continuously complain about low pay and poor working conditions, c. Continually complaining about low pay and poor working conditions, eventually d. They have continuously complained about low pay and poor working conditions, later e. After continually complaining about low pay and poor working conditions,