Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

Province of Laguna
GRADUATE STUDIES AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Master of Arts in Education
Major in English
STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH

Written Report

Topic: CORRECT USAGE

Discussant EPHRAIM P. MANALO
Content / Sub-topic ADJECTIVE AND ADVERB USAGE
Professor CHESTER M. DEREQUITO

*Content
A. Adjective Usage
Words that modify nouns or pronouns are called adjectives. They can also be used to describe
how many nouns there are: many, few, millions, and eleven.
1. Adjectives change the nouns.
Adjectives are typically taught to pupils as words that alter or characterize nouns. Adverbs, verbs,
and other adjectives are not modified by adjectives.
A Examples
1. I purchased a new mobile phone.
2. The film was amusing.
B examples
 Margot attended the pie-eating competition sporting a lovely hat.
 In the summer, dogs with fur may get too hot.
 There should be sixteen candles on my cake.
 Darth Vader is the scariest villain of all time.
The adjectives in the aforementioned sentences are simple to identify since they appear before the
nouns they modify.
However, adjectives are not limited to only changing nouns. Additionally, they may function as
an addition to the verb to be or linking verbs. Examples of connecting verbs that describe a state of
being or a sensory experience include to feel, to seem, or to taste.
3. Pronouns are modified by adjectives
Example A:
1. You are gorgeous.
2. He is affable and attractive.
Examples B:
• The man appears content.
• The locker room has a bad odor.
• Walking is slower than driving.
Predicate adjective is the formal name for an adjective used in this manner.
3. Uses for adjectives
Adjectives let the reader know how much, how numerous, or what kind of things you're
describing. Use three white flowers in the arrangement, for instance. (Flowers are changing to three
and white.)
Often, a comma or conjunction should be used to separate adjectives when they are employed in a
sentence. Examples: I want to maintain a tiny, well-mannered dog as a pet. My newest pet is a calm,
tiny dog.
4. Degrees of comparison
There are three types of adjectives: absolute, comparative, and superlative. Adjectives that are
absolutes describe things that stand alone. Examples of comparative adjectives include: a cool guy, a
cluttered desk, a mischievous kitten, and a family of obnoxious squirrels. The suffix -er is used to
create the comparative form for the majority of one-syllable adjectives (or just -r if the adjective
already ends with an e). Replace the final -y in two-syllable adjectives with the suffix -ier. Add the
word more to adjectives with multiple syllables. Examples include:
Examples of comparative adjectives are "a cooler person," "a dirtier desk," "a more mischievous
cat," and "more chatty squirrels." They denote the highest degree of the feature being discussed. By
adding the suffix -est, one-syllable adjectives are transformed into superlatives (or just -st for
adjectives that already end in e). Adjectives with two syllables that finish in -y are changed to -iest.
Adjectives with several syllables add the most words. It is nearly often the definite article (the) rather
than an or a when you use an article with a superlative adjective. When you use a superlative, it is
obvious that you are referring to a particular thing or things. Examples include: "the coolest guy," "the
messiest desk," "the sneakiest cat," and "the loudest squirrels." Adjectives that coordinate Adjectives
that coordinate should be separated by a word and or a comma. If two adjectives in a sentence modify
the same noun, they are said to be coordinated.

 It's going to be a long, cold winter, for instance.

 It was all thanks to Isobel's relentless efforts and dedication.
However, just because two adjectives are placed adjacent to one another doesn't necessarily imply
that they are coordinated. It's possible for an adjective and a noun to function as a single semantic unit
before being modified by another adjective. The adjectives in this situation are not coordinated, so a
comma is not necessary to separate them.
Examples:

 This frayed wool jumper is my cat's favorite place to lay.

 The ancient metal locket was impossible to unlock.
It might be challenging to determine whether two adjectives coordinate or not in some situations.
But There are various methods you can use to test them. To see if the phrase still sounds natural, try
putting the word and between the adjectives. Because you aren't actually talking about a sweater that
is both ragged and woolen in the first line, the phrase "this tattered and woolen sweater" doesn't sound
proper. The sweater is made of wool and is torn. Tattered modifies the meaning of a unit of a woolen
sweater. You can't reverse the adjectives in the second sentence since silver locket is a unit that is
modified by old, therefore we couldn't say "No one could open the silver old locket."
 B. Adverb usage
An adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or even a
noun. a complete thought. For instance, Tom Smith ran well. Tom is a tall man. • The race was over
far too soon. Lucy thankfully documented Tom's victory.
1. Verbs and adverbs
Adverbs frequently alter verbs. This indicates that they describe how an action is taking place.
Often, they end in -ly.
A Examples
• Phillip sings aloud while taking a shower.
• My cat is impatiently awaiting his meal.
• I'll give your suggestion some serious thought.
What is the method in which the adverbs in the aforementioned sentences respond to the
query? Phillip sings in what manner? Loudly. My cat waits in what way? Impatiently. How will I take
your advice into account? Seriously. Adverbs can respond to various inquiries concerning the manner
of an activity. Additionally, they can provide information about the time and location.
B Examples
1. He hurried into the space.
2. John is thoughtful.
One particular verb type doesn't go well with others.
Utilizing adverbs Adjectives, not adverbs, are often required with linking verbs like feel,
smell, sound, seem, and appear. An illustration of improper adverb usage with a linking verb is as
follows:
• I regret what transpired.
Since "feel" is a verb, an adverb seems more appropriate than an adjective. However, "feel" is
a connecting verb, not just any verb. An adjective explains what you feel, whereas an adverb tells how
you carry out the activity of feeling. If you say, "I feel poorly," you are not good at feeling things. "I
feel terribly" might make sense if you're attempting to read Braille through heavy leather gloves, but
if you're trying to convey that you're feeling lousy, "I feel bad" is not the right phrase that you want to
use.
B. Adverbs change an adjective
Adjectives and other adverbs can also be modified by adverbs. The adverb's main function is
frequently to intensify the adjective in some way.
A Examples:
• The lady is quite attractive.
• Compared to the last book, this one is more engaging.
• The forecast is generally accurate.
B Examples
1. Jhodiz is quite attractive.
The adverb almost modifies the adverb always, and both modifications are accurate.
2. It's too early for you to get married.
C Examples
• Are my vocals too loud? " Phillip enquired.
• My cat is overjoyed to finish his meal.
• We will arrive to the meeting a little late.
• The color of this bridesmaid dress is a really unattractive puce.

C. Adverbs alter other adjectives

An adverb may be used to describe another adverb. In fact, if you desired, you could utilize
more than one.
Example:

 Phillip sings a little bit too loudly.

Be careful not to overdo it because the result is frequently weak and awkward phrases like the
one above.
1. He completes his work quickly.
2. You were early to come.
D. Sentences and adverbs
Unsurprisingly, these adverbs are referred to as sentence adverbs because they can modify
entire phrases. Generally, thankfully, curiously, and correspondingly are some frequent examples.
Sentence adverbs provide a broad feeling about all of the information in the sentence rather than
focusing on a single aspect of the sentence.
Example:
• Thankfully, we arrived in time.
• It was interesting to note that nobody at the auction seemed interested in placing a bid on the old
spoon collection.
Previously, it was frowned upon to use the word ‘hopefully’ as a sentence adverb (e.g.,
Hopefully, I'll obtain this job). Though people continued to use it, numerous style manuals and
dictionaries now recognize it. However, there are still a lot of readers who dislike it, so it's a good idea
to stay away from using it in formal writing.
Adverbs should be placed as near as feasible to the words they are meant to modify. Incorrect
adverb placement can, at best, result in an odd sentence and, at worst, totally alter the meaning. The
word "only" should be used with extreme caution as it is one of the most frequently misused
modifiers. Think about how these two statements differ from one another:
Examples:

 Phillip only fed the cat.

 Phillip fed only the cat.
The first clause implies that Phillip's only action was to feed the cat. He didn't pick up the cat, pet
it, or do anything else with it. The second phrase implies that although Phillip fed the cat, he neglected
to feed the dog, the bird, or any other potential nearby animals.
The middle of the phrase is typically the most natural location for an adverb when it modifies a
verb phrase.
Examples:
• The deadline is coming up rapidly.
• Phillip has always had a passion for music.
• I'll be happy to help you.

**Reference List

 Adjective Usage and Examples. (2022, September 16). Grammarly; Grammarly Inc.
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/adjective/

 undefined [American English]. (2016, May 11). Adjectives and Adverbs. YouTube. Retrieved
October 1, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6KzAj7CZXQ

 undefined [Xandra Bonaobra]. (2020, July 10). Difference Between Adjective and Adverb.
YouTube. Retrieved October 1, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3NNc17TEXQ8&list=WL&index=1
CHESTER M. DEREQUITO
Chairperson