Writing Lab Adjective and Adverbs Common Errors Adjectives

Writing Lab Adjective and Adverbs – Common Errors

Adjectives • Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. • Adjective Test: The _____ thing is very _____. • Correct: The quiet thing is very quiet. • Incorrect: The quietly thing is very quietly. • Adjectives answer the following questions: • “Which one? ” • “What kind? ” • “How many? ”

Adverbs • Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. • Adverbs generally end in –ly. • Adverbs answer the following questions: • • • “Where? ” “When? ” “How often or how long? ” “How much? ”

Commonly confused adjective/adverb pairs • Since many adverbs are formed by adding an –ly suffix to an existing adjective, people often confuse adjective/adverb pairs such as real and really or sure and surely. • To determine which word you need, replace the commonly confused adjective with a synonym that does not have a corresponding confusing option.

Real and really • Real is an adjective meaning “genuine”: • The admiral has real charm. • Really is an adverb meaning “very”: • He is really charismatic. • Note: in academic writing, avoid really and very as many professors see these words as informal. • The use of real as an adverb is colloquial and nonstandard: • He writes really (NOT real) well.

Sure and surely • Sure is an adjective meaning “certain”: • Are you sure (certain)? • Yes, I’m sure (certain) about the date. • Surely is an adverb meaning “certainly”: • You surely (certainly) do look good. • This Bundu mask surely (certainly) is expensive.

That’s all, folks! • This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series • Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon • To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson