Adverbs part-1

Adverbs are a very broad collection of words that may describe how, where, or when an action took place. They may also express the viewpoint of the speaker about the action, the intensity of an adjective or another adverb, or several other functions. Use these pages about the grammar of adverbs in English to become more precise and more descriptive in your speaking and writing.

 

 

 

Using adverbs in English

Adverbs modify, or tell us more about, other words. Usually adverbs modify verbs, telling us how, how often, when, or where something was done. The adverb is placed after the verb it modifies.
Examples
  • The bus moved slowly.
  • The bears ate greedily.
  • The car drove fast.
Sometimes adverbs modify adjectives, making them stronger or weaker.
Examples
  • You look absolutely fabulous!
  • He is slightly overweight.
  • You are very persistent.
Some types of adverbs can modify other adverbs, changing their degree or precision.
Examples
  • She played the violin extremely well.
  • You're speaking too quietly.

 

on Friday, 24 June 2016 | A comment?

Adjective part-5 adjectives-comparing-unequal-quantities/

Adjectives comparing unequal quantities

 

To compare two things that are unequal, we use the pattern:
adjective indicating quantity + (noun) + than
The quantity adjective you use depends if the noun in the comparison is countable or uncountable.
Countable nouns
Use more and fewer with countable nouns. Note that the noun may be ommitted when it is understood from the context, as in the last example below.
Examples
  • They have more children than we do.
  • We have more customers than they do.
  • Tom has fewer books than Jane.
  • There are fewer houses in his village than in mine.
  • You know more people than I do.
  • I have visited the States more times than he has.
  • I have three brothers. That's more than you have. ("brothers" is understood)
Uncountable nouns
Use more or less with uncountable nouns. Note that the noun may be omitted when it is understood from the context, as in the last example below.
Examples
  • John eats more food than Peter.
  • Jim has less patience than Sam.
  • You've heard more news than I have.
  • He's had more success than his brother has.
  • They've got less water than we have.
  • I'm not hungry at all. I've had more than I want. ("food" is understood)

 

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Adjective part-4 :adjectives-comparing-equal-quantities/

Adjectives comparing equal quantities

 

To compare two things that are equal, we use the pattern:
as + adjective indicating quantity + (noun) + as
The quantity adjective you use depends if the noun in the comparison is countable or uncountable.
Countable nouns
Use as many and as few with countable nouns. Note that the noun may be ommitted when it is understood from the context, as in the last example below.
Examples
  • They have as many children as we do.
  • We have as many customers as they do.
  • Tom has as few books as Jane.
  • There are as few houses in his village as in mine.
  • You know as many people as I do.
  • I have visited the States as many times as he has.
  • I have three brothers. That's as many as you have. ("brothers" is understood)
Uncountable nouns
Use as much or as little with uncountable nouns. Note that the noun may be ommitted when it is understood from the context, as in the last example below.
Examples
  • John eats as much food as Peter.
  • Jim has as little patience as Sam.
  • You've heard as much news as I have.
  • He's had as much success as his brother has.
  • They've got as little water as we have.
  • I'm not hungry. I've had as much as I want. ("food" is understood)

 

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Adjectives part-3

Ordering multiple adjectives

 

When a number of adjectives are used together, the order depends on the function of the adjective. The usual order is:
Quantity, Value/opinion, Size, Temperature, Age, Shape, Colour, Origin, Material
What the adjective expresses Examples
Quantity four, ten, a few, several
Value/Opinion delicious, charming, beautiful
Size tall, tiny, huge
Temperature hot, cold
Age old, young, new, 14-year-old
Shape square, round
Color red, purple, green
Origin Swedish, Victorian, Chinese
Material glass, silver, wooden
Examples
  • They have a lovely old red post-box.
  • The playroom has six small round plastic tables.
  • I bought some charming Victorian silver ornaments at the flea market.
  • She is selling her flashy 3-year-old Italiancar.
  • It was a beautiful cold day.

 

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