Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
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Last Updated: August 22, 2005 
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MODULE #2
ADJECTIVES/ADVERBS
HINT SHEET

ADJECTIVES modify nouns and pronouns.

They answer the questions                   

                        WHICH?                                 The blue book was found.
                                                                        Which book?  the blue one.
                       
                        WHAT KIND OF?                  The sharp metal edge cut my skin.
                                                                        What kind of edge?     sharp edge
                                                                                                           metal edge

                        HOW MANY?                        Three little pigs lived in a house.
                                                                        How many pigs?      three pigs
                                                                        What kind of pigs?   little pigs.

ADVERBS modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

They answer the questions

                        HOW?                                     We walked quickly.  Walked how?   quickly

                        WHEN?                                   We arrived later.  Arrived when?  later

                        WHERE?                                 We climbed up.  Climbed where?    up 

                        TO WHAT DEGREE?             It is unusually hot.  To what degree is it hot? unusually

You can tell how a word is used by what it modifies.

            It was a slow day.  Slow modifies day, a noun.  Slow is an adjective.

            She was smart.  Smart modifies she, a pronoun.  Smart is an adjective.

            They argued effectively.  Effectively modifies argued, a verb.  Effectively is an adverb.

            It was moderately expensive.  Moderately modifies expensive, an adjective.  Moderately is

                        an adverb.

            We'll leave very soon.  Very modifies soon, an adverb.  Very is an adverb.

Module #2 also briefly reviews the four basic sentence patterns:

            SUBJECT--ACTION VERB

            SUBJECT--ACTION VERB--DIRECT OBJECT

            SUBJECT--ACTION VERB--INDIRECT OBJECT--DIRECT OBJECT

            SUBJECT--LINKING VERB--SUBJECT COMPLEMENT

See Module #1 for a thorough review of basic sentence patterns.