> Other English exercises on the same topics: Adjectives | Adverbs [Change theme] | |
> Similar tests: - Adverbs of frequency - Comparative of superiority - Adjectives and prepositions - Order of adjectives - Superlative + and adjective - Adjectives-ing and ed - Adverbs of frequency - Superlative | |
> Double-click on words you don't understand |
Adjectives and adverbs
Adjectives and adverbs
A- Look at these examples:
• Our holiday was too short - the time went very quickly.
• The driver of the car was seriously injured in the accident.
Quickly and seriously are adverbs. Many adverbs are made from an adjective + -ly:
Adjective | quick | serious | careful | quiet | bad | heavy |
Adverb | quickly | seriously | carefully | quietly | badly | heavily |
Not all words ending in -ly are adverbs. Some adjectives end in -ly too, for example:
Friendly / lively / elderly / lonely / silly / lovely
B- Adjective or adverb
Adjectives (quick/careful etc.) tell us about a noun. We use adjectives before nouns and after some verbs, especially be:
• Tom is a careful driver, (not 'a carefully driver')
• We didn't go out because of the heavy rain.
• Please be quiet.
• I was disappointed that my exam results were so bad.
We also use adjectives after the verbs look/ feel/ sound etc.
• Why do you always look so serious?
Compare:
She speaks perfect English
Adjective + noun
Compare these sentences with look:
• Tom looked sad when I saw him. (= he seemed sad, his expression was sad)
Adverbs (quickly/carefully etc.) tell us about a verb. An adverb tells us how somebody does something or how something happens:
• Tom drove carefully along the narrow road, (not 'drove careful')
• We didn't go out because it was raining heavily, (not 'raining heavy')
• Please speak quietly, (not 'speak quiet')
• I was disappointed that I did so badly on the exam, (not 'did so bad')
• Why do you never take me seriously?
She speaks English perfectly.
Verb + object + adverb
Tom looked at me sadly. (= he looked at me in a sad way)
C- W e also use adverbs before adjectives and other adverbs. For example:
- reasonably cheap » (adverb + adjective)
- terribly sorry » (adverb + adjective)
- incredibly quickly » (adverb + adverb)
• It's a reasonably cheap restaurant and the food is extremely good.
• Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to push you. (not 'terrible sorry')
• Maria learns languages incredibly quickly.
• The examination was surprisingly easy.
You can also use an adverb before a past participle (injured/ organised/ written etc.):
• Two people were seriously injured in the accident, (not 'serious injured')
• The meeting was very badly organised.
Put in the right word:
English exercise "Adjectives and adverbs" created by felin with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from felin]
Click here to see the current stats of this English test
Please log in to save your progress.
End of the free exercise to learn English: Adjectives and adverbs
A free English exercise to learn English.
Other English exercises on the same topics : Adjectives | Adverbs | All our lessons and exercises