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Adverbs are words that modify verbs,
adjectives, other adverbs, and sometimes
clauses and whole sentences.
Adjectives are words that modify nouns and
pronouns. Be careful not to use an
adjective where you need an adverb.
Consider the following sentences, for instance:
- [WRONG] Once the test was over, Sharon walked slow
out of the classroom.
- [RIGHT] Once the test was over, Sharon walked
slowly out of the classroom.
The sentence needs an adverb, not an
adjective, to modify the verb
"walked."
- [WRONG] We tried real hard to get the muffin mixture
perfect.
- [RIGHT] We tried really hard to get the muffin mixture
perfect.
The sentence needs an adverb, not an
adjective, to modify the adjective "hard." (Note
that "really" is an informal substitute for "very", and you
should avoid in in formal essays.)
Using "good," "bad," "well," and
"badly."
You might also note the distinctions between "good" and
"bad" (which are adjectives) and "well" and
"badly" (which are adverbs):
- Shelley plays the piano well and the drums
badly.
- The actor's performance was good even though he
felt bad that night.
"Well" is an adjective only when it refers to
health or condition:
- She protested that she was well enough to start
playing sports again.
Using Adjectives with Linking Verbs
In the same vein, remember that adjectives modify
nouns and pronouns. Do not mistakenly use
an adverb to modify these parts of speech.
For example, after a linking verb you may be tempted
to use an adverb instead of an adjective.
You will recall that the linking verb is a special kind
of verb because it links its subject to a
subject complement. A subject complement
can be either a noun (renaming the subject)
or a modifier (describing the subject).
When it is a modifier it must be an
adjective because it describes the subject
(always a noun or pronoun). It does not
modify the linking verb itself and should therefore not
be an adverb:
- [WRONG] We felt badly about having caused the
accident
- [RIGHT] We felt bad about having caused the
accident.
Using Conjunctive Adverbs
The conjunctive adverb is a special kind of
adverb that often serves as a transition between two
independent clauses in a sentence. Some
common conjunctive adverbs are "therefore,"
"however," "moreover," "nevertheless,"
"consequently," and "furthermore." When using a
conjunctive adverb at the beginning of the second
independent clause, be sure to precede it with a
semicolon not a comma.
- My roommate usually listens to rock music; however, he also
likes John Coltrane and several other jazz musicians.
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