Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
mess ) y She is creative ( creative is a subject complement that follows the linking verb is ) y A boring course (present participle used as an adjective
Adjective
Happy kids Smooth rock Good night Efficient workers Casual dress Quick meeting hopeful children Real butter
Adverb
Playing happily Running smoothly Eating Well Working efficiently Dressing casually Talking quickly Waiting hopefully Really hot
Simple
Hot Good Exciting Careful
Comparative
Hotter Better More exciting Less careful
Superlative
Hottest Best Most exciting Least careful
Absolute Concepts
y Don t use comparatives or superlatives with absolute concepts y Absolutes have only two possibilities, on or off, yes or no, with nothing in between
y y
The most perfect student in the class A very unique idea (say very unusual instead)
Don t use adjectives when adverbs are y You did a real nice job needed (an adjective can t modify another adjective)
y
y You did a really nice job y (the adverb really modifies nice ) y He did good y He did well
y
Don Really, very, absolutely, extremely, quite, actually, somewhat, t use needless adverbs
rather I am really happy to see you Grammar is very boring You are absolutely correct Her language was extremely crude You are quite intelligent
y Before using any of these words, check to see if they add anything to the sentence
y Context will help you decide whether to retain the underlined words y Keep them only if they add to the meaning
Bill Gates is very rich. I hope he gives me some money. y Most college instructors are poor; their students are very poor.
y
y Note: the terms good success and real good success have been reserved for sports broadcasters; do not use them
Compound Adjectives
y Two or more adjectives often appear together
The words tiny and tight each work separately to modify swimsuit
bright-red sunburn
Gold-plated and bright-red are compound adjectives
Do not hyphenate the words when they Compound Adjectives come after the noun they modify Notice the difference in these examples
Brad was well known along the boardwalk (no hyphen) His SUV was fully equipped Brad worked full time on his tan
Brad was a well-known jerk (hyphenated) He drove a fully-equipped SUV Brad was a full-time chick magnet
Misplaced Modifiers
y Put adjectives and adverbs close to the words they modify y Notice how the meaning is affected by the improper placement
y
y A pile of old clothes is on the floor y I almost believe you are finished y I believe you are almost finished
y
y Only the winners will be contacted y I can t quite do this as well as Fred y I can t do this quite as well as Fred