{"id":386,"date":"2014-07-25T20:10:00","date_gmt":"2014-07-25T20:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/writershandbook\/?post_type=chapter&p=386"},"modified":"2017-01-02T20:54:05","modified_gmt":"2017-01-02T20:54:05","slug":"21-11-adverbs-and-adjectives","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-styleguide\/chapter\/21-11-adverbs-and-adjectives\/","title":{"raw":"21.11 Adverbs and Adjectives","rendered":"21.11 Adverbs and Adjectives"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
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21.11<\/span> Adverbs and Adjectives<\/h2>\r\nAdverbs often end in -ly<\/em> and modify verbs, other adverbs, and adjectives. As a rule, you should place an adverb next to or close to the word it modifies, although adverbs can be placed in different positions within a sentence without affecting its meaning.\r\n
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Example<\/h3>\r\nBefore the verb:<\/strong> \u201cHe slowly<\/strong> walked to the store.\u201d\r\n\r\nAfter the verb:<\/strong> \u201cHe walked slowly<\/strong> to the store.\u201d\r\n\r\nAt the beginning of the sentence:<\/strong> \u201cSlowly<\/strong>, he walked to the store.\u201d\r\n\r\nAt the end of the sentence:<\/strong> \u201cHe walked to the store slowly<\/strong>.\u201d\r\n\r\nBetween an auxiliary and main verb:<\/strong> \u201cHe was slowly<\/strong> walking to the store.\u201d\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\nSome adverbs, however, have a different meaning based on where they are placed. You should check to make sure that your placement carries the intended meaning.\r\n
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Example<\/h3>\r\n\u201cShe only<\/strong> loved him.\u201d\r\n\r\nTranslation:<\/strong> \u201cThe only emotion she felt toward him was love.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cOnly<\/strong> she loved him.\u201d\r\n\r\nTranslation:<\/strong> \u201cThe only person who loved him was her.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cShe loved only<\/strong> him.\u201d or \u201cShe loved him only<\/strong>.\u201d\r\n\r\nTranslation:<\/strong> \u201cThe only person she loved was him.\u201d\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nSome adverbs simply do not work between the verb and the direct object in a sentence.\r\n
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Example<\/h3>\r\nAcceptable adverb placement:<\/strong> She barely<\/strong> heard the noise.\r\n\r\nUnacceptable adverb placement:<\/strong> She heard barely<\/strong> the noise.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nAdjectives modify nouns and in some more heavily inflected languages, the endings of adjectives change to agree with the number and gender of the noun. In English, adjectives do not change in this way. For example, within the following sentences, note how the spelling of the adjective \u201ceager\u201d remains the same, regardless of the number or the gender of the noun it modifies.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe eager boy jumped the starting gun.\r\n\r\nThe eager boys lined up.\r\n\r\nThe eager girls eyed the starter.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAs in these sentences, adjectives usually are placed before a noun. The noun can be the subject, as in the preceding example, or a direct object, as in the following sentence.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHarold admired his shiny red car.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAdjectives can also be placed after a linking verb. The adjective still modifies a noun but is not placed next to the noun, as in the following example.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe weather was miserable.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWhen two or more adjectives are used to modify a single noun, they should be used in a set order, as shown in Table 21.1 \"Hierarchical Order of Adjectives.\" Even though the table shows ten levels within the hierarchy, you should limit your adjectives per noun to two or three.\r\n
\r\n\r\nTable 21.1<\/span> Hierarchical Order of Adjectives\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Determiner<\/strong><\/td>\r\nOpinion or Assessment<\/strong><\/td>\r\nPhysical Description<\/strong><\/td>\r\nNationality<\/strong><\/td>\r\nReligion<\/strong><\/td>\r\nMaterial<\/strong><\/td>\r\nNoun<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Size<\/strong><\/td>\r\nShape<\/strong><\/td>\r\nAge<\/strong><\/td>\r\nColor<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
The<\/td>\r\npretty<\/td>\r\nsmall<\/td>\r\nthin<\/td>\r\nyoung<\/td>\r\nwhite<\/td>\r\nFrench<\/td>\r\nMethodist<\/td>\r\nplastic<\/td>\r\ngirl<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhen using an adverb and adjective together with a noun, you should typically place the adverb first, followed by the adjective, and then the noun.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nthe strikingly golden tree\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFor more information about adverbs and adjectives, see Chapter 20 \"Grammar,\" Section 20.6 \"Using Adverbs and Adjectives.\"\r\n\r\n ","rendered":"

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21.11<\/span> Adverbs and Adjectives<\/h2>\n

Adverbs often end in –ly<\/em> and modify verbs, other adverbs, and adjectives. As a rule, you should place an adverb next to or close to the word it modifies, although adverbs can be placed in different positions within a sentence without affecting its meaning.<\/p>\n

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Example<\/h3>\n

Before the verb:<\/strong> \u201cHe slowly<\/strong> walked to the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the verb:<\/strong> \u201cHe walked slowly<\/strong> to the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the sentence:<\/strong> \u201cSlowly<\/strong>, he walked to the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the end of the sentence:<\/strong> \u201cHe walked to the store slowly<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Between an auxiliary and main verb:<\/strong> \u201cHe was slowly<\/strong> walking to the store.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some adverbs, however, have a different meaning based on where they are placed. You should check to make sure that your placement carries the intended meaning.<\/p>\n

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Example<\/h3>\n

\u201cShe only<\/strong> loved him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Translation:<\/strong> \u201cThe only emotion she felt toward him was love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly<\/strong> she loved him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Translation:<\/strong> \u201cThe only person who loved him was her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe loved only<\/strong> him.\u201d or \u201cShe loved him only<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Translation:<\/strong> \u201cThe only person she loved was him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Some adverbs simply do not work between the verb and the direct object in a sentence.<\/p>\n

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Example<\/h3>\n

Acceptable adverb placement:<\/strong> She barely<\/strong> heard the noise.<\/p>\n

Unacceptable adverb placement:<\/strong> She heard barely<\/strong> the noise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Adjectives modify nouns and in some more heavily inflected languages, the endings of adjectives change to agree with the number and gender of the noun. In English, adjectives do not change in this way. For example, within the following sentences, note how the spelling of the adjective \u201ceager\u201d remains the same, regardless of the number or the gender of the noun it modifies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The eager boy jumped the starting gun.<\/p>\n

The eager boys lined up.<\/p>\n

The eager girls eyed the starter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As in these sentences, adjectives usually are placed before a noun. The noun can be the subject, as in the preceding example, or a direct object, as in the following sentence.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Harold admired his shiny red car.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adjectives can also be placed after a linking verb. The adjective still modifies a noun but is not placed next to the noun, as in the following example.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The weather was miserable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When two or more adjectives are used to modify a single noun, they should be used in a set order, as shown in Table 21.1 “Hierarchical Order of Adjectives.” Even though the table shows ten levels within the hierarchy, you should limit your adjectives per noun to two or three.<\/p>\n

\n

Table 21.1<\/span> Hierarchical Order of Adjectives<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Determiner<\/strong><\/td>\nOpinion or Assessment<\/strong><\/td>\nPhysical Description<\/strong><\/td>\nNationality<\/strong><\/td>\nReligion<\/strong><\/td>\nMaterial<\/strong><\/td>\nNoun<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Size<\/strong><\/td>\nShape<\/strong><\/td>\nAge<\/strong><\/td>\nColor<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The<\/td>\npretty<\/td>\nsmall<\/td>\nthin<\/td>\nyoung<\/td>\nwhite<\/td>\nFrench<\/td>\nMethodist<\/td>\nplastic<\/td>\ngirl<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

When using an adverb and adjective together with a noun, you should typically place the adverb first, followed by the adjective, and then the noun.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

the strikingly golden tree<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For more information about adverbs and adjectives, see Chapter 20 “Grammar,” Section 20.6 “Using Adverbs and Adjectives.”<\/p>\n

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