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Using Adverbs and Adjectives

Adjectives are words used to describe or modify a noun or a pronoun. Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and sometimes clauses and whole sentences. Don't use an adjective where you need an adverb! For example:

INCORRECT: Once the music began, the bride walked slow down the aisle.
CORRECT: Once the music began, the bride walked slowly down the aisle.

The verb "walked" needs an adverb, not an adjective, to modify it.

INCORRECT: Jeff tried real hard to get everything perfect.
CORRECT: Jeff tried really hard to get everything perfect.

To modify the adjective `"hard," use an adverb, not an adjective. (BTW: "Really," is an informal way off saying "very." Don't use it in formal writing.) "Good'" and "bad" are adjectives. "Well'" and `"badly" are adverbs. As in:

Shelley writes well but paints badly.
John's poetry recitation was good even though he felt bad that day.

"Well" is an adjective when it refers to health or condition:

"Jane thought she was well enough to take a trip."

Do not be tempted to use an adverb instead of an adjective after a linking verb. The linking verb is a special kind of verb linking 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:

INCORRECT: Laurie felt badly about having caused the confusion.
CORRECT: Laurie felt bad about having caused the confusion

An adverb that serves as a transition between two independent clauses in a sentence is called a "conjunctive adverb. " Examples are:

therefore
however
moreover
nevertheless
consequently
furthermore
Example: "The votes were in and counted; however, that was not the end of the election."

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