English & Language Usage · Knowledge of language
Adjectives, Adverbs, and Comparisons
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Choose modifiers and comparisons that fit the sentence.
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Choose the form by its job
An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun; an adverb modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, or a whole clause. After linking verbs such as be, seem, become, feel, and look, use an adjective to describe the subject: “The surface feels smooth.” With an action verb, an adverb commonly describes how: “She moved smoothly.”
Worked example: In “The audience grew quiet,” grew links audience to its new condition, so an adjective is correct. In “The audience listened quietly,” listened names an action, so an adverb explains how. The form changes because the word's job changes.
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