• Adjectives qualify nouns while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and sounds
• For example:
  • Nahim runs very fast (degree – to what extent?)
  • Ikenna sleeps by 4 am (time – when?)
  • Ikenna eats because he wants to be satisfied. (reason)
  • —-
  • Adjective: The man’s quick steps took him to his door
  • Adverb: The man quickly walked to his door
  • —-
  • Adjective: Ikechi was anxious to know the story
  • Adverb: Ikechi anxiously wanted to hear the story
  • —-
  • Adjective: The young man was wise to listen to the master
  • Adverb: The young man wisely listened to the master

Comparison of Two Words

• In comparison, we use adjectives and adverbs of manner to compare
• We compare two things that differ,
• We compare more than two things that differ
• For example:
  • Josephine is faster than Dorcas
  • Andrew is taller than David
  • Justin is smaller than Joseph
• In comparing two things that differ, we ad -er to the adjective or adverb of manner, and follow it with them.
  • Also, before adding -er to an adjective or adverb of manner that ends with ‘y’, you change ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add -er. For example:
    • lonely – lonelier,
    • lovely – lovelier,
    • busy – busier,
    • happy – happier, etc.
  • For adjectives that have more than two syllables, we place ‘more’ before them, and add ‘than’. For example:
    • beautiful – more beautiful than,
    • serious – more serious than,
    • interesting – more interesting than,
    • studious – more studious than, etc.
  • Less is the opposite of more and we use it to compare things of a lesser degree. For example:
    • serious – less serious than,
    • important – less important than, etc.
• In comparing more than two things that differ, we add -est to the adjectives and adverb of manner that are used to compare more than two things and this is called a superlative form. For example:
  • • Ibezim is the tallest boy in year 8.
    • Goodluck is the shortest boy in here.
    • John is the slimmest in the school
  • NOTE: Determiner ‘the’ comes immediately before the superlative form. For example:
    • The slimmest
    • The longest
    • The finest
  • For adjectives and adverbs of manner that end with ‘y’, we change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘est’. For example:
    • happy – the happiest,
    • busy – the busiest,
    • lovely – the loveliest,
    • lonely – the loneliest, etc.
  • For adjectives and adverbs that have more than two syllables, we add ‘the most’. For example:
    • serious – the most serious,
    • intelligent – the most intelligent,
    • important – the most important, etc.