Good or well? Adjective or adverb? That’s a very typical question students usually ask, and even for us teachers it’s quite annoying when teaching it for their subtle differences. Here’s the way I usually explain it to my students:
What’s an adjective?
Adjectives are words that modify nouns or noun phrases. Adjectives nearly always appear immediately before the noun or noun phrase that they modify. Sometimes they appear in a string of adjectives, and when they do, they appear in a set order according to category. When indefinite pronouns (something, someone, anybody) are modified by an adjective, the adjective comes after the pronoun.
- the tall professor
- a six-year-old child
- the unhappiest, richest man
Adjectives can express degrees of modification: positive, comparative (comparing 2 things), and superlative (comparing 3 or more).
- Gladys is a rich woman, but Josie is richer than Gladys, and Sadie is the richest woman in town.
What’s an adverb?
They are words that modify a verb («He drove slowly»), an adjective («That’s a very fast car»), or another adverb («She moved quite slowly»). They can move around in a sentence.
We have different kinds of adverbs:
Adverbs of Manner
She moved slowly and spoke quietly.
Adverbs of Place
She has lived on the island all her life.
She still lives there now.
Adverbs of Frequency
She takes the boat to the mainland every day.
She often goes by herself.
Adverbs of Time
She tries to get back before dark.
It’s starting to get dark now.
She finished her tea first.
She left early.
Adverbs of Purpose
She drives her boat slowly to avoid hitting the rocks.
She shops in several stores to get the best buys.
Sources: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/adjectives.htm, http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/adverbs.htm
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