Adjectives & Adverbs

23 guides, tagged by CEFR level.

• -ed/-ing adjectives B1 Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing describe feelings and the things that cause those feelings. Understanding the difference helps you avoid common errors when describing people and situations.
• 'Enough' and 'Too' A2 Use 'too' to indicate that something is more than necessary or desired, and 'enough' to indicate that something is sufficient or adequate.
• 'So' and 'Such' B1 Use 'so' and 'such' to add emphasis or show the result of a quality. They function as intensifiers, with 'so' modifying adjectives or adverbs and 'such' modifying noun phrases.
• Adjective order A2 Adjective order describes the standard sequence used when multiple adjectives modify a single noun. English speakers typically follow a specific hierarchy based on the type of information the adjective provides.
• Adjectives A1 Adjectives are words used to describe or identify nouns. They provide information about qualities such as size, age, color, and opinion.
• Adverb placement A2 Adverbs describe how, when, or how often an action happens. Their position in a sentence depends on the type of adverb and the verbs used.
• Adverbs of degree A1 Adverbs of degree modify adjectives or other adverbs to express the intensity or strength of a quality. Common examples include 'very', 'really', and 'too'.
• Adverbs of frequency A1 Adverbs of frequency describe how often an action occurs, ranging from 0% to 100% of the time. They follow specific word order rules depending on whether the main verb is 'be' or another action verb.
• Adverbs of manner A1 Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed. They typically follow the main verb or the object to provide more detail about the behavior or process.
• Adverbs of time A1 Adverbs of time describe when an action happens or for how long. These words help provide a chronological context for events in the past, present, or future.
• As ... as (positive equality) A2 Use 'as... as' to show that two people, things, or situations are equal in a specific quality. This structure compares adjectives or adverbs without changing their form.
• Comparative adjectives A1 Comparative adjectives are used to describe the differences between two people, places, or things. They indicate which of the two has more or less of a specific quality.
• Comparative and superlative adverbs A2 Comparative and superlative adverbs are used to compare how actions are performed. They show if an action is done to a higher degree or the highest degree among a group.
• Comparatives (advanced) B1 Advanced comparative structures describe how two changes are linked or emphasize a specific degree of difference. These forms, such as double comparatives, show cause and effect or gradual progression.
• Comparatives for equality A1 Use 'as + adjective + as' to say two things are the same, and 'not as + adjective + as' to show they are different.
• Compound adjectives B2 Compound adjectives are multi-word modifiers that function as a single unit to describe a noun. They often use hyphens to clarify meaning and prevent ambiguity when placed before a noun.
• Intensifiers B1 Intensifiers are adverbs used to add strength or emphasis to adjectives. They help express strong feelings or extreme qualities in a more precise way.
• Inversion with negative adverbials C1 Inversion with negative adverbials involves placing a negative or restrictive word at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, followed by an auxiliary verb and the subject. This structure is primarily used in formal writing and high-level oratory to create a dramatic or forceful tone.
• Modifying comparatives B2 Modifying comparatives allows speakers to specify the degree of difference between two things, indicating whether a difference is large or small.
• Quite, pretty, rather, fairly B1 These adverbs of degree modify adjectives and adverbs to indicate a level between 'a little' and 'very'. They help speakers express nuance regarding intensity and expectation.
• Still, yet, already, anymore B1 These adverbs describe the timing of events in relation to the present moment, often used with the present perfect and present continuous tenses.
• Superlative adjectives A1 Superlative adjectives compare three or more things to identify the one with the highest degree of a quality. They are typically preceded by the definite article 'the'.
• Whose A1 Use 'whose' to ask which person owns or is responsible for an object. It is an interrogative determiner used at the start of a question.