The Adjective

The Adjective is a hero with an incredible eye for detail, and as a member of The Amazing Eight (A.K.A. parts of speech), this hero puts his keen powers of observation to work for the good of all our sentences.

The Adjective is a modifier, and with the help of his super handy modifying tool, he delivers a fist full of descriptive power to nouns.  The details supplied by The Adjective serve our sentences by adding richness and interest to the people, places, and objects within them.  For instance, “the hero” can become “the fearless hero,” and “the villain” can become “the twisted villain.”  Also, adjectives can be very useful additions to our sentences because they add clarity and understanding by answering the questions: which one, how many, and what kind?

So, the next time you want to add some distinct and dynamic description to your sentences, remember our detail oriented hero—The Adjective. 

SUPER POWERS:

The Adjective has the ability to modify nouns in a sentence with the addition of descriptive detail.  By modifying these words with description, he helps answer these questions: which one, how many, and what kind?

 

SUPER EXAMPLES:

1)

The slimy thief got away.

slimy: adjective answering the question which one?

2)

Three heroes are on patrol.

Three: adjective answering the question how many?

3)

Circuit Breaker is a powerful villain.

powerful: adjective answering the question what kind?

THE POWER OF PHRASING:

The Adjective has The Power of Phrasing.  Sometimes an adjective needs to be more than a single word to properly do its job.  This is when The Adjective uses The Power of Phrasing.  This power allows the adjective to stretch out into being several words that act as a single unit within a sentence.  This group of words is called: a phrase.

SUPER EXAMPLES:

1)

The man with the enormous brain is controlling us.

with the enormous brain: adjective phrase answering the question which one?

2)

His more than two arms gave him the advantage.

more than two: adjective phrase answering the question how many?

3)

He is a hero of tremendous virtue.

of tremendous virtue: adjective phrase answering the question what kind?

The Adverb

 

Verbs—as powerful as they are—can only express so much information before they reach their limit.  That’s when verbs need a courageous teammate to lend them a helping hand; that’s when verbs need the power of The Adverb!

The Adverb is a modifier, and she uses her super handy modifying tool to help give verbs the extra punch that they need to power up a sentence.  She does this by adding descriptive information about the specific verb she’s modifying.

For example, the verb fight in the sentence, “I fight.” can only tell you: I fight. But an adverb modifying that verb can tell you when (I fight now), where (I fight here), why (I fight for justice), and how (I fight diligently).

By simply adding an adverb, you can boost, intensify, and clarify the meaning of your sentences—and that’s the true power of The Adverb.  And although her name is The Adverb, this hero doesn’t limit her amazing powers to just helping verbs.  She also helps adjectives and other adverbs too! 

SUPER POWERS: 
The Adverb has the ability to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs in a sentence.  By modifying these words, she helps answer these questions: when? where? why? and how? 

SUPER TEAMWORK: 
The Adverb's useful sentence-enhancing powers make her a valued member of The Amazing Eight (A.K.A. parts of speech), and a powerful ally to The Verb, but this hero doesn’t stop there.  The Adverb can also use her powers to modify adjectives and other adverbs in a sentence.  Now, that’s teamwork. 

SUPER EXAMPLES:

#1) 

The invasion begins immediately.

immediately: adverb modifying a verb (begins when?)

#2) 

We’ll make our stand here.

here: adverb modifying a verb (make where?)

#3)

I’m glowing because I’m radioactive.

Because I’m radioactive: adverb phrase modifying a verb (glowing why?)

#4)

He expertly deflected the bullet.

expertly: adverb modifying a verb (deflected how?)

#5)

She has a very long reach.

very: adverb modifying an adjective (how long?)

#6)

My enemy attacked surprisingly fast.

surprisingly: adverb modifying another adverb (how fast?)