What is the adverb and adjectives in these following sentences? What is the difference between adjectives and adverbs?

Mary lightly dusted the shelf.
He sang very loudly.
I like green dresses.
Those wonderful Gleasons are coming.
The ice cream was eaten too quickly.

1 Answer
Apr 27, 2016

Mary #color(blue)("lightly ") underline("dusted")# the shelf.
#color(white)("XXX")color(blue)("lightly")# is an adverb modifying/describing the verb #underline("dusted")#.

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He #underline("sang")" " color(blue)("very "underline"loudly")#.
#color(white)("XXX")color(blue)("loudly")# is an adverb modifying the verb #underline("sang")#.

#color(white)("XXX")color(blue)("very")# is an adverb modifying the adverb #underline("loudly")#.

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I like #color(red)("green")" "underline("dresses")#.
#color(white)("XXX")color(red)("green")# is an adjective modifying the noun #underline("dresses")#.

Those #color(red)("wonderful")" "underline("Gleasons")# are coming.
#color(white)("XXX")color(red)("wonderful")# is an adjective modifying the (proper) noun #underline("Gleasons")#.

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The #color(red)("ice")" "underline("cream")# #underline("was eaten")" "underline(color(blue)("too"))" "color(blue)("quickly")#.
#color(white)("XXX")#Note that this first one is debatable. "ice cream" could be regarded as a "compound noun". (This would be my personal preference).
#color(white)("XXX")color(red)("ice")# could be considered an adjective modifying the noun #underline("cream")#.

#color(white)("XXX")color(blue)("quickly")# is an adverb modifying the verb #underline("was eaten").

#color(white)("XXX")color(blue)("too")# is an adverb modifying the adjective #underline("quickly")#.

#color(brown)("====================================")#

Adverbs are words which describe (or "modify") verbs, or other adverbs, or (although not demonstrated in these examples; see below) adjectives.

Adjectives are words that describe ("modify") nouns.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
#color(white)("XXX")#Here is an example that includes an adverb (#color(blue)("very")#) modifying an adjective (#color(red)("pretty")#).
#color(white)("XXXXX")#A #color(blue)("very ")color(red)("pretty")# girl sat on the lawn tearing petals off a daisy.