grammar ii adverbs and adjectives

Grammar II – Day 2

Adverbs and Adjectives

Day 2• Position of adverbs: adverb + adjective; adverb + verb;

front, mid or end position • Adverb collocation• Adverbs with two forms• Just and its several meanings• Intensifying adverbs and verbs• Quite + adjectives• Participles in adverb clauses• Subordinate adverbial clauses

Ensino de Língua Inglesa e Novas Tecnologias - Gramática II

Day 2• Adjective order• Limit adjectives • Gradable adjectives • Intensifying adjectives• Participles as adjectives• Participles as reduced relative clauses • Subordinate adjectival clauses

Ensino de Língua Inglesa e Novas Tecnologias - Gramática II

There are several types of adverb

• Manner: quickly, gently, sincerely

• Place: here, outside, upstairs

• Point in time: yesterday, tonight

• Indefinite time: already, still, yet

• Frequency: always, never, seldom

• Comment: clearly, obviously, naturally

• Linking: however, so, although

• Degree/intensifier: very, nearly, really

Same adverb, different type

• Some can be both comment and manner– I can see the yacht clearly– Clearly, you need to cut down on the junk food

Sensibly

• He (A) discussed the design with her (B).

A – It was wise B – In a sensible way

Honestly

(B)I don't think the mayor is capable of answering the questions (A). (honestly)

A – In a honest way B – I'm telling the truth

Obviously

• He (B) realized she wasn't (A) well.

A- Of course she wasn't B- Of course he did

Kindly

The pilots (B) agreed to speak to the journalists (A).

A – In a kind way B – it was kind of them

Adverb position

• Immediately before the adjective or past participle being qualified– We were deeply disappointed with his performance

• Usually after the predicate (verb + object) being qualified– I love the classic composers very much

Adverb position

• There are 3 main positions in the English sentence: front, mid and end– Today, we're studying adverbs– We sincerely hope you can make it to the ball– She speaks five languages fluently

Adverb position

• The position changes in accordance with the type of adverb

• Front position: Point in time, Comment, Linking– Tomorrow we're going to Paris– Obviously, I got it wrong– It was raining, so we went back home

Adverb position

• Mid-position: Manner, Indefinite time, Frequency, Comment– She quickly tidied her room and ran to catch the bus– Sorry, but I still don't understand– I seldom drink tea in the morning– I apparently got it wrong

Adverb position

• End position: Manner, Place, Point in time– She tidied up quickly– They're playing outside– We'll be leaving in the morning

Adverbs to express completion

• They come in mid-position– I have completely forgot about the party– We have almost completed the course

Adverb order

• With more than one adverbial in the end position, we use the manner, place, time order:– We watched the sun rise slowly and majestically above

the horizon. – I waited for you at home yesterday. Why didn't you call?

Exercise 1: correct or incorrect?

• I've already seen the film - CORRECT• You very nearly killed me! What were you thinking? – (spoken

example, very colloquial, for the purpose of emphasis)• I'll naturally pay you back as soon as I get paid – INCORRECT

(NATURALLY, I’LL PAY YOU BACK...)• We just sat around at home lazily watching the day go by. -

CORRECT• The team last night played superbly well. – INCORRECT (LAST

NIGHT, THE TEAM PLAYED... Or ... THE TEAM PLAYED SUPERBLY WELL LAST NIGHT)

• I got a nearly full score on the test. INCORRECT (I NEARLY GOT...

Adverb collocation

• There seems to be a semantic link between adverbs and certain verbs and adjectives, e.g. deeply is normally used to express intense feelings:– Deeply regret– Deeply embarrassing– Deeply hurt

Exercise 2: what's the adverb + adjective/verb combination in each sentence?

• If we admit something, we feel free to do so. FREELY ADMIT

• When we recommend something or someone, we make high recommendations HIGHLY RECOMMEND

• Any sort of damage is usually severe in terms of impact. SEVERLY DAMAGE

• If you're in a hurry to get to the office, you can take a brisk walk instead of trying the subway. BRISKLY WALK(ING)

Exercise 2: what's the adverb + adjective combination in each sentence?

• Missing someone is always a sad affair. SADLY MISS/SORELY MISS

• Anxiety and despair go hand in hand; so the need to be desperate is more than natural. DESPERATELY NEED/ SORELY NEED

• When giving an opinion about a controversial issue, there is no way we can not have strong feelings about it STRONGLY FEEL

• Partial insurance is no insurance whatsoever; accept nothing but full coverage FULLY INSURANCE

Exercise 3: Match a verb on the left with an adverb on the right

• Scream (Hysterically)• Gaze (Longingly,

Passionately)• Love (Passionately)• Break something

(Deliberately)• Work (Conscientiously)• Apologize (Profusely)

• Passionately• Profusely• Longingly• Hysterically• Conscientiously• Deliberately

Adverbs with two forms

• One with the –ly suffix, one without. The meanings are not directly related– We work hard – We hardly recognized her with the new hairdo.

Other adverbs with two forms

• Easy – easily• Late – lately• Sure – surely• Wrong- wrongly• Most – mostly• Wide - widely

Adverbs with two forms

• The first in the pair doubles as an adjective and adverb– That was an easy test!– Hey take it easy!– You could have easily taken him down– Is he just going to walk free?– Don't forget to redeem your free gift– He talked freely about his illegal activities in

public.

Exercise 4: Rephrase the sentence below without changing the meaning

• The need for a stiff penalty for late deliveries will be highly unlikely.

• It’s virtually improbable that we will need to apply a stiff penalty for late deliveries.

• The necessity for a stiff penalty for late deliveries will be highly unlikely.


• I distinctly remember their saying that it would not be a problem to meet the deadline.

• I clearly remember them saying that it would be fine to meet the deadline.

• I clearly remember when they said (that) it would not be a problem to meet the deadline.


• I sincerely hope the company honors its impeccable reputation.

• Honestly, I hope the company honors/upholds its unmistakable/untainted/flawless/spotless reputation.


• We eagerly await the outcome of next week's board meeting.

• We anxiously await/are looking forward to the outcome of next week's board meeting.

• We can barely/hardly wait for the outcome of next week's board meeting.


• That no one can accurately predict market trends is understandable, but I felt the need for more meticulous planning.

• It’s understandable/reasonable/justifiable/comprehensible that no one can precisely predict market trend, but I felt the need for more detailed planning, (however/though).

Attitude adverbs and adverbials

3 umbrella categories

Certainty/Expectation

• Astonishingly• Disturbingly• Inevitably• Naturally• Predictably• Not surprisingly

• Obviously• Without a doubt• As might be expected• Clearly• Of course• Undoubtedly

Evaluation/Importance

• Apparently• Disturbingly• Unfortunately• Fortunately• Interestingly• Quite rightly• (Even) More importantly• Significantly

Generalization

• As a general rule• By and large• Typically• Generally speaking• On the whole

Exercise 5: Rephrase with an adverb

• NOT SURPRISINGLY, Crime rates have risen in line with unemployment figures. That doesn't surprise me.

• FORTUNATELY, there is a very satisfactory solution to the problem.That's a good thing.

• Technology will cause more problems than it solves, APPARENTLY (so people say).

• Older people don't adapt so easily to new technology, AS A RULE – (at least that's a general rule).

• INTERESTINGLY/STRANGELY, children often pick up new skills for themselves. That really interests me.

Just

• The adverb just has several meanings:– This house is just right for us. (Exactly)– But he's just a boy! (Only)– I've just tried phoning you. (A short time before)– I'm just getting dressed. (Right now)– I just want you to leave right now. I'd just like an egg for

breakfast, please. (Simply, only)– You're just as bad as my father. He can't see a football

match on TV. (Equally, no less)

Just

• As it has several meanings, it can occupy the three main adverb positions in a sentence :– Just looking at him and you can tell who he looks like. – Do you think you could just do what I tell you?– In the end we managed to get there before they closed

the doors – just. (Spoken English)

Exercise 6: Add just to the sentences

• Italian's JUST as difficult as Spanish.• JUST Leave me alone, will you?• That picture looks JUST right on the wall.• It's starting to rain. Do you JUST happen to have an

umbrella?• We've got JUST enough time to get to the airport• I've JUST seen a terrible accident.• Stop talking and JUST eat up!• He wasn't badly hurt. It was JUST a small bruise.

Intensifying adverbs

• In most of these combinations, however, there seems to be no specific reason for their collocation

TotallyAbsolutely Quite

Agree

Totally DisagreeCompletelyFullyPerfectly

Understand

SeriouslySincerely

Believe

CompletelyStronglyEntirelyReallyThoroughlyGreatly

ForgetDisapproveDependLikeEnjoyAppreciate

Impossible combinationsSincerely agreeQuite disagreeTotally rememberFully thinkCompletely adoreFully destroyStrongly like


• The type of adverb depends on the type of adjective with which it might combine:– With gradable adjectives: very, awfully, rather,

extremely, terribly, fairly, really, pretty, quite– With limit adjectives: absolutely, completely,

utterly, totally, entirely, pretty, really, simply, quite

Weak Limit Extreme 1 Extreme 2

Irritated Angry Furious Livid

Significant Important Essential Vital

Content Happy Delighted Ecstatic

Pretty Beautiful Gorgeous Stunning

Sizeable Big Enormous Gigantic


• In general, the native speaker does not make the following combinations: – totally essential, entirely determined, completely furious

• Combinations that are (no-brainers) always possible:– Very + gradable adjectives e.g. very happy/tired/big– Absolutely + limit adjectives e.g. absolutely

enormous/delicious/delighted– Really + gradable and limit adjectives e.g. really

angry/surprised/amazed

Exercise 7: Complete the following paragraph with an appropriate adverb

• I feel I must write to you on the following matter. I DO/TRULY/QUITE/HONESTLY believe that there is far too much sport of all kinds shown on LTC television today. I STRONGLY disapprove of the non-stop coverage, of football, golf, and cricket on all your channels. I DO/SINCERELY admit sport plays a major role in our society, but this is unacceptable. Sundays are already COMPLETELY/FULLY taken up by sport. I CERTAINLY/REALLY/SURELY/DO hope you will listen to those who are not sports fanatics and provide some alternative entertainment.

The adverb Quite

• The meaning of quite is phonologically determined, i.e. based on stress– With gradable adjectives and stress on quite = Ok,

but not as good as I expected: The restaurant was quite good, but I wouldn't go back

The adverb Quite

– With gradable adjectives and with stress on the adjective = It was better than I expected: The film was quite good. You'll really like it

– With a limit adjetive and stress on both words = up to the top (with exaggerated rising intonation): Are you quite sure?

Adverbial clauses

• He went to party dressed as a monkey.• She sat by the fire reading a book. • Opening his suitcase, he took out a revolver.• Released from its cage, the lion prowled

around.• Having finished lunch, we set off.

Adverbial clauses

• Being a mean person, he never spent more time than he had to.

• Weakened by years of bad health, she could hardly sit up in bed.

• It rained every day for two weeks, completely ruining our holiday.

• Taken regularly, aspirin can reduce the risk of a stroke.

Exercise 8: Simultaneity, Consequence, Reason, Condition, Sequence

• Living in London, I appreciate the pros and cons of city life. REASON

• He cut himself opening a can of sardines. SIMULTANEITY• Having read the minutes of the meeting, I wrote my university

final paper. SEQUENCE• Having read the minutes of the meeting, I understood the

problems. REASON/CONSEQUENCE

Exercise 8: Simultaneity, Consequence, Reason, Condition, Sequence

• Cooked in a white wine sauce, rabbit meat can be succulent. CONDITION

• Knowing my love of chocolate, she hid it in the top cupboard. REASON

• Wrested from his parents' arms as a child, he's always had difficulty establishing relationships. REASON/CONSEQUENCE

• Browsing in the neighborhood newsstand, I came across this great book on computing skills. SIMULTANEITY

Adjectives - Position

• Attributive use: before noun or pronoun• Predicative use: separated from noun or pronoun

following linking verbs - be, seem, appear, look: The current economic situation looks grim, to

say the least.

Predicative adjectives

• Afloat• Afraid• Alive• Alone• Asleep

Another predicative adjective

Clergymen are answerable to a higher authority

Difference in meaning

• The treasurer was present at the last board meeting• The present treasurer had trouble getting the

accounts in order CURRENT• Robin Harris was late• The late Robin Harris was a honorary member of the

association DECEASED• Too many people in the world are still poor• What will become of those poor people who have

lost their homes due to the landslides? PITIFUL

Exercise 9: Translate the sentences

• Great men are not always wise. (Grandes homens nem sempre são sábios)• Peter and Paul were faithful in many ways. (Peter e Paul eram/foram leais de

várias maneiras)• A good name is priceless. (Um nome limpo não tem preço)• We should be reasonable irrespective of the circumstances (Devemos ser

sensatos independentemente/a despeito das circustâncias)• The sword is quick and powerful. (A espada é rápida e poderosa)• The rich man is wealthy beyond imagination. (O homem rico tem posses

inimagináveis)• The sky grew dark as the storm approached. (O céu escurecia à medida que a

tempestade se aproximava)• His trumpet sounds squeaky. (O trompete dele soa estridente) • This is shoddy. Isn't it poor? (Isso é uma porcaria, não é?)• The hamburger tasted greasy. (O hambúrguer estava gorduroso)

Position of Adjectives

• Adjectives occupy the last position before the noun phrase:

determiners: both, all, half, the, this, these, that, those, my etc.

ordinals: last, next, other, first, secondquantifiers: few, lot of, little, numeralsadjectives

OPINION

FACTUAL

SIZE

AGE/TEMPERATURE

SHAPE

COLOR/PATTERN

ORIGIN

MATERIAL

PURPOSE/TYPE

It’s a rose. (sweet-smelling; exquisite; apricot-colored) It’s a exquisite, sweet-smelling, apricot-colored rose

She’s wearing trousers. (leather; black, shiny; tight-fitting)

She’s wearing shiny, tight-fitting, black, leather trousers

I met a student. (young; trendy; art; Venezuelan)I met a trendy, young, Venezuelan, art student

We drove out of the city to see some cottages. (thatched; old; beautiful; two-storey)

We drove out of the city to see some beautiful, old, thatched, two-storey cottages

Exercise 11: Translate the sentences to English

• Delicioso pão integral caseiro (Delicious, home-made, whole wheat bread).

• Uma simpática idosa escocesa (A friendly old Scottish lady).

• Uma linda camisa de seda listrada em vermelho e branco (A beautiful red-and-white-stripped silk shirt).

• Um lindo menino gorducho e agitado (A cute, chubby, lively boy).

• Uma graciosa sala de estar iluminada e arejada com pé-direito alto (A lovely, bright, breezy, high-ceilinged living room).

Exercise 11: Translate the sentences to English

• Um inestimável quadro impressionista do século XIX. (A priceless, nineteenth-century, impressionist painting)

• Um velho e sujo banquinho metálico de jardim (A dirty old metal garden stool).

• Uma linda escrivaninha vitoriana (A beautiful Victorian desk).

• Uma encantadora casa de campo caiada. (A charming whitewashed country house)

• Uma pequena copa em forma de L.(A small L-shaped dining room)

The negative prefix 'un'

The use of the negative prefix 'un' plus an adjective occurs with a much higher frequency in English, the phrase not always being simple or practical to translate.

China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao, said recently that structural problems are causing unsteady, unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable development. Newsweek, 5/9/09

O primeiro-ministro chinês Wen Jiabao, afirmou recentemente que problemas estruturais vem ocasionando desenvolvimento instável, desequilibrado, descoordenado e insustentável. Newsweek, 5/9/09

Semantically, the prefix can cause ambiguity, as it can mean "the opposite of" or "that never was".

• An unbuttoned shirt (In Portuguese "uma camisa desabotoada" or "uma camisa nunca abotoada/nova em folha")

• Other examples – uncovered, unfastened, undone, undressed etc.

I regret to say that of a workmate, but his behavior was absolutely unprofessional.

- unprofessional > amador

- unprofessional> anti-profissional, anti-ético

Whereas her big sister´s room was a stew of unclosed books, unfolded clothes, unmade bed, unemptied ashtrays, Briony's was a shrine to her controlling demon. (Atonement, 2001)

Enquanto o quarto da sua irmã era uma mistura de livros abertos, roupas para serem dobradas, uma cama desarrumada, cinzeiros cheios, o de Briony era um templo para sua obsessão por controle. (Atonement, 2001)

Defining or Non-defining relative clauses

• Which gives essential information?• Which is separated by commas?• In which do we use that?• In which can the relative pronoun be omitted?

Examples

• Chocolate is something (that) nearly everyone likes• People that smoke normally damage their health• Tortilla, which is made from eggs and potatoes, is a

typical Spanish dish• Toby, whose job is difficult, spends his weekends

relaxing

Exercise 10: Find and correct the errors

• My mother who's a doctor works in a maternity hospital• Ligaments join bones in the human body are made of strong

tissue• Do you know anyone I can ask about this?• The pharmacist gave me this medicine said it would help• Distance running is a sport that requires no special equipment• Dr. James, that has written several books on the subject, is a

dietician

Relative pronouns in academic English

• It is a rare condition of which little is known• Professor Harris, with whom the team worked,

found a cure for the disease

Quantifiers in non-defining relative clauses

• Questionnaires were sent to 500 people, one third of whom completed them

grammar ii adverbs and adjectives

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