Grammar: Adverbs Describing Adjectives

Grammar: Adverbs Describing Adjectives

Aim

•Extend the children’s understanding of adverbs by

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introducing the idea that as well as describing verbs and other adverbs, some adverbs can also describe adjectives.

Introduction
•Remind the children that when we describe something using more than one adjective, we tend to put them in

shape, 4. Condition and age, 5. Colour and pattern, 6.
Origin, 7. Material.
•Revise the different categories, asking the children to give a few examples for each one and write them on the board.
•Now see if the class can make a noun phrase, using an adjective from every category.
•Remind the class that we would not normally use so many adjectives and that the order given is only a general guide.

Main Point
•Point out that although adjectives always describe nouns or pronouns, we now know that adverbs can describe more than just verbs; they can also describe other adverbs.
•Write She sang absolutely beautifull y on the board and discuss how the adverb absolutely is telling us how beautifully the person is singing; it is describing another adverb rather than the verb.
•Now write this sentence on the board and parse it with the children: sang with a ‘1 lU 1 u I clear voice.
•Ask the children what the adverb beautifull y is describing this time. Discuss how it is describing the adjective by telling us more about how clear her voice is.
•Explain that as well as describing verbs and other adverbs, some adverbs can also describe adjectives.
•Write the sentence The sun is hot on the board. Ask the children to suggest adverbs that could describe how hot the sun is. Some possible answers include: unbearably, surprisingly, intensely, really, always, often, sometimes, very.
•Point out that some adverbs, like very can, in fact, only describe adverbs and adjectives and never describe verbs.

Activity Page
•The children parse the sentences, underlining each word in the appropriate colour.
The chairs were u ncomfo1tabh hard. am quite curious about the surprise.
The cheese had an unu strong smell.
The cakes from the bakery are a • ‘ delicious. Her grandmother’s ring was •ealh expensive.

….._, ..

The prize for the winner is 1<It he1 unusual.
has become an e dremeh beautiful woman.
The way through the mountains will be ery dangerous.
Tlw n ,q ,•t Jh fragrant flowers had grown
-•c <l111h tall.
•They then rewrite each one, so that the adverb(s) in bold describe the adjective(s).
•Remind the class to change a to an if an adverb beginning with a vowel is added after it.

Extension Activity
•Write these sentences on the board: 1. They have bought a suprisingly big boat, 2. She had written enormously successful books, 3. The incredibly rare painting has disappeared .
•Ask the children to draw sentence walls on a separate sheet of paper and put the sentences into the boxes.
1. Top: They – have bought – boat I Bottom: (blank) – (blank) – a bigIsurprisingly I Verb: transitive
2. Top: She – had written – books I Bottom: (blank) – (blank) – successful/ enormously I Verb: transitive
3. Top: painting – has disappeared – (blank) I Bottom: the rare/ incredibly – (blank) – (blank) I Verb: intransitive
•Explain that the adverb describing an adjective should go below it in the box, joined by a diagonal line.

Rounding Off
•Go over the activity page with the children, discussing their answers.
•If they have done the extension activity, check that the children have filled in the boxes correctly.