OTHER USES OF ADVERBS None could swim so far as he could, As this marvelous story-teller. 271 LONGFELLOW In the first line of the above stanza, "so" tells now fast. Here the adverb "so" modifies the adverb "fast." What does "so" modify in the second line? in the third? In the fourth line "so" tells how many. Here the adverb "so" modifies the adjective "many." What does "so" modify in the fifth line? Adverbs that modify adjectives and other adverbs tell how much or how little, or give the idea of more or less. Here are some of the adverbs that are most commonly used to modify adjectives and other adverbs: XVI. SOME ADVERBS THAT ARE OFTEN MISUSED Here is a true story that teaches its own lesson: An English woman, on her way to America, met a young man on shipboard. To her surprise the lady learned that the young man lived in the town to which she was going, and that he knew her brother and his family. "I know your niece very well. She is a terribly pretty girl," said the young man. The voyage ended and the lady met her brother and niece on the pier, the latter of whom she had never before seen. After looking at the girl for a moment, she walked over to where the young man stood. "Sir," she said in an indignant voice, "what did you mean by telling me such a falsehood about my niece? She is a sweet, pretty girl. There is nothing terrible about her. Here I have fancied her looking like a modern Medusa." You remember that Medusa's beauty was so truly terrible that all who looked at her were turned to stone. Do you ever use "terribly," "awfully," and "fearfully," or similar adverbs, when you really do not mean that things are terrible or awful or fearful? MAKING COMPARISONS WITH ADJECTIVES 273 Suggest more appropriate adverbs to be used in place of the adverbs italicized in the following sentences: I was terribly pleased. We had an awfully good time. I'm fearfully thirsty. Why are the adverbs in the following sentences correctly used? The night was fearfully dark. The dream was terribly real. The ceremony was awfully impressive. XVII. MAKING COMPARISONS WITH ADJECTIVES 1. In the three sentences below, note the three forms of the adjective "tall": John is tall. Henry is taller than John. Charles is the tallest pupil in his class. In the first sentence, is John's tallness compared with that of any other person? In the second sentence, the comparison is between how many? What letters are added to the simple form of the adjective "tall"? In the third sentence, the comparison is among how many? What letters are added to the simple form of the adjective? When comparisons are made between two persons or things by use of an adjective, -er is regularly added to the simple form of the adjective. When the comparison is among more than two, -est is regularly added to the simple form. Make sentences using correctly the three forms of the following adjectives: Not all comparisons are made regularly; that is, by adding -er and -est to the simple form of the adjective. 2. With some adjectives, more and most are used, instead of the endings -er and -est, in making comparisons, as: (1) Mary is beautiful. (2) Mary is more beautiful than Jane. (3) Mary is the most beautiful girl in the room. Here are other adjectives with which more and most are used in making comparisons : MAKING COMPARISONS WITH ADJECTIVES 275 Read the adjectives in the first column above and try adding -er and -est to them. Which is easier to say, "dangerousest" or "most dangerous?" "thoughtfuller" or "more thoughtful"? Why do you think these adjectives are compared by using more and most before them rather than by adding -er and -est? 3. Some adjectives are compared irregularly. The most common of these adjectives are the following: 4. Make sentences using the forms of the fol lowing adjectives that should be used to compare two: late fair rapid well dangerous 5. Write sentences using the correct form of the following adjectives in comparing more than two: good many thoughtful sweet terrible |