Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
5.20.A*
use and understand the function of the following parts of speech in the context of reading, writing, and speaking:
verbs (irregular verbs and active voice);
collective nouns (e.g., class, public);
adjectives (e.g., descriptive, including origins: French windows, American cars) and their comparative and superlative forms (e.g., good, better, best);
adverbs (e.g., frequency: usually, sometimes; intensity: almost, a lot);
prepositions and prepositional phrases to convey location, time, direction, or to provide details;
indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, both, nothing, anything);
subordinating conjunctions (e.g., while, because, although, if); and
transitional words (e.g., also, therefore);
5th Grade Writing - Adjectives and Adverbs Lesson
Adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe, or modify, nouns or pronouns.
Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives describe the size, shape, color, or some other attribute of nouns.
Example:
Descriptive adjectives can describe a noun's purpose.
Example:
Adjectives of Origin
Descriptive adjectives can also describe a noun's origins -- where a person, place, thing, animal, or idea comes from, originated from, or lives.
Adjectives of origin are sometimes called nationality adjectives.
Example:
Korean
European
Israeli
Adjectives of origin are always capitalized.
Examples of Adjectives of Origin
British
Mexican
Canadian
Asian
Belgian
Greek
Dutch
African
Indian
Japanese
Kenyan
Alaskan
Russian
Scottish
Norwegian
Swiss
English
Chinese
French
German
Egyptian
Hawaiian
Roman
Spanish
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Adjectives can also be used to make comparisons.
Comparative adjectives compare two nouns or pronouns.
Andrea is the taller twin.
To form most short comparative adjectives, add -er to the base adjectives.
short becomes shorter
Sometimes, comparative adjectives are combined with the word, than.
Sharon is shorter than Karla.
Superlative adjectives compare more than two nouns or pronouns.
Fran is the tallest student in the whole class.
To form short superlative adjectives, add -est to the base adjectives.
short becomes shortest.
Fran is the shortest of the three sisters.
Example:
Adverbs
Adverbs are words that describe, or modify, verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
Adverbs can give more information about when something happens.
Brittany recently immigrated here from South Africa.
Adverbs can also describe the manner, or how, something happens.
Felicia anxiously waited for her report card.
Adverbs of Frequency
Some adverbs describe how frequently, or how often, something happens.
Maribel goes to the dentist annually.
Examples of Adverbs of Frequency
always
constantly
usually
regularly
often
frequently
sometimes
occasionally
never
rarely
daily
weekly
yearly
infrequently
Adverbs of Intensity
Some adverbs describe how much, or to what degree.