Fill in the blanks below with the proper form of an adjective or an adverb. Just type in the one word not the complete sentence. Choose between the word in parentheses. If you wish to check your answers as you work, scroll down to the bottom of the page but remember if you have not filled out all the answers, the computer will not have your correct score--don't worry about that until the end. Try for 100%. The computer will blank out your errors so you know which answers are wrong.


She is a worker. (careful, carefully)

The man walks very . (slow, slowly)


RULE: Adjective modify (talk about) NOUNS. (A noun is the name of a person, place or thing.)

RULE: Adverbs modify VERBS, or ADJECTIVES, or other ADVERBS.


They are moving very . (rapid, rapidly) (This word talks about the VERB, 'moving.')

The animal paced in its cage in the zoo. (handsome, handsomely) This word talks about the NOUN, 'animal.')


HINT: Don't let other words confuse. Check to see what word the adjective or adverb is talking about. In the next sentence, the word in parentheses is talking about 'appointed' NOT 'admiral.'


The appointed admiral sailed his ship out of the harbor. (new, newly)

HINT: When you have the 'to be' verb (am, is, are, was, were) the word normally talks about the SUBJECT of the sentence which is a noun and requires an adjective.

The cushion on the couch is very . (soft, softly)

He hit the ball very . (soft, softly)

She was not very with her choice. (happy, happily)

Mary is a student who always does her work on time. (serious, seriously)

Pete was petting the cat. (beautiful, beautifully)


HINT: There are a few words which are spelled the same whether they are used as adjective OR adverbs. Words such as 'fast' 'hard' 'late' and 'low' are either adverbs or adjectives without any changes.


Adam is working very in his new position. (hard, hardly)

Adam is a worker. (hard, hardly)

Pete plays golf very . (fast, fastly)

She is a typist when she is feeling well. (fast, fastly)

HINT: MANY but NOT ALL adverbs are made by adding an 'ly' to the adjective form. For example: 'soft' changes to 'softly'
'beautiful' changes to 'beautifully.' Some add 'ly' but if they end in a 'y' we must change the 'y' to an 'i' to make an adverb.
For example: 'busy' changes to 'busily' or 'easy' changes to 'easily.'

He finished the task quite . (easy, easily)

That was a very job you gave me to do. (easy, easily)


RULE: The word, 'WELL,' is usually used as an ADVERB, and the word 'GOOD,' is used as an adjective and modifies a noun. 'Well' is used as an adjective when we talk about 'health.' For example, we would say, 'Jeff was sick yesterday, but he is well now.'


He has a very dog. (good, well)

He worked very on that project yesterday. (good, well)

This new computer processes quite . (good, well)

This new computer helps me do work. (good, well)


Just PRACTICE a few more of all types now. Remember to decide what word is being talked about and see if it is a noun or a verb.

The girl refused to go to the dance with John. (pretty, prettily)

She danced with John's brother instead. (beautiful, beautifully)

My cat jumped down from the couch. (graceful, gracefully)

My old cat jumped down from the couch. (graceful, gracefully)

She was an partner in his crime. (evil, evilly