Adjectives and adverbs

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An adjective describes a noun or follows a linking verb: a quiet room; the room is quiet. An adverb can describe how an action happens: speak quietly. Many manner adverbs add ly, but some keep a different form: good/well and fast/fast.

Try the three exercise formats

Examples to compare

  • He is a careful driver.
  • He drives carefully.
  • The plan sounds good.

Watch the meaning and the limits

Do not automatically add ly to every adjective. Hard and hardly have very different meanings. After a linking verb such as seem, an adjective can describe the subject: she seems calm. Ask which word is being described before choosing a form.

Read each example aloud, then change one detail to make a sentence you could use. Continue with focused practice when you want a different set.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Mistake: She speaks clear.

Use: She speaks clearly.

Clearly describes how she speaks; clear describes a noun or a subject after a linking verb.

Try the pattern

3 choose questions · 2 sentence completions · 2 word gaps. Read the reason after every answer. No timer.

Typed answers stay on this page. This guided set checks the requested construction; it does not judge general writing. Read the accepted answers and reasons.

Use it in your own sentence

Write one sentence about your own routine or situation. Check the subject, verb form and intended meaning against the rule above. A different sentence may need a different form: these exercises accept the reviewed answers for their stated context.

Try the next practice set, or choose another grammar point.

All drill answers and reasons

  1. She spoke ___ so we could hear every word.

    Choices: clearly / clear / clearness

    Accepted: clearly

    Clearly describes how she spoke.

  2. The instructions are ___.

    Choices: clear / clearly / clearness

    Accepted: clear

    Clear describes the instructions after are.

  3. He plays the piano ___. Use the adverb of good.

    Choices: well / good / goodly

    Accepted: well

    Well is the usual manner adverb corresponding to good.

  4. Complete with drive and the manner adverb from careful: They ___ . Use present simple.

    Accepted: drive carefully

    Carefully describes how they drive.

  5. Complete using sound and the adjective good: The plan ___ . Use present simple.

    Accepted: sounds good

    After the linking verb sounds, good describes the plan.

  6. He plays very ___. Use the manner adverb of good.

    Accepted: well

    The manner adverb corresponding to good is well.

  7. She seems ___. Use calm in the correct form.

    Accepted: calm

    After linking-verb seems, the adjective calm describes she.

Practice questions

How do the three exercise formats work?

Choose asks you to pick an answer. Complete the sentence asks you to type the missing phrase. Fill in the word asks for one word, or no article where stated. Every checked answer includes a reason.

Which typed answers are accepted?

Use the form and meaning requested in the prompt. Reviewed alternatives and contractions are accepted where they fit. Capital letters, surrounding spaces, straight or curly apostrophes and a final full stop, question mark or exclamation mark do not affect marking. The answer reference lists the accepted forms.

Are my typed answers sent or saved?

Typed answers stay on this page in your browser. They are not sent to the server or saved. If device progress is available, completing a set records only the activity and study points on this device.

Can this check my own writing or certify my level?

No. This is a small guided set with reviewed answers, not a general grammar checker or a level certificate. An unlisted answer does not mean it is always wrong in English. Read the prompt and the explanation for this construction.

Further reference: Cambridge English Grammar Today. The explanations, examples and exercises here are original; each lesson covers a useful pattern rather than every exception.