Transcript (good, well). - Teacher Pages

Using Modifiers Correctly
What Is a Modifier?
• Modifier – makes the meaning of a word or word
group more specific.
– Adjective modifies nouns and pronouns
– Adverb modifies verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs
Adjective: My, that was a quick flight.
Adverb: The flight arrived quickly.
– TIP: If it’s a PA, use the adjective form. If it modifies the
verb, use the adverb form.
Trivia Question!
Did you do good on your exam?
Did you do well on your exam?
GOOD
WELL
Good & Well
• “Good” is an adjective.
• Use “well” to modify a verb.
TIP: “Well” can mean “in good health” or “satisfactory”
TIP: Use “good” to mean “happy”
Examples
 Alicia Keys plays the piano very (good, well).
 Her SAT results were (good, well).
 Raeshaun ate too much and isn’t feeling (good, well) today.
 I felt (good, well) when I won the trophy.
Comparison of Modifiers
• When comparing things, adjectives and adverbs take
different forms.
• The type of form used depends on:
A) How many syllables the modifier has
B) How many things are being compared.
Examples
That garden is
That garden is
That is the
.
than hers.
garden on the block.
Three Types of Modifiers
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
Old
Older
Oldest
Hot
Hotter
Hottest
Quick
Quicker
Quickest
Most one-syllable modifiers use “-er” and
“-est” to make comparative and
superlative forms.
Three Types of Modifiers
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
happy
happier
happiest
thankful
more thankful
most thankful
cheerful
more cheerful
most cheerful
Two-syllable modifiers use “-er” or “more”
to make the comparative form and “-est”
or “most” to make the superlative form.
Three Types of Modifiers
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
beautiful
more beautiful
most beautiful
eagerly
more eagerly
most eagerly
skillfully
more skillfully
most skillfully
Three-syllable modifiers use “more” to
make the comparative form and “most” to
make the superlative form.
Three Types of Modifiers
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
colorful
less colorful
least colorful
proud
less proud
least proud
smoothly
less smoothly
least smoothly
To show decreasing comparisons, all
modifiers form their comparative and
superlative degrees with “less” and
“least.”
Irregular Comparison
Positive
Comparative
Superlative
bad
worse
worst
well/good
better
best
many/much
more
most
Some modifiers do not form their
comparative and superlative degrees using
the usual methods.
Comparative & Superlative
• Use comparative when comparing two things
• Use superlative when comparing more than two.
Examples
• This piece of wood is (lighter, lightest) than that one.
• Of the three contestants, which one sings (better, best)?
• The North Star is the (brighter, brightest) star in the sky.
• Of the canary or the parakeet, which bird sings
(more sweetly, most sweetly)?
Some More Tips
• Use “other” and “else” when comparing a member
of the group with the rest of the group
– WRONG: Chang can run faster than anyone on the team.
– RIGHT: Chang can faster than anyone else on the team.
• Avoid double comparisons
– WRONG: Houston, Texas, is more larger than Dallas.
– RIGHT: Houston, Texas, is larger than Dallas.
The Double Negative
• The use of TWO negative words to express ONE
negative idea
– WRONG: We don’t have no chores left to do.
– RIGHT: We don’t have any chores left to do.
– RIGHT: We have no chores left to do.
– WRONG: He couldn’t scarcely believe it.
– RIGHT: He could scarcely believe it.
– RIGHT: He couldn’t believe it.
DON’T USE DOUBLE NEGATIVES!
Placement of Modifiers
• Place modifying words, phrases, and clauses as near
as possible to the words they modify.
– The astronaut showed pictures of his last flight in outer
space.
– The astronaut in outer space showed pictures of his last
flight.
– The astronaut showed pictures in outer space of his last
flight.
NOTE: Problems usually occur with
prepositional phrases , participal
phrases, and clauses.
Placement of Modifiers
– seems to modify the wrong
word.
– MISPLACED: Dad filmed the baby taking his first steps
with his video camera.
– CLEAR: With his video camera, Dad filmed the baby
taking his first steps.
– does not clearly modify
another word or word group in a sentence
– DANGLING: Dancing all night at the party, my feet were
sore.
– CLEAR: Dancing all night at the party, I got sore feet.
Placement of Modifiers
Ding Ding Ding! You are the
winner!
"Well" Is Correct!
Oooh…better luck next time 
“Good” is incorrect.