Adjectives & Adverbs for SSC CGL
Complete Grammar Guide
1. What is an Adjective?
An adjective qualifies a noun or pronoun.
Example: a beautiful girl, an honest man, the big house
Types (Exam Focus):
| Type | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | Describes quality | beautiful, tall, honest |
| Quantitative | Shows quantity | some, much, little |
| Numeral | Shows number | first, two, several |
| Demonstrative | Points out | this, that, these, those |
| Possessive | Shows possession | my, your, his, her |
2. What is an Adverb?
An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
Example: He runs quickly. She is very smart.
Types (Exam Focus):
| Type | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Manner | How action is done | quickly, slowly |
| Place | Where action happens | here, there |
| Time | When action happens | now, yesterday |
| Frequency | How often action happens | always, often |
| Degree/Quantity | Intensity or quantity | very, quite, almost |
3. Degree of Comparison (Adjectives & Adverbs)
Positive Degree
tall, good
Comparative Degree
taller, better
Superlative Degree
tallest, best
Ravi is taller than Mohan.
Ravi is the tallest boy in the class.
Special Irregular Words (SSC favourite):
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| Good | better | best |
| Bad | worse | worst |
| Little | less | least |
| Much/Many | more | most |
| Far | farther/further | farthest/furthest |
4. Placement Rules
Adjectives Placement
- Normally before the noun: a red car
- After verbs like be, seem, look, appear: She is beautiful
- Order of multiple adjectives:
- Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Colour → Origin → Material → Purpose
- A beautiful big old round red Italian wooden dining table
Adverbs Placement
- Usually after the verb: He runs fast
- Adverbs of frequency (always, often, rarely) come before main verb but
after "to be"
- She always helps me
- He is always late
- Adverbs of degree (very, too, quite) come before adjectives/adverbs
- She is very intelligent
- He runs quite quickly
5. Common SSC Errors
Error 1 – Double Comparative/Superlative
This is more better than that
This is better than that
Error 2 – Confusion with "elder/older"
- Elder → for persons in family only
- Older → for persons/things
My elder brother
This building is older than that one
Error 3 – Each/Either/Neither is Singular
Each boy has done his work
Each boy have done their work
Error 4 – Wrong Use of "Less/Fewer"
- Less → uncountable
- Fewer → countable
Fewer students, less water
Error 5 – Wrong Use of "Very/Much"
- Very before adjectives/adverbs
- Much before past participles
She is very beautiful
He is much worried
6. SSC CGL Previous Year Questions
Q1. She is ___ than any other girl in the class.
Options: (a) beautiful (b) more beautiful (c) most beautiful (d) the more beautiful
Answer: (b) more beautiful
Q2. He is my ___ brother.
Options: (a) older (b) elder (c) eldest (d) old
Answer: (b) elder
Q3. This is the ___ of the two options.
Options: (a) good (b) better (c) best (d) most good
Answer: (b) better
7. Quick Recap
- Adjectives qualify nouns; Adverbs qualify verbs/adjectives/adverbs
- Watch degree rules (no double comparatives)
- Placement rules are SSC traps (frequency adverbs, very/much, elder/older)
- Common confusion words: less/fewer, elder/older, much/very
8. Practice Questions
(Attempt yourself – answers hidden below)
Q1. He is the ___ of the two brothers.
Q2. She sings ___ than her sister.
Q3. The jury was divided in two ___ opinions.
Q4. This book is ___ useful than that.
Q5. My uncle is ___ than my father.
Click for Answers
1. elder
2. better
3. different
4. more
5. older
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