✏️ TOEIC Grammar Focus: Modifiers (Adjectives and Adverbs)

In Part 5, modifier questions look simple — but TOEIC uses them to catch you rushing. You’ll see four answers that look nearly the same (quick / quickly / quicker / quickest), and only one fits the sentence’s grammar and meaning.

🔹 Modifier Basics

  • Adjectives → describe nouns.
    She gave a clear explanation.

  • Adverbs → describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
    She explained the situation clearly.

TOEIC trap: pick the wrong form because you didn’t check what the blank is actually modifying.

⚠️ Common TOEIC Modifier Traps

1️⃣ Adjective vs Adverb Form

Ask: Is the word describing a thing or an action?

  • The product was easy to use. ✅ (easy = adjective)

  • They handled the situation easily. ✅ (easily = adverb)

Typical errors:

  • ❌ Customers reacted positive. → ✅ positively

  • ❌ He spoke fluent English. → ✅ fluently

2️⃣ “Fake Friend” Words

Some words look like adverbs but aren’t.

  • friendly = adjective, not adverb.
    ✅ He spoke in a friendly manner.

  • hard = works hard. hardly = barely works.
    ✅ He works hard every day.
    ❌ He works hardly every day.

  • late = after expected time. lately = recently.
    ✅ He arrived late.
    ✅ We’ve had problems lately.

3️⃣ Linking Verbs → Use Adjective

After linking verbs (be, seem, appear, feel, become), you need an adjective.

  • ✅ The report seems accurate.

  • ❌ The report seems accurately.

4️⃣ Modifier Chains

TOEIC sometimes stacks modifiers. Each position must be correct.

  • It was a very successful campaign. ✅ (successful = adjective; very = adverb modifying adjective)

  • The team responded extremely quickly. ✅ (quickly = adverb; extremely = adverb modifying adverb)

5️⃣ Comparatives and Superlatives

Look for than (comparative) or most/least (superlative).

  • The new policy is more effective than the old one. ✅ (more effective = comparative adjective)

  • She responded most effectively to the issue. ✅ (most effectively = superlative adverb)

Trap: Don’t choose “more efficiently” when the sentence needs an adjective like “efficient.”

🎯 TOEIC Strategy Checklist

  1. What does the blank modify?

    • Noun → adjective

    • Verb/adjective/adverb → adverb

  2. Check for linking verbs.

    • If yes → adjective.

  3. Look for comparison signals.

    • than, most, least → comparative/superlative.

  4. Watch for lookalike traps.

    • quick / quickly / quicker / quickest

    • high / highly / height

    • full / fully / fulfilled / fulfillment

Final Word

Modifier questions in TOEIC are fast points if you slow down for just long enough to check the role in the sentence. Function beats “what sounds right” every time.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC grammar accuracy, visit the English Library Collection and start locking in modifier precision today.

What’s the difference between an adjective and an adverb? An adjective describes a noun (e.g., a fast car), while an adverb describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb (e.g., He drives fast). How do I know when to use “quick” or “quickly”? Use “quick” to describe a noun (a quick meeting) and “quickly” to describe an action (She left quickly). Is “fast” an adjective or an adverb? It’s both. “Fast” can describe a noun (a fast runner) or how someone does something (He runs fast). Why is “friendly” wrong in ‘She spoke friendly’? “Friendly” is an adjective, not an adverb. Say: She spoke in a friendly way or She was friendly. Can you use adverbs after linking verbs? No. Linking verbs (like be, seem, look) are followed by adjectives, not adverbs. Say: She seems tired, not seems tiredly. When should I use “hard” vs. “hardly”? “Hard” means with effort (She works hard). “Hardly” means almost not (She hardly works). They are not interchangeable. What’s the difference between “late” and “lately”? “Late” refers to time (He arrived late). “Lately” means recently (I haven’t seen him lately). Is it correct to say ‘She speaks fluent English’? No. It should be: She speaks English fluently or She is fluent in English. Why is ‘He works efficient’ wrong? “Efficient” is an adjective. You need an adverb: He works efficiently. What are the most common TOEIC traps with modifiers? The test often swaps adjectives and adverbs (e.g., quick vs quickly), misuses -ly words (e.g., friendly), or hides the linking verb rule. Is ‘very’ an adjective or adverb? “Very” is an adverb. It modifies adjectives (very good) or other adverbs (very quickly). What’s wrong with ‘more faster’? It’s redundant. Use one comparative form: faster or more fast (in rare edge cases), but never both. Is ‘highly’ the same as ‘very’? Not always. “Highly” is used with specific adjectives (highly effective, highly skilled), not all adjectives. Can I say ‘more efficienter’? No. Use only one comparative: more efficient — never add “-er” to it. Is ‘costly’ an adverb or adjective? It’s an adjective. Say: a costly mistake. You cannot say He acted costly. When should I use ‘most effectively’ vs. ‘most effective’? “Most effective” is an adjective for a noun (the most effective solution). “Most effectively” is an adverb for a verb (She responded most effectively). Is it correct to say ‘She responded extreme quick’? No. You need adverbs: She responded extremely quickly. Why is ‘extremely success’ wrong? “Success” is a noun. You need an adjective: extremely successful. What’s the rule for ‘good’ vs. ‘well’? “Good” is an adjective (a good job). “Well” is usually an adverb (He performed well), except when describing health (I feel well). How can I avoid modifier mistakes on the TOEIC test? Check what the word modifies. If it’s a noun, use an adjective. If it’s a verb/adjective/adverb, use an adverb. Watch for traps like linking verbs and -ly confusion.
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