IELTS & PTE lesson · Grammar

IELTS & PTE Adjectives Grammar notesAdjective or adverb?

Match each word to what it describes. This IELTS & PTE lesson is a deck of 9 visual cards from BandLadder's own study library, written and fact-checked by our team.
  • 9 cards
  • Free to read online
  • PDF with any plan
  • Updated 30 September 2026

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What's inside

Along the way you get worked examples with the key words marked, before-and-after fixes that show why the first version loses marks, a one-page visual summary, a quick check to test yourself and a recap of the rules to remember. Each card holds one idea, so you can read it on a phone between practice sessions.

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The first 3 of 9 cards

Preview

  1. IELTS · PTEGrammar · Adjectives

    Right word, wrong job

    one small ending decides it

    Most modifier slips are not wrong words. They are right words doing the wrong job.

    Rents rose dramaticneeds an adverb in 2024. The sharplyneeds an adjective increase created a problem seriousadjective goes first for many families.

    Band 7 (Writing): “error-free sentences are frequent.”

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material1 / 9
  2. IELTS · PTEGrammar · Adjectives

    Which one do I need?

    ask what the word describes

    1. 1Does the word describe a noun?
      • yes: a sharp riseadjective
      ↓ no: something else
    2. 2So what does it describe instead?
      • a verb: rose sharplyadverb
      • an adjective: fairly steadyadverb
      • a clause: Sadly, rents roseadverb

    Even after be, seem or remain, the adjective describes the subject: the rise was sharp.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material2 / 9
  3. IELTS · PTEGrammar · Adjectives

    Adjective to adverb

    the usual patterns

    AdjectiveAdverbPattern
    sharpsharplyadd -ly
    steadysteadilyy becomes -ily
    considerableconsiderably-le becomes -ly
    dramaticdramaticallyadd -ally
    goodwellan odd one out
    fastfastsame word
    hardhardhardly = barely

    Not every -ly word is an adverb: costly and friendly are adjectives.

    © 2026 BandLadder · original material3 / 9
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9 cards

Contents

  1. 1Right word, wrong jobone small ending decides itIn the preview
  2. 2Which one do I need?ask what the word describesIn the preview
  3. 3Adjective to adverbthe usual patternsIn the preview
  4. 4Turn the volume up or downmodifiers that describe adjectivesFree account
  5. 5In a Task 1 paragrapheach modifier has one jobFree account
  6. 6In a PTE gapthe slot decides the word classFree account
  7. 7Fix the order and the wordone rule behind each fixFree account
  8. 8Your turnadjective or adverb?Free account
  9. 9Save thisthe modifier checklistFree account

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The PDF download comes with any BandLadder plan. Free accounts read the lesson online in the study reader, on the web and in the app.

Who wrote this lesson?+

The BandLadder team wrote and checked it. It is original BandLadder material, not copied from books or other websites, and its exam facts are checked against the official IELTS and PTE pages.

Is it for IELTS or PTE?+

Both. The lesson is in the IELTS and the PTE study library, so it opens whichever exam you prepare for.

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia. PTE is a trademark of Pearson. BandLadder is not affiliated with either.

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

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