ADJECTIVES

ADJECTIVES                WHAT IS AN ADJECTIVE?

Adjectives are words that describe or modify other words. They can identify or quantify another person or thing in the sentence. Adjectives are usually positioned before the noun or the pronoun that they modify.
In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:

1. They live in a beautiful house.
2. Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today.

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Forming adjectives         Typical adjective endings

Some adjectives can be identified by their endings. Typical adjective endings include:

1. -able/-ible        understandable, capable, readable, incredible
2. -al                    mathematical, functional, influential, chemical
3. –ful                beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful
4. -ic                    artistic, manic, rustic, terrific
5. –ive                 submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive
6. -less                 sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless
7. -ous                 gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous

Sometimes when adding these endings changes have to be made. Here are some rules for forming adjectives and their exceptions:

Add	Exceptions	Word	Adjective
-al	If ending with an 'e', drop it	Nature Function	Natural Functional
-y	If ending with an 'e', drop it	Ice Oil	Icy Oily
-ful	If ending with a 'y', replace with an 'i'	Beauty Peace	Beautiful Peaceful
-ous/-ious	If ending with a 'y', drop it	Mystery Danger	Mysterious Dangerous
-ic	If ending with a 'y', drop it	History Rust	Historic Rustic

Denominal adjectives               What are denominal adjectives?

Denominal adjectives (sometimes called denominal adjectives) are adjectives derived from nouns. For example:

1. A mathematical puzzle. (a puzzle based on mathematics)
2. A biological experiment. (an experiment in biology)
3. A wooden boat. (a boat made of wood)

Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns. They commonly describe something in terms of nationality, religious affiliation, or culture. Like proper nouns, proper adjectives have their first letter capitalized. For example:

1. I married a Russian woman.
2. The Jewish community in NY is very large.

Adjectives of this type should be carefully distinguished from adjectives denoting nationalities (nominal adjectives). For example:

1. Denominal Adjective: The French people are noted for their wines.
2. Nominal Adjective: The French are noted for their wines.

1. Denominal Adjective: The poor people are more vulnerable.
2. Nominal Adjective: The poor are getting poorer.

Examples of denominal adjectives

1. A mathematical puzzle.
2. A biological experiment.
3. A wooden boat.
4. I married an American woman.
5. The Jewish community in NY is very big.
6. Mary has a collection of expensive Russian dolls.
7. In the winter you must wear heavy woolen clothes.
8. The polar bear is listed as threatened.

Comparing adjectives              Forming comparative adjectives

As well as serving as modifying words like beautiful and big, adjectives are also used for indicating the position on a scale of comparison. The lowest point on the scale is known as the absolute form, the middle point is known as the comparative form, and the highest point is known as the superlative form. Here are some examples:

Absolute	Comparative	Superlative
This book is long.	This book is longer than that book.	This is the longest book.
The airport is far.	The airport is farther than the train station.	This is the farthest airport.
My mom is a good cook.	My mom is a better cook than your mom.	My mom is the best cook.

 

 

Compound adjectives               What are compound adjectives?

A compound adjective is formed when two or more adjectives are joined together to modify the same noun. These terms should be hyphenated to avoid confusion or ambiguity. For example:

1. Diana submitted a 6-page document.
2. She adopted a two-year-old cat.

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Order of adjectives                  How to order adjectives in English

In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific order. Generally, the adjective order in English is:

1. Quantity or number                 Quality or opinion
2. Size                 Age                 Shape              Color
3. Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
4. Purpose or qualifier

For example:

1. I love that really big old green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
2. My sister adopted a beautiful big white bulldog.

When there are two or more adjectives that are from the same group, the word and is placed between the two adjectives:

1. The house is green and red.
2. The library has old and new books.

When there are three or more adjectives from the same adjective group, place a comma between each of the coordinate adjectives:

1. We live in the big green, white and red house at the end of the street.
2. My friend lost a red, black and white watch.

A comma is not placed between an adjective and the noun.

Common mistakes

• much / many                a little / a few              some / any       some / many   
• little / less        a little / a lot                few / little        fewer / less      farther / further
• later / latter      last / latter      

Typical adjective endings

1. They live in a beautiful house.
2. Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today. This soup is not edible.
3. She wore a beautiful dress.
4. He writes meaningless letters.
5. This shop is much nicer.
6. She wore a beautiful dress.
7. Ben is an adorable baby.
8. Linda's hair is gorgeous.
9. This glass is breakable.
10. I met a homeless person in NY.

Adjective exercises                   much vs many

Decide whether you have to use much or many:

1. We saw _____ animals at the zoo.
2. How _____ oranges did you put in the box?
3. There isn't _____ sugar in my coffee.
4. I don't have ______ friends.
5. The old man hasn't got _____ hair on his head.
6. I've packed _____ bottles of water.
7. I didn't get _____ sleep last night.
8. How _____ fruit do you eat in an average day?

Answers:

1. Many               many   much  many  much    many     much                much

-ous/-ious	If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it	Mystery Danger	Mysterious Dangerous
-ic	If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it	History Rust	Historic Rustic