Adjectives

What are adjectives?

Adjectives tell us something about a person or a thing.

What do adjectives modify?

Adjectives can modify nouns or pronouns/names. person Mandy is a careful girl. She is careful. Mandy is careful. thing This is a nice car. It is nice.

Where do adjectives go?

An adjective can be put before the noun). Then it is an attribute. person Mandy is a careful girl. person The girl is careful. thing This is a nice car. thing This car is nice.

An adjective can be put after the verb to be (is). Then it is part of the predicate.

Adjectives can go after the following verbs: appear, become, feel, get, go, keep, turn. When we speak about what something looks like, smells, sounds and tastes - we use the adjective. Mind the difference between adjective and adverb. I feel great. She looks good. It seems impossible. The steak smells fantastic.

Can adjectives be used without nouns?

Yes, adjectives can be used without nouns. Mind the definite article "the": the rich = rich people Here is an example from the fairy tale "Cinderella": The good must be put in the dish, The bad you may eat if you wish. Here is another example with nationalities in the plural: The Scottish live in the North of the United Kingdom.

Can two or more adjectives used together?

Yes, if you use more adjectives you can put them in front of the noun: a fat old cat or you can put them after the verb (eg. to be). Then and is placed between the last two adjectives. It was cold, wet and windy.

Adjectives, ending in -ing and -ed

There are adjectives ending in -ing and -ed. These are participle constructions, used like adjectives. Here are some examples: A) Here the adjective is put before the noun: Yesterday I read an amusing story in a magazine. Doris has a boring job. We watched the group of excited people. B) Here the adjective is put after the verb: I was not at all amused by the dicussion. Children get bored very quickly. The end of the film was really exciting for me.

Comparison of Adjectives
There are three forms of comparison: - positive - comparative - superlative

A - Comparison with -er/-est

clean - cleaner - (the) cleanest We use -er/-est with the following adjectives: 1) Adjectives with one syllable positive clean new cheap comparative cleaner newer cheaper superlative cleanest newest cheapest

2) Adjectives with two syllables and the following endings: 2 - 1) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -y positive dirty easy happy pretty positive clever positive simple positive narrow comparative dirtier easier happier prettier comparative cleverer comparative simpler comparative narrower superlative dirtiest easiest happiest prettiest superlative cleverest superlative simplest superlative narrowest

2 - 2) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -er

2 - 3) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -le

2 - 4) Adjectives with two syllables, ending in -ow

3) Spelling of the adjectives using the endings -er/-est positive large big sad dirty shy comparative larger bigger sadder dirtier shyer superlative largest biggest saddest dirtiest shyest comment leave out the silent -e Double the consonant after short vowel Change -y to -i (consonant before -y) Here -y is not changed to -i. (although consonant before -y)

B - Comparison with more - most

positive difficult comparative more difficult superlative (the) most difficult

all adjectives with more than one syllable (except some adjectives with two syllables - see 2 - 1 to 2 - 4)

C - Irregular adjectives
positive good bad much many little little comparative better worse more more less smaller superlative best worst most most least smallest uncountable nouns countable nouns comment

D - Special adjectives
Some adjectives have two possible forms of comparison (-er/est and more/most). positive clever common likely pleasant polite quiet simple stupid subtle sure comparative cleverer / more clever commoner / more common likelier / more likely pleasanter / more pleasant politer / more polite quieter / more quiet simpler / more simple stupider / more stupid subtler / more subtle surer / more sure superlative cleverest / most clever commonest / most common likeliest / most likely pleasantest / most pleasant politest / most polite quietest / most quiet simplest / most simple stupidest / most stupid subtlest / most subtle surest / most sure

E - Difference in meaning with adjectives:

positive comparative farther far further later late latter x old older elder nearer x superlative farthest furthest latest x last oldest eldest nearest next people and things people (family) distance order comment distance distance or time

near