Chapter 4Chapter 4Chapter 4Chapter 4

AdjectivesAdjectives

Adjectives• What are adjectives?• Adjectives are words which describe

the quality of a noun or pronoun.• Guys with slow cars want faster ones.• Adjectives tell us what kind of:• What kind of test is it going to be?• Is it a hard one or an easy one?• What is it like?• Adjectives are invariables, i.e, they do

not change whether the noun they qualify is singular or plural. (an) intelligent boy(s).

Formation of adjectives• Most of the commonest adjectives have no

particular form or ending• E.g. right, wrong, nice, tall, black, etc.• But there are however a number of suffixes that

are used with adjectives.• Suffix: -y• Meaning: having the look or quality of.• Examples: air-airy, rubber-rubbery, dirt-dirty.• Suffix:-ly• Meaning: it is added to nouns to denote some

kinds of people to form adjectives with the meaning having the qualities of.

• Examples: brother-brotherly coward-cowardly

Formation of adjectives• Suffix: -like• Meaning: it is added to some nouns to form

adjectives with the meaning looking or having like:• Examples: child-childlike, life-lifelike, god-godlike.• Suffix: -ish • Meaning: A. added to nouns denoting some kinds

of people to form adjectives with the meaning looking or behaving as badly as.

• B. added to names of nationalities to describe the people or their languages.

• C. added to adjectives which describe color to form other adjectives with the meaning having this quality more or less

• Examples: A. child-childish B. Britain-British, C. red-reddish

Formation of adjectives• Suffix: -ful• Meaning: this suffix is added to nouns to

form adjectives with the meaning having the quality of or full of.

• Examples faith-faithful, joy-joyful shame-shameful.

• Suffix: -less• Meaning: this suffix is added to nouns to

form adjectives with the meaning not having the quality of.

• Examples: meaning-meaningless, use-useless, point-poinless.

Formation of adjectives• Suffix:-able,/-ible• Meaning these suffixes form adjectives with the

meaning which is able to do this or this quality• Examples: accept-acceptable, convert-convertible• Suffix: -ed• Meaning this suffix is added to nouns to form

adjectives with the meaning having or possessing.• Example: bad-tempered, cross-eyed, open-

hearted.• Suffix:-ese• Meaning: this suffix is added to names of countries

to form adjectives which describe the people or their language.

• Example: China-Chinese

Formation of adjectives• Suffix: -(i)anSuffix: -(i)an• Meaning: Meaning: this suffix is added to the names of

countries to form adjectives which describe nationalities or their language:

• Example: Example: Victoria- Victorian, Republic-Republican

• Suffix: -ive• Meaning: This suffix is used to make adjectives

from verbs. The resulting adjective usually means which performs the action of the verb.

• Example: attract-attractive, explode-explosive.

Notes on adjectives• 1. Most of the other suffixes which you will meet 1. Most of the other suffixes which you will meet

form adjectives to describe things in the world of form adjectives to describe things in the world of intellectual activity, science, technology, and intellectual activity, science, technology, and medicine:medicine:

• Ist: socialism- socialist; -al: cime-criminal; ic: Ist: socialism- socialist; -al: cime-criminal; ic: science-scientist ic: science-scientific or: satisfy-science-scientist ic: science-scientific or: satisfy-satisfactory; ical: geography-geographical; ent: satisfactory; ical: geography-geographical; ent: depend-dependent.depend-dependent.

• 2. There are a number of cases where a common 2. There are a number of cases where a common everyday noun has a corresponding scientific everyday noun has a corresponding scientific adjective. For example, the adjective sunny has a adjective. For example, the adjective sunny has a scientific adjective which is solar ( as in solar scientific adjective which is solar ( as in solar system)system)

Position of AdjectivesPosition of Adjectives Adjectives may be used attributively, i.e. they

usually come before the noun or the pronoun one(s); or predicatively, i.e. they are separated from the noun, usually following a verb like be, seem, look, or constructions on the pattern MAKE ME ANGRY.

Attributive AttributiveA. The adjective comes before the noun e.g. The serious rabbit and the handsome stranger.B. The adjective comes immediately after the

pronoun somebody, something, somewhere, anyone, or everyone.

e.g. I feel that something terrible is going to happen.Are you going anywhere interesting tonight?C. The adjective follows the noun in a few fixed

expressions , mostly to do with important positions or the law

e.g. a cort martial the Postmater General the Secretery General the Prince Regent

D

• D. The adjectives involved, concerned and present

• A. After a nounA. After a noun• E.g. I want to the students involved..• The people concerned are waiting outside.The people concerned are waiting outside.• B. before the nounB. before the noun• E.g.an involved explanation• A concerned expression on her face.• The present situation.

PredicativePredicative• A. The adjective is used after a verbA. The adjective is used after a verb• E.g. He is poor and I am rich.• You look tired.• The milk turned sour in the hot weather.• B. In constructions on the pattern MAKE ME B. In constructions on the pattern MAKE ME

ANGRY:ANGRY:• E.g. You make me very angry.• I consider her brilliant.• I found it quite exciting. . • B. In constructions on the pattern ACTION VERB + B. In constructions on the pattern ACTION VERB +

ADJECTIVE DESCRIBING RESULT:ADJECTIVE DESCRIBING RESULT:• Please don’t tie knot too tight.• Would you hold the door open for me please.• He tried to escape so they shot him dead.

Predicative• In constructions on the pattern DRINK IT COLD:In constructions on the pattern DRINK IT COLD:• E.g. I always drink milk cold• I prefer to buy my clothes second-hand.• I eat some vegetables raw

Adjectives which can be used only Adjectives which can be used only predicativelypredicatively

• These adjectives are usually on the patternThese adjectives are usually on the pattern

• A number of these adjectives refer to A number of these adjectives refer to temporary conditions, i.e., to something temporary conditions, i.e., to something which is true only for a short time, such as:which is true only for a short time, such as:

• Ill well unwell faintIll well unwell faint• You don’t look very well.You don’t look very well.• Other predicative adjectives are: glad Other predicative adjectives are: glad

content, far, upset, afraid, alert, alike, alivecontent, far, upset, afraid, alert, alike, alive

NOUN PRONOUN

LOOK, FEEL, BE, APPEAR,

SEEM, ETC.

PREDICATIVE ADJECTIVE

Adjectives which can be used only Adjectives which can be used only attributivelyattributively

1. e.g. I am so glad the you ere able to come.

She is upset because she cant go out tonight.

Thank God you are still alive.

Adjectives which can be used only Adjectives which can be used only attributivelyattributively

A.A. Inner outer former lateInner outer former lateThe former Principal of the College.The former Principal of the College.The late President KennedyThe late President Kennedy

B. Meer sheer utter, You are a mere childB. Meer sheer utter, You are a mere childIt is a sheer waste of time and money.It is a sheer waste of time and money.

C. Adjectives which have an adverbial C. Adjectives which have an adverbial meaningmeaning

A heavy smoker , An old friendA heavy smoker , An old friend

D. Certain particular main chief sole only D. Certain particular main chief sole only principalprincipal

She has a certain charm. The chief aim of She has a certain charm. The chief aim of the planthe plan

Order of adjectivesOrder of adjectives.1. order of adjectives in relation to .1. order of adjectives in relation to

determiners, etc.determiners, etc.

determiners ordinals

quantifier

s

adjectives

np

Both The Last Few Noun phras

e

All This\these

Next Lot of

half That\those

Other Little

My etc.

First 1,2,3

second

Order of adjectivesOrder of adjectives

1. 1. ExamplesExamplesA beautiful old red London busA beautiful old red London busAll those enormous circular wodden tablesAll those enormous circular wodden tablesThe last few original Victorian iron bridges.The last few original Victorian iron bridges.

value Size Agel temperatu

re

shape

color origin

Material

nice small Oldl cold

round red French

iron

NotesNotes1.1. Noun phrases include compound nouns Noun phrases include compound nouns

like frying panlike frying pan

2. Certain verb forms may be put in 2. Certain verb forms may be put in immediately before adjectives which immediately before adjectives which describe origin or materialdescribe origin or material

e.g. a painted ceramic tile.e.g. a painted ceramic tile.A growing French problemA growing French problem

3.Little is often used as a sort of diminutive3.Little is often used as a sort of diminutiveA pretty little houseA pretty little house

TheThe

NotesNotes6.When you have two value adjectives 6.When you have two value adjectives

coming together , the order usually doesn’t coming together , the order usually doesn’t mattermatter

e.g. a beautiful, intelligent woman.e.g. a beautiful, intelligent woman.

A comma is used in the following cases:A comma is used in the following cases:a.a.With color adjectives: a blue and red striped With color adjectives: a blue and red striped

tietie

b.b.With adjectives used predicatively:With adjectives used predicatively:I am tired and hungry.I am tired and hungry.

c. As a special effect to give equal importance c. As a special effect to give equal importance to each adjective: He is young, handsome to each adjective: He is young, handsome and romantic.and romantic.

NotesNotes• 5. The word pretty is both 5. The word pretty is both

adjective and adverbadjective and adverb• E.g. She is a pretty clever E.g. She is a pretty clever

student.student.