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( 3) ADJECTIVES
An adjective is a word that tells us something about a noun, that is, about a person, an animal, a thing or a place.
For example:
She is a pretty girl.
A giraffe has a long neck.
The table is round.
That is an old temple.
There are various kinds of adjectives:
1. An adjective which tells us about the quality of the noun.
For example: the blue sky, a big house, a square table, a cold morning.
2. An adjective which tells us about the quatity of the noun.
For example: The zoo has many animals.
The pen has not much ink left.
3. An adjective which tells us about the ownership of the noun.
For example: That is my dog.
Those are their bicycles.
4. An adjective which poses question in an ‘interrogative’ manner.
For example: Which school do you go to?
Whose car is this?
5. An adjective which specifies a noun.
For example: This boy is a member of the club.
That girl is my sister.
¨ Adjectives which end in ‘-ing’, e.g. an interesting film, an amazing player, an annoying habit,
¨ Adjectives which end in ‘-ed, e.g. the damaged goods, the escaped prisoners, improved version,
Forming adjectives
| Adding ‘y’.Drop ‘e’. |
Add ‘ful’.* Change ‘y’ to ‘i’. |
Add ‘ous’ or ‘ious’. *Drop ‘y’. |
Add ‘less’. |
| anger |
care |
mountain |
aim |
| ease* |
doubt |
danger |
end |
| greed |
peace |
industry |
harm |
| ice* |
beauty* |
mystery* |
sense |
| oil |
pity* |
glory* |
use |
| Add ‘al’. * Drop ‘e’. |
Add ‘able’. |
Add ‘ic’.*Drop ‘y’. |
Add ‘ive’. |
| music |
accept |
acrobat |
attract |
| nation |
comfort |
artist |
effect |
| person |
enjoy |
photograph |
act |
| nature* |
fashion |
sympathy* |
instruct |
| agriculture* |
respect |
robot |
progress |
Adjectives can be formed from Nouns.
| Noun |
Adjective |
| accident |
accidental |
| danger |
dangerous |
| length |
long |
| star |
starry |
| wind |
windy |
Adjectives can be formed from Verbs.
| Verb |
Adjective |
| enjoy |
enjoyable |
| help |
helpful |
| obey |
obedient |
| play |
playful |
| talk |
talkative |
Adjectives can be formed from Adjectives.
| Adjective |
Adjective |
| comic |
comical |
| correct |
corrective |
| elder |
elderly |
| red |
reddish |
| sick |
sickly |
Comparison of adjectives
· We use the Positive degree to compare two equal nouns. For example: His house is as big as my house.
· We use the Comparative degree to compare two unequal nouns. For example: His house is bigger than my house.
· We use the Superlative degree to compare three or more Nouns. For example: His house is the biggest in the neighbourhood.
| Positive |
Comparative |
Superlative |
| bold |
bolder |
boldest |
| deep |
deeper |
deepest |
| near |
nearer |
nearest |
| rich |
richer |
richest |
| tall |
taller |
tallest |
| Positive |
Comparative |
Superlative |
| careful |
more careful |
most careful |
| enjoyable |
more enjoyable |
most enjoyable |
| forgetful |
more forgetful |
most forgetful |
| useful |
more useful |
most useful |
| wonderful |
more wonderful |
most wonderful |
| Positive |
Comparative |
Superlative |
| bad |
worse |
worst |
| good |
better |
best |
| little |
less |
least |
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