ADJECTIVES

1. Kinds of Adjectives
2. Comparison of Adjectives
3. Forming Adjectives
4. Correct Usage of Adjectives

Adjectives are words which tell us something about nouns, that is about a person, an animal, a
thing or a place. They usually come before the nouns they describe. But sometimes they come
after the nouns.
His hands and legs are thin.
Everyone knows a giraffe has a long neck.
None of my tables is round.
My old car didn't have air conditioning.
The words 'thin', 'long', 'round' and 'old' tell us something about the nouns: hands and legs, giraffe,
table and car. These words called adjectives tell us about their size, shape and condition. An
adjective is therefore a word added to a noun to describe it so that we know more about the
noun.

Some words can be both adjectives and adverbs as follow: early, fast, andlate. It is important to
distinguish how they are used.
We arrived a little early for lunch. (Adjective)
We arrived early so we still had time before lunch. (Adverb)
You are a fast driver these days. (Adjective)
You drive fast these days. (Adverb)
I overslept and so I was late. (Adjective)
I overslept and so I got up late. (Adverb)
1. Kinds of Adjectives
An adjective that tells us about the quality of the noun. Known asDescriptive
Adjective or Adjective of Quality, it tells us about the colour, shape, size or condition of a
noun.

Example: a white dog, the blue sky, a round table, a square box, a bighouse, a tall tree,
a cold morning, an old lorry.

An adjective that tells us about the quantity of the noun. This adjective is called
an Adjective of Quantity. An adjective of quantity tells us the quantity or amount, and
that is 'how many' or 'how much'.

Example: I have eaten three apples. / I don't have much money. / The pen has not much ink
left. / She has many friends. / The zoo has many animals.

An adjective that tells us about the ownership of the noun. This adjective is called
a Possessive Adjective. A possessive adjective shows ownership or possession. It tells us
that something belongs to a person or thing.

Example: That is your cat. / This is my dog. / Is that their house? / Those are our bicycles.

An adjective which poses questions in an 'interrogative' manner. It is called

an Interrogative Adjective. Like most adjectives, an interrogative adjective comes before
a noun.

Example: Which monkey bit you? / Which school do you go to? / What colour is your new
car? / Whose cap is this?
In the example, "which", "what" and "whose" come before the nouns "monkey", "school", "colour"
and "cap" respectively. They tell about the nouns and so "which", "what" and "whose"
are adjectives.

An adjective which specifies a noun. Called a Demonstrative Adjective, it is one that

points out a fact about a person or thing.

Example: This puppy is mine. / This boy is a member of the club. / Thatpiglet is
yours./ That woman is not my wife. / These spiders have long legs. /Those faces are beautiful.
In the example, "this", "that", "these" and "those" come before the nouns "puppy", "boy", "piglet",
"woman", "spiders" and "faces". They tell something about the nouns and so are adjectives.

Adjectives which end in '-ing', e.g. an interesting film, an amazingplayer,

an annoying habit,

Adjectives which end in '-ed', e.g. the damaged goods,

the escapedprisoners, improved version,

2. Comparison of Adjectives

We use the Positive degree to compare two equal nouns.

Example: His head is as big as my head.

We use the Comparative degree to compare two unequal nouns.

Example: His head is bigger than my head.

We use the Superlative degree to compare three or more Nouns.

Example: His head is the biggest in the family.

3. Forming Adjectives
There are various ways to form adjectives from nouns and verbs as follow:
Add 'al': music=musical; nation=national; person=personal.
Add 'ful': care=careful; doubt=doubtful; peace=peaceful.
Add 'ic': acrobat=acrobatic; artist=artistic; photograph=photographic.
Add 'ive': attract*=attractive; effect=effective; act*=active; instruct*=instructive;
progress=progressive.
Add 'ous': mountain=mountainous; danger=dangerous.
Add 'y': greed=greedy; oil=oily
Change 'y' to 'i' and add 'ful': beauty=beautiful; pity=pitiful.
Change 'y' to 'i' and add 'ous': mystery=mysterious; glory=glorious.
Drop 'e' and add 'y': anger=angry; ease=easy; ice=icy.
Drop 'e' and add 'al': nature=natural; agriculture=agricultural.
* Verb
4. Correct Usage of Adjectives - 'SOME' and 'ANY'

We use some in a positive statement and any in a negative statement or a question.

Example: I have some money to buy a couple of lollipops. (Positive statement)

Example: I haven't any money to buy her a birthday card. (Negative statement)
Example: Do you need any help? (A question)

We can use 'some' with countable nouns and uncountable nouns.

Example: I have bought some apples for you. (Countable noun)

Example: There is some tea in the pot. (Uncountable noun)

We can use 'some' in a question if it is an invitation or a request.

Example: Would you like to have some coffee? (invitation)

Example: Will you please give me some medicine for my cough? (request)

We can join 'some' and 'any' with 'one', 'body' or 'thing' to formcompound words.

Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:

There is someone asking for you.

The police are looking for somebody.
He is hiding something under his bed.
There wasn't anyone around when I arrived.
Has anybody seen a ghost?
It hasn't anything to do with you, so please stop asking.