Spoken English

Lesson 3aLanguage Training

AdjectiveAn Adjective is a word that is used to add something to the meaning of or describe a noun or a pronoun. It’s a qualifying word.

The clever boy was rewarded - Adjective used attributively

The boy is clever - Adjective used predicatively (used along with the

verb)

Kinds of Adjectives• Adjective of Quality – shows the kind or quality of the person

or thing. Also called Descriptive Adjective– Mumbai is a big city– He is an honest man– This is a Grammar of the English language

• Adjective of Quantity - shows how much of a thing is meant– Give me some rice– There has not been sufficient rain this year– He has lost all his wealth

• Adjective of Number shows how many persons or things are meant, or in what order a person or thing stands– There are five books on the table– He is the first boy of the class– All men must die– Neither accusation is true

• Adjectives of Number (or Numeral Adjectives) are of three kinds:(i) Definite Numeral Adjectives, which denote an exact number– One, two, three, etc. -- These are called Cardinals.– First, second, third, etc. -- These are called Ordinals.

[A Cardinal denotes how many, and an Ordinal the order of things in a series. It will be seen that Ordinals really do the work of Demonstrative Adjectives.]

(ii) Indefinite Numeral Adjectives, which do not denote an exact number– All, no, many, few, some, any, certain, several, sundry.

(iii) Distributive Numeral Adjectives, which refer to each one of a number– Each boy must take his turn.– India expects every man to do his duty.– Every word of it is false.– Either pen will do.– On either side is a narrow lane.– Neither accusation is true.

The same Adjective may act as one of Quantity or Number, according to its use.

I ate some rice. (Quantity) Some boys are clever. (Number)

He has lost all his wealth. (Quantity)All men must die. (Number)

You have no sense. (Quantity)There are no pictures in this book. (Number)

Kinds of Adjectives…

• Demonstrative Adjectives point out which person or thing is meant;– This boy is stronger than Ravi– That boy is industrious.– These mangoes are sour.Demonstrative Adjectives answer the question: Which ?

Please note that this and that are the only Adjectives which are inflected or changed in form to show number.

• This girl sings. These girls sing.• That boy plays. Those boys play.

Kinds of Adjectives…• What, which and whose, when they are used with

nouns to ask questions, are called Interrogative Adjectives– What manner of man is he?– Which way shall we go?– Whose book is this?

Please note that what is used in a general sense, and which in a selective sense

Kinds of Adjectives…

• The words ‘own’ and ‘very’ are often used as Emphasizing Adjectives:

– I saw it with my own eyes.– He was beaten at his own game.– Mind your own business.– He is his own master.– That is the very thing we want.

Kinds of Adjectives…

The word ‘what’ is sometimes used as an Exclamatory Adjective

– What genius!– What folly!– What an idea!– What a blessing!– What a piece of work is man!

Adjectives are formed from nouns, verbs and adjectives

Boy boyishTalk talkativeWhite whitish

Exercises

Identify and classify the Adjectives in the following sentences

1. The ship sustained heavy damage. (Descriptive)2. I have called several times. (Numeral – Indefinite)3. Every dog has his day. (Numeral – Distributive)4. A live ass is better than a dead lion (Descriptive)5. Say the same thing twice over. (Demonstrative)6. Several persons were present at the time. (Numeral – Indefinite and

Descriptive)7. He is a man of few words. (Numeral – Indefinite)8. Neither party is quite in the right. (Numeral – Distributive)9. What time is if? (Interrogative)10. There should not be much talk and little work. (Adj of Quantity)11. Abdul won the second prize (Numeral – Definite)12. It is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. (Adj of Quality and

Quantity)

Fill in the blanks with suitable adjectives

1. The --- woman lives in a wretched hut.2. This is a very --- matter.3. The battle of Waterloo ended in a --- victory.4. Suddenly there arose a --- storm.5. It is a --- lie.6. The --- tidings were a heavy blow to the old man.7. Have you any --- reason to give?8. ---anxiety has undermined his health.9. I have no --- cash.10. Every cloud has a --- lining.11. He was a man of --- ambition.12. He was listened to in --- silence.

Use each of the following adjectives in a sentence

• happy sad • industrious lazy• short long• slow fast• strong weak

Use a suitable adjective with each of the following nouns

storm, siege, sleep, victory, advice, blow, silence, hands, water, servant, flower, city, artist, doctor, voice, husband, subject, child, king, dog.

Use as many suitable adjectives as you can with each of the following nouns:

fortune, man, news, storm, health, novelprogress, room, incident.

Form the adjectives opposite in meaning to the following• Courageous coward, cowardly, timid• Many few• wild tame• Lean fat• Heavy light• Costly cheap, economical• Barren fertile• civilized uncivilized• Careful careless• Experienced inexperienced• Friendly unfriendly, hostile

Comparison of Adjectives

• Adjectives change in form to show comparison. They are called the three Degrees of Comparison:– Positive Degree (sweet)– Comparative Degree (sweeter)– Superlative Degree (sweetest)

• Small smaller smallest• Tall taller tallest• Bold bolder boldest• Clever cleverer cleverest• Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful• Able abler ablest• Noble nobler noblest• Important more important most important• Wise wiser wisest • Easy easier easiest• Heavy heavier heaviest• Merry merrier merriest

Pointers

• Adjectives are often used as Nouns.– As Plural Nouns denoting a class of persons• The cautious (= cautious persons) are not always

cowards.• The rich (= rich people) know not how the poor (= poor

people) live.

– As Singular Nouns denoting some abstract quality• He is a lover of the beautiful (= beauty in general)

The correct use of some adjective

• Some, any– To express quantity or degree some is used normally in

affirmative sentences– any in negative or interrogative sentences.

• I will buy some mangoes.• I will not buy any mangoes.• Have you bought any mangoes?

– But any can be used after if in affirmative sentences.• If you need any money I will help you.

– Some is used in questions which are really offers/requests or which expect the answer “yes”.• Will you have some ice-cream? (Offer)• Could you lend me some money? (Request)• Did you buy some clothes? (= I expect you did.)

The correct use of some adjective

• Each, every Each and every are similar in meaning, but every is a stronger wordthan each; it means, 'each without exception'. Each is used while referring to two or more things; every is used only while referring to more than two. Each directs attention to the individuals forming any group, every to the total group. Each is used only when the number in the group is limited and definite; every when the number is indefinite.

• Every seat was taken.• Five boys were seated on each bench.• Every one of these chairs is broken.• Leap year falls in every fourth year.• He came to see us every three days [i.e., once in every period of three

days].• It rained every day during my holidays.• I was away ten days and it rained each day.

The correct use of some adjective

• Little, a little, the little• Little = not much (i.e., hardly any). Thus, the adjective little

has a negative meaning.– There is little hope of his recovery, i.e., he is not likely to

recover.– He showed little concern for his nephew.– He has little influence over his old followers.

• A little = some though not much. 'A little' has a positive meaning-– There is a little hope of his recovery, i.e., he may possibly

recover.– A little tact would have saved the situation.– A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

The correct use of some adjective

• The little = not much, but all there is.– The little information he had was not quite reliable.– The little knowledge of carpentry that he possessed stood

him in good stead.

The correct use of some adjective

• Few, a few, the fewFew = not many, hardly any, 'Few' has a negative meaning.– Few persons can keep a secret.– Few towns in India have public libraries.– Few men are free from faults

A few = some. 'A few' has a positive meaning, and is opposed to 'none'.– A few words spoken in earnest will convince him.– A few Praxites write correct English

The few = not many, but all there are.– The few remarks that he made were very suggestive.– The few students who attended the class definitely benefited

from it.

Exercises