adjectives

• A word that describes a noun or a pronoun is called an adjective.

• Adjectives answer three questions about nouns/pronouns:

• What kind?

• Which one?

• How many?

•What kind?•Athletic kids are fit.

•Which one?•The tall girl is my sister.

•How many?•Three players signed autographs.

Basic Rules to RememberPlacement of adjectives Example

Adjective before a noun:

• A pretty girl

• A chocolate cake

• A black cat

• An oval table

Hanafi likes to eat chocolate cake.

(adj.) (n)

I have a black cat.

(adj,) (n)

Insyira is pretty girl.

(adj.) (n)

Adjectives after a non-action verb (v):

1. „be‟ verbs (am, is, are, was, were, will be)

2. Other linking verbs (look, feel, taste, smell,

seem, sound)

The old man is generous.

(v) (adj.)

The story was interesting.

(v) (adj.)

The soup tastes delicious.

(v) (adj.)

I feel tired.

(v) (adj.)

When two or more adjectives are listed together, you should usually use a comma to separate them.

• Strong, athletic players are important to the team.

When one of these adjectives tells how many, do not use a comma.

• Two skilled players drove to the basket.

Adjectives can end in –ing, -ly, -ed.

• It is an interesting place.

• Valerie is lively and friendly.

• Jorge is never bored.

Degrees of Adjectives and their use.Positive Adjective Comparative Adjective Superlative Adjective

used to express characteristic

of one thing in comparison

to another thing (one thing).

It makes comparison

between two things (only

two things not more than

two).

Word “than” is mostly used

after comparative adjective

but sometimes other words

“to” may be used after

comparative adjective.

Examples.

She is taller than Mary.

A cup is smaller than a glass.

He is junior to me.

Chinese is more difficult

than English.

Paris is more beautiful than

New York.

used to express characteristic of one thing in

comparison to other things (many things). It

makes comparison among things more than two.

Superlative is the highest degree of a thing in

comparison to other things. A superlative

adjective means that a object is surpassing all

others (things in comparison) in quality or

characteristic.

Article “the” is used before superlative degree.

“In” or “of” etc is used after the superlative and

modifying noun in sentence.

Examples.

Bills Gate is the richest person in world.

Brunel is the most beautiful hotel in England.

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in

world.

She is the tallest girl in class.

Our generation is the most modern.

His house is the biggest in the street.

The winter is the coldest time of year.

Positive Comparative Superlative Big Bigger Biggest

Great Greater GreatestShort Shorter ShortestOld Older Oldest

Large Larger LargestHappy Happier HappiestLucky Luckier LuckiestHeavy Heavier Heaviest

Beautiful More beautiful Most beautifulHorrible More horrible Most horrible

Good Better BestBad Worse Worst

Little Less LeastMany More Most