UNIT II: ADJECTIVES.

1. In English, an adjective can go AFTER the verb BE, but when it is with noun it always goes BEFORE
the noun. Example:

- My car is fast. - A Ferrari is expensive

be adj. be adj.

- It’s a fast car - It’s a very good hotel

Adj. noun adj. noun

2. Adjectives are the same for singular and plural nouns, so you never add an “s” to an adjective. This is
different from many other languages where adjectives have to “agree” with nouns. Example:

- Our cars are fast - They are fast cars

Adj. Adj.
3. Adjectives have no masculine or feminine form. Examples:
. Arthur is friendly, but he is a shy person
. Laura is shy, too.

Some examples

1. It’s a very big house 4. BMWs are cheap. MBs are expensive
2. Lima is the principal city of Peru 5. Stefani is pretty and clever
3. My career is interesting 6. Luis’ car is new

Order the words to make sentences:

1. interesting / Topographic engineering / is/ career / an / ……………………………………………

2. Where / my / technical English / is / book?.........…………………………………………….
3. engineering / A mine-detector / is made / from hi-tech / material
…………………………………………………………………..…………………………..
4. restaurant / this / good / a / very /is ……….………………………………………………
5. gave / She / me / spoon / a /plastic ……………………………………………………
6. mind / He / a practical / has………………………………………………………

Comparisons with adjectives and adverbs

1. Use comparative adjectives to compare PEOPLE and THINGS. Examples:

- My brother is taller “than” John
- The programs today are more sophisticated “ than” in the past.

2. Use comparative adverbs to compare ACTIONS (movements), and FUNCTIONS. Examples:

- Luis drives more slowly “than” my father
- That report was written much more recently than this one.

Comparative adjectives.

Adjectives Comparative Spelling

 Fast Faster One syllable adjectives, add “…er”
to compare.
Safe Safer One syllable adjectives, ending in
“…e”, add”…r”
Easy Easier Two syllables adjectives, ending in
“y”, change “y” to “i” and add “…er”
Realistic More realistic Adjectives with two or more
syllables, write “more” before
adjectives.
Good Better Irregular adjectives, write different to
Bad Worse compare adjectives.
Far Farther-further
Big Bigger One syllable adjectives, one vowel
and one consonant, double the
consonant, then add “…er”

 When we compare two people, things or situations directly, we use the comparative “ than”
Example:
The programs today are more sophisticated than in the past.
This book is newer than that one
…………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………….
 The speakers are comparing how things are now with how they were before.
Example:
My sales are much worse than last year.
My studies now are better than I expected
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………

Comparative Adverbs.
 Some adverbs are the same as adjectives. For example:

. Early = earlier . Fast = faster

. High = higher . late = later

Adverbs Comparative Spelling

*Fast Faster Adverbs with same forms adjectives,
add “…er”
*Late Later Adverbs ending in “…e”, add”…r”
*Early Earlier Adverbs, ending in “y”, change “y”
to “i” and add “…er”
Slowly More slowly Adverbs ending in “…ly”, write
“more” before adverbs.
Good Well Irregular adverbs, write different to
Bad Worse compare.
Far Farther-further

 With adverbs ending “…ly “ we use MORE and LESS. We can add “much“ to emphasize the
comparison. Example: With a computer I can work more efficiently and much faster.

Note:
  We can use LESS with adjectives and adverbs of two or more syllables to mean the opposite of
MORE. Example.: computers were less powerful in the past. They worked less efficiently.

 We can add MUCH before comparative adjectives and adverbs to suggest (opinion) a stronger
comparison. Example.: These sales figures are much worse than I expected. That report was
written much more recently than this one.

Exercise: Fill the gaps to compare computers now and ten years ago. Use the adjectives in brackets.

Computers today are …………………… (powerful). They operate ……………………(fast) and they have
much…………………………..(large) memories. Because they contain more electronics, the cases have
become……………………. (big) but the flat-screen monitors are…………………………… (heavy) and fit
into……………………… (small) space on your desk.
Computers are also………………………(cheap). The price is ……………… (low) now than in the past.
The programs too are…………………… (good). They are ……………………(sophisticated) and you can
work much……………………… (efficiently).

Technology and society:

Switch on: Read the words in list from A to F. Decide which effects are positive, and which are negative.

A: Launch system (rocket) D: Washing machine

B: Cell phone E: A car
C: A factory F: A television
EFFECTS:
1. Fast travel 7. Road deaths
2. River pollution 8. Space exploration
3. Nuclear missiles 9. Overweight people
4. Less housework 10. Global warming
5. Cheap power 11. Easy communication
6. Noise pollution 12. Mass entertainment
EXAMPLE:
Word Positive Negative
A 8 (positive effect) 3 (negative effect)
………………….. ………………… ………………….
………………….. ………………… ………………….
…………………. ………………… …………………
………………… ………………… …………………
…………………. ………………… …………………
………………… ………………… …………………..
………………… …………………. ………………….
………………… ………………… ………………….
…………………. ………………… …………………

Comparative and superlative adjectives: Here some examples.

1. One syllable adjectives, add “…er” and for Superlative “…est”
Adjective Comparative Superlative
Long – largo Longer Longest
Short – corto/bajo Shorter Shortest
Old – Viejo Older Oldest
Young – joven Younger Youngest
High – alto Higher Highest
Low – bajo Lower Lowest
Cheap – barato Cheaper Cheapest
Fast – rápido Faster Fastest
Slow – lento Slower Slowest
Wide – ancho Wider Widest
Narrow – estrecho Narrower Narrowest
Strong – fuerte Stronger Strongest
Weak – débil Weaker Weakest
Great – grande Greater Greatest
Calm – tranquilo Calmer Calmest
Hard – duro/difícil Harder Hardest
Soft – blando (también el Softer Softest
opuesto de ‘loud’)
Loud – fuerte (ruido) Louder Loudest
Cold – frío Colder Coldest
Clean – limpio Cleaner Cleanest
Smart – listo Smarter Smartest
Stupid – estúpido Stupider Stupidest

2 One syllable adjectives, ending in “…e”, add”…r”, for superlative …st.

Adjective Comparative Superlative
Nice – amable Nicer Nicest
Late – tarde Later Latest
Rare – raro/poco común Rarer Rarest

3. Some adjectives ending, one vowel + one consonant, double the consonant. Then add ..er” and
in superlative add …est” examples:

Adjective Comparative Superlative

Fat – gordo Fatter Fattest
Thin – Delgado Thinner Thinnest
Hot – caliente Hotter Hottest
Big – grande Bigger Biggest
Wet – mojado Wetter Wettest
Sad – triste Sadder Saddest

4. Two syllable adjectives, ending in “y”, change “y” to “i” and add “…er” and 'est' to make
the superlative:

Adjective Comparative Superlative

Sunny – soleado Sunnier Sunniest
Happy – feliz Happier Happiest
Funny – gracioso Funnier Funniest
Pretty – bonito Prettier Prettiest
Tasty – sabroso Tastier Tastiest
Dusty – empolvado Dustier Dustiest
Dirty – sucio Dirtier Dirtiest
Heavy – pesado Heavier Heaviest
Rainy – lluvioso Rainier Rainiest
Cloudy – nublado Cloudier Cloudiest
Scary – miedoso Scarier Scariest
Early – temprano Earlier Earliest
Dry – seco Drier Driest
Hungry – hambriento Hungrier Hungriest
Thirsty – sediento Thirstier Thirstiest

5. Add ‘more’ for comparative and ‘most’ for superlative. When an adjective has two or
mere syllables, or ending in: ‘ful’, ‘ing’, ‘ous’, ‘ive’, ‘ish’, ‘al’, ‘able’ and ‘ed’.

Adjective Comparative Superlative

Beautiful – bonito More beautiful Most beautiful
Careful – cuidadoso More careful Most careful
Interesting – interesante More interesting Most interesting
Boring – aburrido More boring Most boring
Ridiculous – ridículo More ridiculous Most ridiculous
Childish – infantile More childish Most childish
Selfish – egoísta More selfish Most selfish
Delicious – delicioso More delicious Most delicious
Exciting – emocionante More exciting Most exciting
Complicated – complicado More complicated Most complicated
Intuitive – intuitive More intuitive Most intuitive
Informative – informativo More informative Most informative
Compulsive – compulsivo More compulsive Most compulsive
Obsessive – obsesivo More obsessive Most obsessive
Creative – creative More creative Most creative
Selective – selective More selective Most selective
Pensive – pensativo More pensative Most pensative
Comfortable – cómodo More comfortable Most comfortable
Tolerable – soportable More tolerable Most tolerable
Bearable – aguantable More bearable Most bearable
Economical – económico More economical Most economical
Expensive – costoso More expensive Most expensive
Conservative – conservador More conservative Most conservative
Liberal – liberal More liberal Most liberal
Suspicious – sospechoso More suspicious Most suspicious
Gracious – amable More gracious Most gracious
Generous – generoso More generous Most generous
Impressive – impresionante More impressive Most impressive
Painful – doloroso More painful Most painful
Joyful – alegre More joyful Most joyful
Sinful – picador More sinful Most sinful
Grateful – agradecido More grateful Most grateful
Thankful – agradecido More thankful Most thankful
Protected – protegido More protected Most protected
Scared – asustado More scared Most scared
Frightened – asustado More frightened Most frightented
Reserved – reservado More reserved Most reserved
Satisfied – satisfecho More satisfied Most satisfied

6. Irregular adjectives. Write different to compare, and different for superlative.

Adjective Comparative Superlative

Good – bueno Better Best
Bad – malo Worse Worst
A lot – mucho More Most
Little- poco less Least
Much – much more Most