LESSON 4 ADJECTIVE

An adjective is that part of speech used to describe or limit a noun or a noun equivalent. Many
adjectives have come down from an early period of the English language without a distinctive adjective form
but many have been invented and still being coined by adding a derivational ending or suffix to a noun or verb.
Some suffixes commonly used are the following

- able - comfortable, formidable, passable, salable.

- ible - credible, edible, irreducible, irremissible, irresistible, irresponsible, irreversible.
- al - medical, surgical, practical, critical, hypothetical, statistical, vocal.
- ed - beloved, worked, aged, blessed, barefooted, lopsided, contented, learned, bareheaded.
- ful - dutiful, soulful, scornful, colorful, mournful.
- ish - foolish, bluish, mannish, sluggish, grayish, childish, stylish.
- less - hopeless, lawless, fruitless, ceaseless, colorless, selfless
- ous - dolorous, analogous, amorous, courteous, callous, desirous, courageous, outrageous,
dangerous, perilous
-y - thorny, balmy, squashy, salty, phony, stormy, sunny, speedy. sleepy, papery.

I KINDS OF ADJECTIVES

 Descriptive adjectives are the most common type, they modify nouns by naming a quality or condition
of the person, thing, or place named.

blue eyes difficult words pretty girl

poor man intelligent boy fat pocketbook
true friend stocky stranger starry night

 Limiting adjectives point out the person, place or thing referred to.

a teacher the schoolhouse

an engineer the butterfly

 Prominal adjectives are pronouns used as modifiers.

 Possessive: My book, his car, its tail, our country, your bag, their parents
 Demonstrative: this fan, that person, these baskets, those things.
 Interrogative: Whose book is lost? Which one do you choose?
What provinces are included in the list?
 Relative: The man whose name was called could not answer. She could identify the
person whose bag was lost. She can't tell which one is missing.
 Indefinite: any book, each student, no person, some doctors, few men, several girls
(review indefinite pronouns for a complete list)

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  Numeral:
 Cardinal: one book, two teachers, three tables, etc.
 Ordinal: first boy, second girl, etc.

 Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns:

French possessions Elizabethan drama

Filipino culture American values
Puritan manners British idiom

II ANOTHER WAY OF CLASSIFYING ADJECTIVES

According to its position in a sentence an adjective is either attributive or predicate

 An attributive adjective modifies a noun directly as in old grandmother. It is placed next to the noun
it modifies usually preceding it. Sometimes an attributive adjective may follow the noun and be
separated from it by a comma as in: A girl, sweet, simple, and gentle is hard to find nowadays.
When the attributive adjective follows the noun, it is sometimes called an appositive adjective. The
attributive adjective is also called adherent adjective.

 Predicate adjectives come after linking verbs. (Review the lesson on verbs for a complete list.)

The man is tall. She appeared sorry.

The cake looks delicious. The boys are noisy.

 Coordinate adjectives are two adjectives modifying the same. They are coordinate if they can be
joined by and. In some cases the second adjective is so closely linked with the noun

Francis is a faithful, sincere friend, (the adjectives are co-ordinate in thought, faithful and
sincere, they both modify friend)
We saw a grand, awe-inspiring sunset. (the adjectives are co-ordinate)

Note:
Co-ordinate adjectives should be separated by a comma.

Alex is a good public servant. (The adjectives are not co-ordinate: good modifies public servant
as a whole, hence, good and public should not be separated by a comma.)

Note:
If and can be used instead of a comma, the adjectives are co-ordinate as in grand and awe-inspiring or
faithful and sincere.

III OTHER USES OF ADJECTIVES

 Preceded by an article, words that are ordinarily adjectives may be found in the position of the noun as
subject.

The just will receive their reward in heaven.

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 The rich wallow in luxury.
The rich live in palatial homes, the poor in hovels.
The unemployed hope for better times.

 Adjectives may also occur in an object position after a verb or a preposition.

We have great sympathy for the poor.

We revere the good and the true.
Who doesn't love the beautiful in life.

IV ADJECTIVES IN COMPARISON

Comparison is the inflection of an adjective to indicate an increasing or decreasing degree of

quality or quantity. An adjective has three characteristic forms to signify comparison: the positive,
comparative and the superlative degrees.

 We use the positive degree when we make no particular comparison, we use the comparative
when we compare one object, person or place or group with another, we use the superlative
when we compare one object or group with two or more.

This papaya is ripe; it is riper than the mango (is).

Nilo is tall. He is taller than Marco (is).
Cris is big. He is bigger than I (am).
Francis is a good basketball player. He is the best basketball player of the team.
Corina is bright. She is the brightest student in her class.

 The comparative degree indicates that the quality or quantity is higher in degree in comparison
to some standard expressed by the positive degree.

The Sampaguita flower is more fragrant than the Gumamela flower.

Lia's grade in English is higher than my grade.
She has more coins than I have.

Note:
The double comparative is not acceptable in formal usage:

Objectionable: My eyesight is more better now.

Better: My eyesight is better now.

 Uses of superlative degree

1. The superlative degree indicates that the quality or quantity is at its highest or is most intense.

Franz is the oldest and tallest boy in the class.

Who do you think is the wisest among the Three Kings?
She thinks that mathematics is the most difficult of all her subjects.

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2. For emphasis we may use the superlative absolutely, meaning without comparison

The trip was a most memorable one.

It was the hardest fight of his career as a fighter.
You are most kind.
She is most clever.
I love my dearest mother.

 The comparative degree is formed by the ways.

1. All adjectives of one syllable and a few adjectives with more than two syllables add—er.
Those ending in y change the y to i and add--er. A single final consonant, when preceded by
a single accented vowel is doubled.

Positive degree Comparative degree

sharks sharper
dirty dirtier
slim slimmer
glad gladder
tiny tinier
thin thinner
fine finer
sweet sweeter
short shorter

2. Most adjectives with two syllables and all adjectives with more than two syllables use more
or less to form the comparative degree. This rule is not absolute.

Positive degree Comparative degree

careless more or less careless
efficient more or less efficient
skillful more or less skillful
reliable more or less reliable
honest more or less honest
effective more or less effective

 The superlative degree of the adjective is formed by adding - est or by using most. Adjectives that
form the comparative with - er form the superlative with -est. Those that form the comparative with
more or less for the superlative with most or least.

Positive degree Comparative degree Superlative degree

cheap cheaper cheapest
dear dearer dearest
clear clearer clearest
dark darker darkest
expensive more expensive most expensive
stubborn more stubborn most stubborn

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 Positive degree Comparative degree Superlative degree
cooperative more cooperative most cooperative

creative more creative most creative

dependable more dependable most dependable
responsible more responsible most responsible

 Some adjectives have irregular comparisons. They form the comparative and the superlative by a
change in the words themselves.

Positive degree Comparative degree Superlative degree

good better best
well better best
bad worse worst
ill worse worst
many more most
much more most

 No absolute rule can be formulated in the formation of the comparative and superlative degree.
Some adjectives have more than one acceptable way of forming their comparative and superlatives.
In this case, what to use is a matter of choice, both being acceptable and in reputable usage.
Usually the choice will depend upon sound.

Positive degree Comparative degree Superlative degree

able abler or more able ablest or most able
empty emptier or more empty emptiest, most empty
kind kinder or more kind kindest, most kind
fair fairer or more fair fairest or most fair
crisp crisper or more crisp crispest, most crisp
even evener or more even evenest, most even

 Some people have raised objections to the comparison of absolutes such as unique, black, dead,
excellent, fatal, impossible, perfect since their meaning is thought to be absolute. In common use,
however, the meaning of each of these words is not absolute so that they are frequently compared.
In the writings of the best writers are found such expressions as: “This was more impossible....".
"This is the deadest I was ever in. The American Constitution contains the phrase"..... To a more
perfect union.

 To avoid being censured, writers usually use expressions such as more nearly, less nearly, least
nearly to express a difference in degree in the comparison of absolutes.

The second copy is more nearly perfect than the first (copy).
The second option is less nearly impossible than the first (option),
Of the three options, the first is the least nearly impossible.

 Expression of comparison

1. Use other or else with the comparative degree in comparing place, or thing with the rest of its
class in order to exclude the person, thing or place compared.
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Right: Lino is taller than any other boy in the team.

Right. Atty. Bello has a larger practice than anyone else in his profession.

2. Use as and than in comparison.

Right : Rebecca is as reliable as Luz, if not more reliable than she.

Right: Ben is as bright as Enrique, if not brighter than he.

Note:
The use of as and than should not be confused in comparisons. The comparison should be fully stated
before the qualifying expressions are added. In the first sentence the qualifying expression is "if not more
reliable than she (is)” refers to Luz, meaning, Rebecca is more reliable than Luz (is).

In the second sentence, the qualifying expression is "if not brighter than he."

3. Use of all with the superlative degree.

Leo is the most talented of all the boys in the class.

She is the prettiest of all the girls on the stage.

V POSITION OF ADJECTIVES IN THE SENTENCE

Single word adjectives precede the noun or noun equivalent modified. When a series of
adjectives precede a noun, the adjectives may be placed in the order illustrated in the following chart.

Articles,
Demonstrative, numerals other noun noun
Possessive, descriptive descriptive descriptive
Indefinite adjective

(a) (b) (c )
quality size color
The third Physics problem
The first
These old brown envelopes
Her new small red leather bag
Mark’s negative attitude
The two shine Oval-shaped white narra cabinets
Many
Several
 Blessed Trinity College
Talibon, Bohol

Teaching and Assessment of Grammar

Teacher: Mrs. Catherine C. Evangelista

Lesson 4

ADJECTIVES

______________________________________________________________

Name

_____________________________________________________________

Course and Year

 Blessed Trinity College
Talibon, Bohol
Teaching and Assessment of Grammar
Teacher: Mrs. Catherine C. Evangelista

Name: _____________________________________________Course & Year: _______________

Activities and Exercises

A. Pick out all the adjectives in the following sentences. Tell the kind of each adjective, and tell what
word or words each modifies. Write your answers on a separate paper.
1. This place is a favorite venue for elegant celebrations like weddings and anniversaries.
2. A prominent guest list usually goes hand in hand with a grand affair.
3. She was not openly hostile, but neither was she friendly.
4. Smart, durable and tenacious as well as obstinate, mean and downright ornery is the burro,
the cactus-munching rebel of the lone prairie.
5. Along with being a lovable critter, the burro is doing hateful things to the environment.
6. The arid regions, his natural habitat, constitute a fragile ecosystem.
7. He's got ears like semaphore flags, a fuzzy coat and limpid, droopy eyes.
8. This new type of epoxidized" rubber, leak-proof and oil-resistant, is one of the most dramatic
developments that has resulted from Malaysian research in recent years.
9. A rubber tree is a small factory, non-polluting and efficient.
10. Are people of superior intelligence more difficult to get along with?
11. Studies show that people who have exceptional visual and spatial perception stand to be
independent thinkers.
12. Experts agree that regular exercise program will increase in oxygen intake to the brain.
13. According to medical authorities, a most important fuel for the brain is blood sugar.
14. The 1Q score is not a fixed, unchangeable factor as was once believed.
15. Fred realized immediately that he had made a disastrous, maybe fatal, mistake.
16. Wild applause begins the moment she walks on stage, followed by hushed rapture as she starts
to sing.
17. On the verge of political and economic chaos just four years ago, this vibrant young nation now
seems on its way to becoming a sound, stable bulwark of the free world in Asia.
18. Diet drinks make overweight people happy.
19. He is tall athletically built man with rugged looks and a magic touch.
20. Bystanders, jeepney commuters and school children flashed smiles warmer and brighter than
the El Niño sun.

B. Write the following words together with the adjective ending – able
1. love - _________________________
2. dispose - ______________________
3. move - ________________________
4. measure - ______________________
5. believe - _______________________
6. mistake - _______________________
7. reconcile - ______________________
8. prove - _________________________
9. flame - _________________________
10. admire – _______________________
11. compare - ________________________
12. desire - __________________________
13. imagine - _________________________
14. cure - ____________________________
15. notice - ___________________________
16. live - _____________________________
17. marriage - __________________________
18. trace - ____________________________
19. service -___________________________
20. charge - __________________________
C. Change the following nouns into adjectives
1. viscosity - ______________________
2. membrane - ____________________
3. courage -______________________
4. courtesy - ______________________
5. beauty- ________________________
6. vice - __________________________
7. damage - _______________________
8. religion - ________________________
9. advantage - ______________________
10. curve - _________________________
11. pity- ____________________________
12. anomaly - ________________________
13. doubt - __________________________
14. peril - ___________________________
15. curiosity -________________________

D. Arrange the following adjectives in the proper sequence:

1. black, hair, long, lovely - ______________________________________________________

2. good looking, five, boys, tall – __________________________________________________
3. fine, long, ten, red pencils - ____________________________________________________
4. ripe, small, bananas, these, yellow - _____________________________________________
5. Italian, a pair of red, shoes, attractive - ___________________________________________
6. a, typical, few, exercises, Aerobics - ______________________________________________
7. a, small, bookish girl, young - ___________________________________________________
8. a, white, big, square, background - ______________________________________________
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