ADJECTIVES

Generalities

Adjectives come before nouns and have the same form in the singular and the plural, in the masculine and the
feminine : many great stories ; a big car ; an old man. Adjectives can sometimes be used as nouns to create
categories : the rich and the poor.

When you wish to use several adjectives to describe a specific noun, you should distinguish between “subjective”
( = opinion : nice, mean, gentle, intelligent…) and “objective” adjectives ( = fact : young, red, leather…). Subjective
adjectives are usually placed before objective adjectives : I have beautiful leather boots.

Adjective order

This is the usual word order when there are two or more “objective” articles : size/length, shape/width, age,
color, nationality, material ; ex : a tall young Italian resident, a small square old blue iron monitor.

However, using that many adjectives may not sound natural and you may want to modify the sentence : the
monitor was rather small, blue and square. In that case, the order does not really matter.

Comparison of adjectives

Comparatives

Superiority Equality Inferiority

As … as Less…. than
One syllable AdJ-er … than

Cristina Aguilera – Fighter Lenka – Everything at once

As sly as a fox, as strong as an Jed- Shut up

So I wanna say thank you
‘Cause it ox
A heart less pure than
Makes me that much stronger As fast as a hare, as brave as a
ocean
Makes me work a little bit harder bear
Makes me that much wiser As free as a bird, as neat as a
So thanks for making me a fighter word
Made me learn a little bit faster As quiet as a mouse, as big as a
Made my skin a little bit thicker house
Makes me that much smarter

Two syllables
Both forms co-exist
The Corrs - Would you be happier
Clem Snide – No one’s more happy
than you
Lenka – Everything at once
As pretty as a picture hanging
from a fixture
Luke Bryan – Little less
broken
Looks like your heart's just
a little less broken than
mine

Three and more syllables Air Supply – Less lonely

More …. than people in the world

India Arie – Beautiful Flower as generous as

‘Cause you’re beautiful like a
as important as
flower
More valuable than a diamond

Irregular Pitbull – Wild, wild love

No, this wild wild love of ours

It can't be tamed

No, for better or worse

Denis Edwards – Don’t look any

further
Superlatives

Superiority Inferiority
One syllable The Adj-est The least Adj

Elton John - Sorry seems to be the hardest word

Two syllables Both forms co-exist Obie Trice – Hell yeah

The Ambrosia Effect – Netflix and feels You opt out for the obvious bloomer
But the least obvious the one that’ll do ya
The most common side effect is being at peace

Lou Reed – I wanna know

Finding in the commonest objects of the

universe

Three and more syllables The most Adj Different universe - In your head

Prince - The most beautiful girl in the world We complain about

The least important things

And blame the others

Dennis “Cannonball” Caplinger - Least complicated

Irregular Tina Turner – Simply the best

Jhene Aiko – The worst
Drake – Furthest thing

Exercises
Listen to this song : Alanis Morissette – Everything and fill
Listen to this song : Destiny’s Child – Survivor and fill in the lyrics with the missing superlative forms
in the lyrics with the missing comparative forms
(answer key : just Google “alanis morissette everything
(answer key : just Google “destiny’s child survivor lyrics”)
lyrics”)
I can be an asshole of the --------- kind
Now that you are out of my life,
I'm so much------------- , I can withhold like it's going out of style
You thought that I'd be weak without ya,
But I'm ------------, I can be the ----------------- baby, and you've never met
You thought that I'd be broke without ya, anyone
But I'm -----------, As negative I am sometimes
You thought that I'd be sad without ya,
I am the ----------------- woman you've ever met
I laugh -----------,
You thought I wouldn't grow without ya, I am the ------------ soul with whom you've connected
Now I'm --------------,
I have the ------------- heart that you've
You thought that I'd be helpless without ya,
Ever seen, and you've never met anyone
But I'm ----------,
As positive as I am sometimes (…)
I'm the ------------ woman that you've ever known
I'm the --------------- woman that you've ever known
I'm the ------------------ woman that you've ever met