THE ENGLISH ADJECTIVE

The adjective is a part of speech, a word class, whose basic function is to modify nouns.
Adjectives do not distinguish the grammatical categories of gender and number and therefore
are considered unchangeable. They have specific, identifying, morphological, syntactic and
semantic characteristics.
MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

I. According to their structure adjectives fall into four classes.

1. SIMPLE ADJECTIVES - sad, small, long, clear

2. DERIVATIONAL ADJECTIVES - among the most productive WF affixes are the

following:

• -ible: horrible, terrible, irresistible

• -able: comfortable, respectable, reasonable
• -ful: wonderful, beautiful, successful
• - ous: famous, dangerous, courageous
• -ent: apparent, violent, patient
• -al: educational, industrial, professional
3. COMPOUND ADJECTIVES - adjectives derived by two stems

panic-stricken, absent-minded, warm-hearted, blue-eyed, air-conditioned

4. PARTICIPIALS - adjectives derived by present and past participles

• -ing adjectives: amazing, encouraging, thrilling

• -ed adjectives: disappointed, sophisticated, worried

II. Adjectives form degrees of comparison.

The degree of comparison can be inflectional or phrasal. Monosyllabic adjectives add the
suffix -er for comparative and -est for superlative degree. Polysyllabic words make use of
more for comparative and most for superlative to denote comparison of superiority. Besides
more and most the degree of comparison can be indicated by less and least respectively to
denote comparison of inferiority.
• warm - warmer - warmest; sad - sadder - saddest; clear - clearer - clearest
• splendid - more splendid - most splendid; difficult - more difficult - most difficult
• efficient - less efficient - least efficient; familiar - less familiar - least familiar

Within the comparative degree comparisons can be made by the following set:
• as .............. as
The news about the accident in Berlin was as alarming as the one in Warsaw.
 Inequality can be expressed by not as ..... as
The news about the accident in Berlin was not as alarming as the one in Warsaw.

There is a limited class of adjectives that form their degrees by changes in the root
morphemes.
• good - better - best
• bad - worse - worst
• far - farther - farthest
• little - less - least
• much/many - more - most

Disyllabic adjectives that end in -y form their degrees in -ier and -est for comparative and
superlative respectively.
• happy - happier - happiest; pretty - prettier - prettiest

Some adjectives that end in -ly can form their degrees in both ways.
• lovely - lovelier - loveliest; lovely - more lovely - most lovely.

More and most can be used sometimes for stylistic reasons instead of the inflectional
forms.
• He was happy, more happy than ever.

SEMANTIC CHARACTERISTICS

Adjectives fall into two broad semantic classes: qualitative and classifying.

I. Qualitative adjectives

Qualitative adjectives are also called descriptive. Their modifying function is to describe,
to attribute qualities and properties to people, things and states of affairs. These adjectives are
also called gradable, since they freely form degrees of comparison. They can be subclassified
into the following sets:

• adjectives denoting size, quantity, extent: big, deep, heavy, large

• adjectives denoting time-chronology, age, frequency: late, new, recent, old
• adjectives denoting evaluation, emotions, judgements: bad, beautiful, lovely
• adjectives denoting colour: white, red, blue, green

Qualitative adjectives can be intensified by very, rather, quite.

II. Classifying adjectives

Classifying adjectives modify nouns by identifying the particular class that something be-
longs to. They may be grouped into the following sets:

 relational - delimit the referent of the noun in relation to other referents: entire, final,
chief, complete, perfect etc. Some of these are called emphasizing, since they can
show strong feelings: pure bliss; absolute idiot
• affiliative - designate the national or religious group to which the referent belongs:
American, Victorian, Orthodox
• topical - give the subject area or show the relationship with the noun: human, of-
ficial, social, political, chemical, commercial, wooden, iron, golden, silk etc.
Classifying adjectives do not form degrees of comparison and are considered non- grad-
able. They cannot be intensified by very, rather and quite.
 Some of the adjectives can be treated either as classifying or qualitative, depending on the
meaning they express. Among the most frequently used ones are: emotional, extreme, moral,
conscious, religious, secret and effective.
• In the phrase religious student, religious can take degrees of comparison and can be
used with rather, very, quite.
• In the phrase silky hair, silky can take degrees of comparison and can be used with
rather, very, quite.

SYNTACTIC CHARACTERISTICS

Adjectives can function as attributes and predicatives in the sentence. Most qualitative ad-
jectives are called central, since they can be identified as modifiers both in the noun phrase
and after link verbs as predicatives.

• A beautiful girl stepped into the room.

• The girl was more beautiful than I had imagined.

Within the noun phrase the adjective can take a pre-position or post position.
• She had always her strange, rapt look, unnatural and irresponsible.

In the function of predicatives adjectives occur after link verbs - be, seem, grow, turn, look
and serve as subject or object complements.
• She became restless and looked around to find Emily. / subject /
• He considered her talented and intelligent. / object /

Adjectives that occur only as attributes or predicatives are called peripheral. Most of the
adjectives that are used only attributively are classifying - federal, judicial, supplementary,
etc. Among the predicative adjectives are the following:
afraid, asleep, alive, alone, glad, unable, content, safe, sure.

SUBSTANTIVIZATION OF ADJECTIVES

Adjectives can be substantivised i.e. they can acquire properties of nouns: they can take
articles and genitive case and can form plurals. Consequently they can function as noun
heads: the English; the poor; the rich; the lazy etc.

The substantivisation process can be partial or full.

• The Bold and The Beautiful / partial /
• Innocents Abroad. / full /

SPECIAL FOCUS ON ADJECTIVES

I. Ordering of adjectives.

Adjectives follow a strict order of occurrence: qualitative-colour-classifying. Qualitative

follow the strict order of:
'opshacom rule' - opinion - shape - age - colour - origin - material
• two lovely black leather riding boots
• a priceless 19th century Impressionist painting

II. Spelling of compound adjectives

Most compound adjectives that appear before the noun are hyphenated:
 • tax-free bonds; a two-mile journey; a well-known writer; a tailor-made suit; an up-to-
date list.
When they come after the noun they modify they are usually written without a hyphen, but
in the cases of well-known and tailor -made the hyphen is retained. Actually there are not
strict rules to follow, but just tendencies so they are really a dictionary must. Mind that some
temporary compounds will not be listed in the dictionaries- 3-gallon; five-room.

III. Punctuating adjectives

Sometimes a couple of adjectives may be used to describe the noun. Use a comma when
the adjectives modify the same noun.
• They bought a modern, spacious house last year.

Do not use a comma when the adjectives do not modify the same noun.
• They bought a new luxury car.

To proofread, insert 'and' between the adjectives. If the phrase does not make sense do not
use a comma.