CHAPTER 4 ADJECTIVES
D. Types Of Adjectives And Their Uses
An adjective never varies in form no matter whether it refers to people or things etc in the singular or plural.
singular:
a tall man - Bob is tall - He is tall - He is a tall man
a tail woman - Maggie is tall - She is tall - She is a tall woman plural:
tall men - Bob and Jim are tall - They are tall - They are tall men tall women- Mary and Ann are tall - They are tall - They are tall women
2. Gradable and non-gradable adjectives
Adjectives can be divided into two classes: a large class of words which can be graded (gradable adjectives) and a small class that cannot be graded (non-gradable adjectives). An adjective is gradable when:
26 Ibid.
61 - we can imagine degrees in the quality referred to and so can use it with words like very, too, and enough- very good too good, less good not good enough, etc.
- we can form a comparative and superlative from it (big) bigger, biggest, (good) better, best, etc.
An adjective is non-gradable when:
- we cannot modify it (i.e. we cannot use it with very too, etc 3. Some problems for the learner in the use of adjectives
Relation to the following characteristics of adjectives in English:
- they do not vary in form to 'agree' with nouns:
a tall man/woman'tree, tall men'women/trees
- they generally precede nouns when used attributively:
a cool drink, a long day a pretty dress
- when used attributively, they nearly always combine with a noun or with one/ones. So we must use a noun in expressions like You poor thing' You lucky girl' .
a young man a one-eyed man.
- the verbs be seem, etc. combine with adjectives like afraid, cold hot hungry lucky, right sleepy thirsty, unlucky, wrong, where in some European languages such words are used as nouns after have, or an idea can be expressed by a verb. So, in English, depending on context, she is cold may relate to temperature (i.e.
not warm) or attitude (i.e. not friendly)- Nor do adjectives like cold hot, etc. combine with make to refer to the weather:
It (i.e. the weather) is cold/hot/wmdy
4. Attributive and predicative adjectives
The terms attributive and predicative refer to the position of an adjective in a phrase or sentence. We say that an adjective is attributive or is used attributively when it comes before a noun (and is therefore part of the noun phrase:
62 an old ticket a young shop-assistant he is an old man
We say that an adjective is predicative or that it is used predicatively when it comes directly after be seem, etc. It can be used on its own as the complement:
This ticket is old Your mother seems angry For predicative adjectives after verbs other than be seem etc: turn yellow
EXERCISE 1,2, & 327 Task 1.
Circle the adjective that makes more sense in the sentence.
1. I often go to a green/late movie.
2. Their little/right boy is six years old.
3. The wrong/young teacher is very smart.
4. We took the fast/loose train to New York.
5. The old/funny story made me laugh.
6. Do you know that handsome/early man?
7. She had an early/careless breakfast.
8. I saw the long/terrible accident.
9. The new house has boring/white doors.
10. The green/short boy is my cousin.
Task 2.
Look at the example sentences. Change each sentence so that the adjective follows the predicate.
EXAMPLE: The white house is on the hill.
The house on the hill is white.
1. The sad song was from Mexico.
_______________________________________
27 Swick, Practice Makes Perfect English Grammar for ESL Leaners.
63 2. The funny story is about a clown.
_______________________________________
3. The careless waiter is out of work.
_______________________________________
4. The ugly snake is from Egypt.
_______________________________________
5. The beautiful woman is from Spain.
_______________________________________
Task 3.
Fill in the blank with any adjective that makes sense. You may choose from the list given at the beginning of the
unit.
1. David wrote a ___________________ poem for her.
2. Do you like the ___________________ cake?
3. I cannot find an ___________________ book.
4. Where does the ___________________ lawyer live?
5. Marisa needs a ___________________ job.
6. The ___________________ man found a wallet 7. Kareem is a ___________________ friend of mine.
8. There is a ___________________ test tomorrow.
9. When can you come to our ___________________ farm?
10.That is a ___________________ question.
Task 4.28
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate adjective.
1. My …….. sister is a journalist.
a. elder b. Older
c. Either could be used here
28 https://www.englishgrammar.org/category/adjectives/
64 2. He is the oldest member of the club.
a. Oldest b. Eldest
c. Either could be used here
3. She was happy when she got the job but two weeks later she was fired.
a. later b. latter
c. either could be used here
4. She could become an actor or a model – she chose the latter option.
a. later b. latter
c. either could be used here
5. She is still on good terms with her former boyfriend.
a. former b. then
c. either could be used here 6. I cannot walk any farther / further.
a. farther b. further
c. either could be used here
7. They refused to give any further details.
a. farther b. further
c. either could be used here
8. There were fewer applicants than expected.
a. fewer b. less c. lesser
65 9. I have little interest in politics.
a. little b. less c. lesser
10.He earns less money than his wife.
a. Less b. Few c. lesser
66