ADJECTIVES
An Adjective
is a word that adds to the meaning of a noun.
Examples:
A good boy,
A big Fish,
Those Birds,
Twenty Boys,
Second house,
A burning train,
A broken chair,
Which boy.
Kinds
of Adjectives
- Descriptive Adjectives.
- Adjectives of Quantity, Degree, Number or Order.
- Possessive Adjectives.
- Demonstrative Adjectives.
- Distributive Adjectives.
- Interrogative Adjectives.
- Emphasizing Adjectives
- Articles
1 Descriptive
adjectives. They show the
quality of a thing or person.
Examples:
Cold weather,
Red Blouse,
A large house,
A dishonest man.
These adjectives
describe the shape, size, colour, taste. quality etc. of nouns.
(a) Descriptive
adjectives formed from proper nouns are often called proper adjective.
Examples:
French wine,
American arms,
Bangladeshi garments,
African students.
(b) Nouns
used as adjectives.
Examples:
A college boy,
A radio station,
Station wagon.
(c ) Present
participles used as adjective.
Examples:
A burning train,
A dancing girl,
A waiting room.
(d) Past
participles used as Adjectives.
Examples:
A broken bone,
The lost child,
An educated girl.
(e) Adverbs
used as adjectives.
Examples:
Backward region,
Upward trend,
Inside story.
(f) Compound
phrases as Adjectives.
Examples:
Long-distance runner,
Heart-to-heart talk,
Up-to-date library.
2. Adjectives
of Quantity, Degree, Number, or Order.
(i) Quantity
and Degree: some, more, several, a few, a little, many, much, a lot of, all.
Examples:
Some medicine,
More sugar,
Several cups of coffee,
A few trees,
A little patience,
Many people,
All people,
A lot of noise.
(ii) Cardinal
Numbers: one, two, fifty.
Examples:
One picture,
A hundred students,
Fifty people.
(iii) Ordinals:
first, second, fiftieth, tenth etc.
Examples:
First train,
Third boy,
Five hundredth customer.
3. Possessive
Adjectives: my, your, his, her, its, their, our.
Examples:
My book,
Their house,
Its mouth,
Her father,
Your book,
Our class teacher.
4. Demonstrative
Adjectives: this, that, these, those, such.
Examples:
This letter,
That boy,
Those flowers,
These Children
Such a girl.
5. Distributive
Adjectives: each, every, either, neither.
Examples:
Each question,
Every student,
Either side of the road,
Neither boy.
6. Interrogative
Adjectives: what, which, whose, how much, how many.
Examples:
What picture are you
seeing today?
Which pen is yours?
How much money can you
give me?
How many players are there
in the field?
Whose house are you
staying at?
7. Emphasizing
adjectives: same, very, own.
Examples:
It is the same song that we heard last night.
He is the very man the police have been looking for.
You must use your own towel.
8. Articles:
a, an, the
Examples
Ali is a young man.
A cow is an animal.
The President is the head of the state.
ADJECTIVES:
THEIR PLACE IN A SENTENCE.
(a) When used
attributively, an adjective comes before a noun.
Examples:
I want a sharp pencil.
Ali has strong shoulders.
A big river flows through the town.
(b) In some cases
attributive adjectives are used after the nouns or pronouns
they qualify.
Examples:
Have you met the officer concerned?
I don’t believe in things unseen.
This is the earliest train available.
(c ) Adjectives
as predicate (following the verb).
Examples:
I
feel hot.
He is lazy.
The elephant went mad.
The dog is faithful to
its master.
(d) Adjectives used to complete the
meaning of objects.
Examples:
The magistrate found her guilty.
Your remarks made her angry.
His success made him proud.
(e) Some adjectives
are not used attributively, but always predicatively.
Examples:
1.
She is very ill.
We cannot say
But there are
exceptions: ill-luck, ill-will, ill-health, ill-humour, ill-temper,
are all correct.
2. The boy is afraid.
We cannot say—
3. The baby is asleep on
the bed.
But not,
4. The Youngman is alive.
Order
in the use of Descriptive Adjectives.
The order of
adjectives generally, is: adjectives of number-quality- size- shape-
color- adjectives derived from proper names- nouns used as adjectives.
Adjectives that
stand for more permanent qualities tend to come nearest the
noun.
(a) Look at this
sentence:
I met a poor old man.
But not,
[ Old age is more permanent
than poverty. So the adjective old has been placed nearer the
noun, man]
(b) Adjectives
of number come before that of size.
Examples:
She ate two big apples.
But not,
(c ) Ordinals
i.e. first, second. come before the cardinal i.e. one, two, three
etc.
We say,
The first two chapters.
But not,
Similarly we say,
The last three girls in
the line.
But not,
(d) Adjectives
of size come before adjectives of shape.
We say,
A big fat cat.
But not,
(e) Look at the
following sentence showing the order of several different adjectives :
I have many small blue American
postage stamps.
ADJECTIVES: THEIR
FORMATION
(a)
Words used as adjectives directly:
good
|
short
|
fast
|
rich
|
Tall
|
bad
|
hard
|
slow
|
silly
|
long
|
pretty
|
soft
|
heavy
|
innocent
|
new
|
small
|
strong
|
high
|
gay
|
big
|
difficult
|
weak
|
intelligent
|
mad
|
black
|
ill
|
correct
|
poor
|
sad
|
sick
|
clear
|
pale
|
humble
|
sharp
|
clean
|
large
|
cold
|
yellow
|
cool
|
brilliant
|
low
|
wide
|
broad
|
loose
|
huge
|
(b)
Adjectives derived from adjectives:
Examples:
Blackish,
Reddish,
Sickly,
Kindly.
(c )
Adjectives derived from nouns with suffixes:
Examples:
-less
Harmless,
Shameless,
Thoughtless.
-ous
Joyous,
Gracious,
Melodious.
-en
golden,
wooden,
silken.
-ic
angelic,
metallic,
basic.
-tic
patriotic,
fantastic,
emphatic.
-al
optional,
facial
fatal.
-ical
comical,
historical,
farcical.
-able
suitable,
capable,
comfortable.
-ive
festive,
sensitive,
effective.
-ish
bookish,
foolish,
childish.
-ly
lovely,
timely,
worldly.
-y
misty,
rocky,
sleepy.
-like
childlike,
lifelike,
godlike.
-some
awesome,
fearsome,
quarrelsome.
-ar
circular,
muscular,
spectacular.
-ful
harmful,
joyful,
beautiful.
(d) Adjectives
from verbs with the suffixes.
-able, -ible
Advisable,
Portable,
Beakable.
Divisible,
Negligible,
Corruptible.
-ive
suggestive,
creative,
attentive.
-ory, -ary
advisory
imaginary,
auditory.
(e) Adjectives
from proper nouns:
Examples:
African,
Russian
Indian,
Quranic.
DEGREES OF COMPARISONS.
There are
three Degrees of Comparison.
- Positive Degree
- Comparative Degree
- Superlative Degree
1. Positive
Degree:
Positive Degree
is used to describe one person or thing.
Rahim was very strong.
Alice is a nice girl.
A big tree has fallen on the
road.
This degree has
been used here to describe the persons or things as they are. There is no
comparison with any one or anything else.
But we can also
use this degree to compare persons or things of the same quality.
Examples:
The Alps
are not as high as the Himalayas.
Rahima is as pretty as Mary.
Bangladesh is not as large as Mayanmar.
2. Comparative
Degree:
Comparative
Degree denotes a higher degree of quality than the positive. It is used to
compare two or two sets of persons or things. Comparatives are followed by
than.
Examples:
Rahima is prettier than Mary.
The elephant is heavier than a
camel.
Saqib is better player than
Mosfiq.
3.Superlative
Degree:
Superlative
degree denotes the highest degree of quality. It is used when more than two
persons or things are compared. The superlative Degree is preceded by the
definite article the.
Examples:
Everest is the highest mountain
peak in the world.
Ali is the most popular boy in
the class.
This is the most beautiful
story I have ever read.
Degrees
of Comparison: Formation.
(a) Single-syllable
adjectives and a few adjectives of two syllables form their
comparative and superlative by adding –er and -est to the positive.
Examples;
Positive----
Comparative---- Superlative
New Newer Newest
Great
Greater Greatest
Humble
Humbler Humblest
(b) In some one-syllable
adjectives the last consonant is doubled
and -er and -est added to form comparative and
superlative degree.
Examples;
Positive---- Comparative---- Superlative
Thin Thinner Thinnest
Hot Hotter Hottest
Sad Sadder Saddest
Fat Fatter Fattest
(c ) Adjectives
which end in –y and in which –y follows a consonant , form their
comparative and superlative degrees by changing –y into –i and adding
–er and –est to the positive form.
Examples:
Positive---- Comparative---- Superlative
Dry Drier Driest
Hungry
Hungrier Hungriest
Hearty Heartier Heartiest.
(d) Some adjectives of two syllables and
adjectives of more than two syllables take more and most
with the positive degree to form comparative and superlative degrees.
Examples:
Positive---- Comparative---- Superlative
Doubtful
More doubtful Most doubtful
Foolish More foolish Most foolish
Splendid More splendid Most splendid
(e) Irregular Comparison:
Examples;
Positive---- Comparative---- Superlative
Good Better Best
Bad Worse Worst
Little Less Least
(f) Some adjectives have only the positive and
the superlative degree
Examples;
Positive---- ---- Superlative
Top Topmost
Hind Hindmost
Southern Southernmost
(g) Some
adjectives have only the comparative and the superlative degrees.
Examples;
Comparative----
Superlative
Inner Inmost/ Innermost
Upper Upmost/ Uppermost
(h) Some
adjectives do not normally form comparative and superlative degrees.
Examples: round, perfect, equal, dead,
square, parallel, unique. eternal.
(i) Some
adjectives ending in-or do not have a positive form. As comparative adjectives
they are followed by to instead of than.
Examples:
George is senior to me in
rank.
My cycle is superior to yours.
Ali is junior to you in age.
(j) Use of most: Most sometimes does not refer to comparison.
Example:
We had a most enjoyable picnic.
Here most means
extremely ,
e.g., a most
enjoyable picnic =an extremely enjoyable picnic.
Note: We don’t use
the definite article the
in such sentences.
HOW TO USE
DEGREES OF COMPARISON
(a) Positive
degree of comparison between two persons or objects is expressed by using
as……..as in the affirmative and not so…..as in the negative.
Example:
Ali is as
tall as his father.
Karim is as
polite as his sister.
The bear is not
so fast as tiger.
Driving a truck
is not as easy as driving a car.
(b) Comparative
Degree is expressed by using
comparative degree + than in the affirmative
[Example: better than
taller than]
and not +comparative degree + than in
the negative.
[Example: not better than
not taller than]
Examples:
He is taller than you are.
He is more intelligent than I am.
He is not taller than you are.
He is not more intelligent than
I am .
Other
structures of comparison:
1. You are a
clever boy but Ali is cleverer.
You are a clever boy but Ali is cleverer
(than you.)
In such constructions,
the words than you are usually omitted.
2. Implied
comparison:
Example:
How is your
brother now? He is better today.
Here, better = better
than he was before.
3. Parallel
increase is expressed by
the + comparative….. the +comparative.
Examples:
The bigger the house the costlier
it will be.
The stronger a country is the safer
it will be.
4. We express
gradual increase by repeating comparatives and joining them by and.
Examples:
Life is becoming more and more
difficult.
The patient is becoming weaker and
weaker.
5. In the
comparative degree more can be used to compare two qualities of
the same person or thing. In such constructions we use more + adjective
to signify comparative degree.
Examples:
She is more pretty than
intelligent.
The cloth is more expensive than
durable.
6. Use of
comparatives to ask questions involving choice.
Examples:
Who is more intelligent, Ali
or Rahim?
Which tastes better, tea or coffee?
Superlative
degree of Comparison.
(a) Comparison
of three or more persons or things is expressed by using superlatives with
the…… of
or, the….. in.
Examples:
Solomon was the wisest king in
the world.
Ali is the fastest runner of all.
(b) In some
cases the comparison is not stated but understood.
Examples:
He is my best friend.
He is our most beloved leader.
TRANSFORMATION
Superlative
degree: Look at the se
sentences.
Africa is the hottest of all
continents. [Superlative]
Africa is hotter than all other
continents in the world. [ Comparative]
No other continent
in the world is as hot as Africa.
[Positive]
These three
sentences mean essentially the same thing but use different degrees of
comparison. Thus sentences using the superlative degree can be changed into
sentences using either the comparative degree or the positive degree.
Comparative
degree: Look at these
sentences.
Alice is more beautiful than Mary.
[Comparative]
Mary is not as
beautiful as Alice.
[Positive]
These two
sentences using comparative and positive degrees of comparison essentially mean
the same thing.
But it is not
possible to change such sentences into those using superlatives. The reason is
that a superlative requires at least three persons or things for comparison.
Positive
degree: Look at these
sentences.
Ali is as
strong as Rahim. [positive]
Rahim is not
stronger than Ali. [Comparative]
As in the case of
comparative degree, we cannot transform this sentence into a sentence using a
superlative. Again, the reason is that only two persons are compared here.
ADJECTIVES: THEIR USE
Adjectives of
Quantity
a) Some, any: Some and any mean a certain quantity. We use them both before countable
nouns and uncountable nouns.
Examples:
i) She needs some
money.
We haven’t any sugar.
ii) I want some
apples.
He hasn’t any flowers.
b) Much, many, a lot of: Much is used with uncountable nouns and many with countable nouns. Both are generally used
in negative and interrogative sentences. In affirmative sentences, we use a
lot (of) instead of much or many.
Examples:
There isn’t much
water in the well.
There aren’t many
books in this library.
Is there much
ink in the bottle?
Has he made many mistakes?
We generally
don’t say,
There is much
water in the well.
Instead we say,
There is a
lot of water in the well.
c) More is the comparative
degree of both much and many and therefore can be
used with countable and uncountable nouns both.
Examples:
I need more
help than you have given me.
I will give you
five more flowers.
d) Most as
a superlative.
Examples:
Peace is the most
important thing today.
Of Bangladesh, Nepal and Srilanka, which country has the most
people in it?
e) A few,
few: Few and a few are
used with plural nouns only.
A few means a small number and
is affirmative.
Few means hardly any or fewer than expected; it is negative.
Examples:
A few oranges are still available.
Few
members came to the meeting.
f) A little,
little: Both these are used before uncountable nouns only.
Examples:
We have little
sugar left now.(little means not much)
She gave me
a little cake. (a little means
some but not much)
Distributive
Adjectives
Each, every,
either, neither: Each and Every are used as adjectives with singular
countable nouns.
Examples:
I have read each
book on the shelf.
I have read every
book on the shelf.
Each calls attention to individual person s or things as a whole.
Each is used for two or more persons or things while every
is not normally used for very small number.
Examples:
Two girls
entered. Each girl was
carrying a torch.
The members
discussed every issue in the meeting.
Use of some
other Adjectives:
a) Older, elder, oldest, eldest-
Older is used to compare the age of persons or
things. Elder
denotes seniority in
age with in a family.
Examples:
Ali is older
than his friend, Rahim.
He is elder
to his brother by two years.
He is the oldest
boy in the class.
The eldest
brother runs the shop now.
b) Farther, Further: Both are
comparatives of far. Farther is
used to denote distance. Further means
more additional.
Examples:
His house is at
the farther end of the street.
We need further
information before taking any action.
c) Later, latest: Later
is the comparative degree and latest is the superlative degree of
late. Later means after or beyond the fixed, usual or right time. Later
is contrasted with earlier.
Examples:
This is a later
edition of the book. The earlier one was published five
years ago.
Latest means most recent in time.
Example:
This is the latest
edition of the book.
latter, last : Latter and last are also the comparative and superlative degrees respectively
of late. Latter contrasts with former.
It refers to the second of two things or persons.
Examples:
We saw a film
yesterday. The first half was dull but the latter half was very
exciting.
Last is contrasted with first. It refers to things,
persons etc. coming after all others in time or order.
Examples:
The hero dies in
the last scene of this film.
Contrast it with
the latest.
This is the latest
news from the battle field.
He dies on the last
day of the battle.
d)Nearest,
next: Nearest
is used to indicate
distance.
Example:
The nearest
bus stand is two kilometers from here.
Next refers to the position and is used for
persons and things coming immediately after in order or space.
Example:
We will stop at the
next town.
e) Less: less contrasts with more. It means a smaller quantity of any thing.
It is used with uncountable nouns only.
Example:
There is less
water in the glass than in the jug.
f) A,One:
Both are used with singular countable
nouns. Both mean one but one cannot
always be used in place of a or an.
Examples:
There is a
book on the table.
There is one
book on the table.
Here, a book
=any book and no particular book.
But one
book implies only one book and not two or thee.
g) No: No is used as an adjective with plural
countable nouns and with uncountable nouns.
Examples:
There are no
flowers in the garden.
We have no
time to lose.
h) All, Both: We use all with
countable and uncountable nouns. It comes before possessives and other
determiners like the, this, that , these, those.
Examples:
All the mangoes are tasty.
Give all that
food o beggars.
Are all
these children yours?
Both is used only with countable nouns. It
comes before possessives and other determiners like the, these, those.
Examples:
Both of those pens are mine.
Both his brothers are good players.
i) Only: As
an adjective only is preceded by an article an or the.
Examples:
Mary is an only
child.
We were the only
people to meet him at the station.
j) Own: As
an adjective own is used to emphasize possessive
adjectives.
Examples:
The robbery took
place before my own eyes.
His own
father refused to talk with him.
Exercise-1
Supply some or any as required.
1.
There
isn’t …..milk in the jug.
2.
Please
give me ……more ice-cream.
3.
He
came to her with ….. fine flowers.
4.
We
had ….. coffee but there wasn’t ….. sugar in it.
5.
Are
there ….. pictures in your book?
Exercise-2
Turn the
following sentences into (a) negative (b)
interrogative
- There are some mangoes in the basket.
- He has made some mistakes.
- He has bought some ink.
- There is some light in the mountains.
- He has some sugar left.
- He has some money.
- He can get some loan.
Exercise-3
Use the degree
of comparison indicated.
- This table is (big) that table.(positive)
- My dog is (fast)your dog. (comparative)
- Mohammed Ali is (great) boxer of today. (superlative)
- Your school is not (far)mine.(positive)
- This novel is (interesting)that.(comparative)
- We had (bad) famine of all times this year.(superlative)
Exercise-4
Fill in the
blanks with right word from the brackets.
- John is two years senior ….. Peter.(to/than)
- George couldn’t be ….. his partner in business.(older, elder, than, to)
- She is …. her brother by two years. ( older, elder, to, than)
- George is the …. . child of his parents. (oldest, oldest)
- Which is the ……. Building in this town. (oldest, eldest)
Exercise-5
Use few,
a few, little or a little in
these sentences.
- Could you lend me …..books?
- …..people would care to listen to your advice.
- She has many enemies but …. Friends.
- They have offered …..items for sale at reduced prices.
- I am a busy man and have …… time to spare.
- Give me …. Milk, please.
- He is a self-made man. He received …. Help from anybody.
- …. Drops of this medicine will cure him completely.
Exercise-6
Fill in the
blanks with much, many, more, most, a lot
of.
- There isn’t …..ink in the pen.
- Which student has made the ….. mistakes?
- …..people had come to see the match.
- We need …..money for the function.
- There are not ….. chairs in the hall.
- Empty vessels make …… noise.
- …..parts of Africa are covered with forests.
- There is …..sand on the beach.
- Not …..candidates applied for the job.
- The teacher gave them ….question.
- She bought …… dresses fro her daughter.
- Don’t eat any ….rice, it will harm you.
- …..people in Europe are Christians.
Exercise-7
Use either, neither, farther, further, later,
latter, latest, last, nearest, next in these sentences.
- The children stood on ……. Side of their parents.
- ….. book gives us correct information.
- No …. news has come from the war front.
- He lives on the …. side of the river.
- The bus started after the ….passenger got in.
- Shaw’s ….. plays are more interesting than the earlier ones.
- We enjoyed the whole film, but we liked the …. half more.
- Give me the name of the…..book on English grammar.
- If you fail this year, you can take the examination only … year.
- The …. Station from my village is five kilometers.
- Go and send the …… candidate in.
Exercise-8
Change no into not …. any in the following sentences.
- We have no information about his arrival.
- There is no meat in the house.
- Was there no typist in the office?
Exercise-9
Fill in the
blanks in the sentences by using the correct adjective forms of the word in
brackets.
- Studying is not ….important than playing.(much)
- Women are ….teachers than men.(good)
- A cow is a ….animal.(harm)
- They sang some …..songs.(patriot)
- This is a …. machine.(defect)
- Only a …. person will go alone into a dark forest.(fool)
- Old people receive ….pensions.(month)
- We must help …. person.(need)
- It is a …. night.(storm)
- Stealing is a ….. act. (sin)
- This fish is not ………(eat)
- Hydrogen bomb is …..(destroy)
- Monkeys are …..(mischief)
- Ethiopia is an …. country.(Africa)
- I have many ……friends. (Russia)
- This is the only ……… press in the town.(print)
- Do you have a …… licence ? (drive)
- Throw away these …. Eggs. (rot)
- Who will eat these ….potatoes ? (burn)
- We have two …… teachers. (History)
- I have no …. friend. (girl)
- The ….. tank is leaking. (water)
No comments:
Post a Comment