The adjective

Adjectives describe the qualities of people,things,places etc.

I. Types of adjectives:

1.

Adjective proper: good,blue,alive.

Noun converted into an adjective because placed before another noun: (a five-) room (house), (a ten-) year (old boy).

Verb in the 3rd form,used as an adjective: (a) worried (man),

(his) bored (air), (her) confused (mind).

Compound adjective: goog-looking, long-lasting, open-minded, well-dressed.

-Ing form of verb used as an adjective: (an) amusing (fellow), (the) governing (authorities).

2. You can emphasize your feelings about something that you mention by using emphasizing adjectives:

pure bliss... a raving lunatic...

a complete idiot... the very thing...

absolute rubbish... ...at the very beginning/end of ...

in utter despair... in entire agreement with...

a total failure... outright best-seller...

a perfect success... a positive delight to...

a crashing bore... true/genuine pleasure to...

3. Attributive and predicative adjectives:

Most adjectives can be used both attributively (in front of the noun) and predicatively (after the verb BE, SEEM, LOOK etc).

e.g. She has read an interesting story. The story is interesting.

But there are some adjectives that can be used only in one way.

Attributive adjectives: Predicative adjectives:

atomic

east/west/south/north

eastern/wetern/southern/...

indoor/outdoor

maximum

nationwide

occasional

supplementary

woolen

etc.

afraid

alive

alone

apart

aware

glad

ill

likely

ready

safe

sorry

sure

unable

etc.

II. Position of adjectives:

1. before a noun: young woman.

2. after the verb BE, BECOME, SEEM, STAY:

Your ideas are interesting.

Books are becoming expensive.

She looks happy.

The weather wills stay dry.

3. with some verbs after the object: My sister keeps her room tidy.

4. the+adj.=Romanian noun in the plural: the young=tinerii

the rich=bogatii

the English=englezii

5. after a noun (certain phrases): the people present/knight errant/Court Martial/Poet Laureate etc.

Order of adjectives placed before a noun:

determiner opinion size shape age color origin material purpose/ type noun

at/the/two nice big round old blue French glass fruit bowl

III. Comparison of adjectives:

Positive: Comparative: Superlative:

-er,-est

-one syllable adj.

-two syllable adj.

-ending in -y Peter is tall.

Pam is lucky.

Peter is taller than Jack.

Pam is lukier than Lori. Peter is the tallest in the group.

Pam is the luckiest girl I know.