ADJECTIVES - Introduction

Definition: Adjectives are words that modify nouns and pronouns. Kinds of adjectives: ----- A) Think of your own examples and complete the table. Descriptive What is x like?

Proper

Which kind is x?

Demonstrative

Which one is x?

----- B) Underline all the adjectives in these paragraphs.

Im not an Academy voter; Im putting up for potential derision and humiliation my predictions, not my preferences. I think The Artist will clean up, not because people love it, but because they like it. The movie makes viewers feel good, and it even makes those whose heyday is long past feel good about that. If there were write-ins, it might win for categories it wasnt nominated for. However, I picked Octavia Spencer for Supporting Actress in The Help rather than Brnice Bejo, becausedespite the fact that one of the most memorable moments in The Artist, the self-caress, was Bejos, and the fact that The Help engendered a fair amount of political controversySpencer had what may be the years most you go, girl moment. I spent the most time mulling over the Original Screenplay category. The nuanced, albeit plotty, writing of A Separation seems to wow those who see the film, but lots of people lost money in the stock market, and Margin Call touches them personally. On the other hand, the last thing Hollywood wants to seem is mercenaryhence A Separation. Actually, The Artist could win that category, too, though I think that there will be enough hesitation about giving the screenplay award to a movie without dialogue to keep it from winning.

----- C) For each of the adjectives decide whether it is descriptive, proper or demonstrative: Descriptive

Proper Demonstrative

Gradable and non-gradable adjectives

Gradable adjectives:

Examples1: Grading adverbs a little, dreadfully, extremely, fairly, hugely, immensely, intensely, rather, reasonably, slightly, unusually, very Non-gradable adjectives: Gradable adjectives angry, big, busy, clever, cold, deep, fast, friendly, good, happy, high, hot, important, long, popular, rich, strong, tall, warm, weak, young

Examples2: Non-grading adverbs absolutely, almost, completely, entirely, exclusively, fully, largely, mainly, nearly, perfectly, practically, primarily, utterly, virtually Non-gradable adjectives awful, excellent, extremes terrified dead, impossible, unique chemical, digital, domestic absolutes classifying adjectives

Really and so can be used with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives: The food was really/so good. The food was really/so delicious. ----- D) For each adjective from the box decide whether it is gradable or non-gradable.

Gradable adjectives Non-gradable adjectives

1 2

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-ed vs. ing

Consider the following examples: (a) The book is full of information. Its very interesting. (b) Mike is very interested in UFOs.

Adjectival vs. verbal participle The magician is amazing. vs. The magician is amazing us with his magic tricks. We were all shocked by her behaviour.

Her behaviour shocked us all. vs.

----- E) Complete the conversation. Write the full word in each space.

----- F) Complete the conversations using adjectives ending in ed or ing.

----- G) Rewrite these sentences using ed/-ing or other endings. Make necessary changes.

The + adjective
(1) Some adjectives can be used to refer to some groups of people in society: The young are usually keen to travel. In those days the poor had a miserable life. here the + adjective/participle takes a plural verb When we talk about a specific person or group of people, we use a young man, the old people etc. There was a young man standing in the corner. None of the young people can find jobs here. ----- G) Think of some examples to complete the table. Adjectives used in this way (the + adjective) have to do with: social or economic position physical condition or health age

(2) Some adjectives and participle forms can be used after the to refer to things in general which have a particular quality: Lots of people believe in the supernatural. It was a journey into the unknown. The new takes over from the old. here the + adjective/participle takes a singular verb

----- H) Complete the sentences using the adjectives given in brackets. Decide whether the structure should be like the young or the young people.

----- I) Put in the correct forms of the words in brackets: the + adjective or ed/-ing adjectives.

Word formation
Many adjectives related to verbs or nouns have a characteristic ending (i.e. suffix): -able (capable of being): manageable -ful (full of): boastful -ic: energetic -ive (tending to be): impulsive -ant: hesitant ----- J) Supply the right adjectival form. -ible (like -able): permissible -(i)an (historical period, etc.): Victorian -ish (have the quality of): foolish, reddish -ly (have this quality): friendly -ous (have this quality): humorous

Compound adjectives consist of more than one morpheme, e.g.: adjective + noun +ed: kind-hearted, cold-blooded, deep sea adjective/adverb/noun + present participle: good-looking, far-reaching, labour-saving number+noun: two-door, twenty-page, forty-mile noun+ past participle: tongue-tied, sun-dried noun + adjective: trouble-free, lead-free, world-famous Compound adjectives are productive new combinations are always possible.

----- K) Refer to the words in brackets and put in the right adjectives.

----- L) Match the words in column A with the words in column B to make correct compound adjectives: Column A deeply quick time absent oil two short record brightly Column B witted faced rooted consuming minded breaking producing lit sighted Compound Sentence

----- M) Complete the sentences with participles as adjectives, using the verbs in the box. The verbs with adverbs should be used to form compound adjectives.

----- N) Complete the following sentences with compound adjectives to describe character. The first letters are given to help you. See the example provided.

----- O) Complete the following sentences with adjectives formed from one of the verbs or nouns in the box + suffix.

----- P) Match each adjective in the first box with its corresponding noun in the second box and form common collocations to complete the sentences that follow. See the example provided.