Adjective Suffixes

Forming adjectives from other word forms

Noun Adjective Word Form
NOUN WORD FORM AD!"#$%! WORD FORM
Some adjectives are formed from nouns. Others are
formed from verbs. Some are formed from words in Latin,
Greek or other languages. There is no simple rule for
adding suffixes, but there are some common patterns.
dding a suffix onto a noun form is one wa! of forming an
adjective. suffix is a part added to the end of a word to mark
the word form. "e often use an adjective after a #$ verb or a
stative verb. .
%O&%
The sk! was a s&ectac'e. 'a ver! beautiful thing to see(
#$ ) *+$,T-.$
-t was s&ectacu'ar.
/O*-0-$1 TO %O&%
-t was a s&ectacu'ar sk!.
The sk! was filled with co'ors. -t was co'orfu'. -t was a co'orfu' sk!.
The sunset was red. -t looked reddish. -t was a reddish sk!.
"e felt awe. 'a feeling of inspiration and respect( -t was awesome.

-t was an awesome sight.


"ommon suffixes noun to adjective word form
SUFF$( NOUN ) AD!"#$%! NOUN ) AD!"#$%! NOUN ) AD!"#$%! NOUN ) AD!"#$%! NOUN ) AD!"#$%!
*A+ relating to accident 2
accidental
brute 2 brutal region 2 regional universe 2universal person 2 personal
*AR, relating to
3ualit! or place
custom 2
customar!
moment 2
momentar!
caution 2
cautionar!
honor 2 honorar! diet 2 dietar!
*FU+ full of beaut! 2 beautiful wonder 2
wonderful
awe 2 awful skill 2 skillful success 2
successful
*$" having the nature
of4 caused b!
athlete 2 athletic base 2 basic histor! 2 historic photograph 2
photographic
science 2 scientific
*$"A+ having the
nature of
magic 2 magical logic 2 logical histor! 2 historical practice 2 practical statistic 2 statistical
5$S- origin, nature fool 2 foolish child 2 childish self 2 selfish sheep 2 sheepish pink 2 pinkish
*+!SS without power 2 powerless friend 2 friendless worth 2 worthless use 2 useless home 2 homeless
*+$.! like like 2 lifelike lad! 2 lad!like war 2 warlike child 2 childlike bird 2 birdlike
*+, like friend 2 friendl! cost 2 costl! month 2 monthl! da! 2 dail! order 2 orderl!
*OUS 3ualit!, nature poison 2 poisonous danger 2
dangerous
nerve 2 nervous m!ster! 2
m!sterious
victor! 2 victorious
*, like rain 2 rain! fun 2 funn! dirt 2 dirt! mess 2 mess! dirt 2 dirt!

Adjectiva'i/ation 2 in linguistics, the forming of words from other categories , nouns and verbs, b! suffixation. ',aG$L 6789(
:op5; <historic / historical<



Adjective Forms 0
Forming adjectives from ver1 word forms


Forming adjectives from noun word forms
%!R2 WORD FORM AD!"#$%! WORD FORM
Some adjectives are formed from verbs. dding a suffix onto a verb form is another wa! of forming an
adjective. suffix is a part added to the end of a word to mark
the word form. "e often use an adjective after a #$ verb or a
stative verb. .
.$1#
The! create ideas.
#$ ) *+$,T-.$
The! are creative.
/O*-0-$1 TO %O&%
The! have creative minds.
She is ex&ecting a bab!. She is an ex&ectant mother. "e congratulated the
ex&ectant mother.
The! don=t &ermit smoking here. Smoking is &ermissi1'e.
allowed
Smoking is a &ermissi1'e
activity.
The! urge us to come immediatel!. The matter is urgent. The! called us about an
urgent matter.
Toda!=s news interests me. The news is interesting.
- am interested.

"e have interesting news.
- am an interested reader.
Part Adj 1 -ed / -ing

"ommon suffixes ver1 to adjective word form
SUFF$( %!R2 ) AD!"#$%! %!R2 ) AD!"#$%! %!R2 ) AD!"#$%! %!R2 ) AD!"#$%! %!R2 ) AD!"#$%!
*A2+! able, can do agree 2 agreeable expand 2
expandable
laugh 2 laughable pass 2 passable remark 2
remarkable
*$2+! able, can do access 2
accessible
force 2 forcible sense 2 sensible flex 2 flexible permit 2
permissible
*AN# performing
agent
please 2 pleasant rel! 2 reliant ignore 2 ignorant resist 2 resistant vacate 2 vacant
*!N# performing agent excel 2 excellent depend2dependent confide 2 confident urge 2 urgent differ 2 different
*$%! causing effect attract 2 attractive create 2 creative select 2 selective posses 2
possessive
prevent 2
preventive
5$N3 causing effect amuse 2 amusing excite 2 exciting confuse 2
confusing
relax 2relaxing surprise 2surprising
*!D receiving effect amuse 2 amused excite 2 excited confuse 2 confused relax 2 relaxed surprise 2 surprised
*!N receiving effect free>e 2 fro>en lighten 2 lightened darken 2 darkened widen 2 widened shorten 2
shortened



Adjectives
Simi'ar 1ut Different


%!R2 S$M$+AR 2U# D$FF!R!N# 4A$RS NOUN S$M$+AR 2U# D$FF!R!N# 4A$RS
AW! -t was an awesome movie. having a great 3ualit!,
inspiring
-t was an awful movie. having a terrible 3ualit!
"-$+D -t was childish behavior 'behaviour(. having
immature behavior, negative
-t was childlike behavior. qualities like a child,
positive
D!4!ND "e have two dependent children. needing
someone for care
"e have two dependable children. having a
nature of completing promises

"ONF$D! "e are confident about winning. sure
?L.confidere@
The message is confidential. private ?L.
confidenti@
+AU3- The laughing child was pla!ing. having a good
nature
The laughable car was powered with
te3uila. impossible to be serious about

"R$S4 -t is a crisp da!, toda!. cool and dry
-t is a crispy cracker. thin and crunchy (makes a
pleasant sound )
+$3-# She has light hair. a natural 3ualit!
She has lightened hair. an unnaturalAchanged
3ualit!

FUN "e had a fun time at the movies. amusing
"e saw a funny movie. causing laughter

+O%! Be is a loving son. having a quality of giving love
Be is a lovable son. having a nature of attracting
love

#A"# The general made a tactical advance. military
move ?L. tacticus@
Be is a tactful politician. having skills handling
situations ?L. tactus@
tact 'n.( 2 skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations
S!+!"# Be is selective a boo ut what he eats. having a
quality of being choosy, picky
The! are selling selected items. particular,
carefully chosen
Select people can live there. a small number,
exclusive, wealthy
#AS#! Cour food is tasty. having a good taste
Cou are a tasteful dresser. having good judgment
for fashion
S!NS! Be is a sensible person. reasonable ?sensibilis@
Be is a sensitive person. easily irritated or hurt ?L.
sensitivus@
WOR#-
Be is a worthy competitor.
Be is a worthless competitor.


Adjectives *ic and *ica'
*$" *$"A+
There is no particular wa! to know whether a word will use
the -ic or the -ical ending. The suffix -ic comes from
0rench 5ique, or Greek 5ikos. and means having the nature
of , or causing something.
The -ical form is often added to a word that alread! has a final
-ic. 0or example,. historic 'of histor!( and historical 'related to
something that is historic(. Such adjectives often have a
different or an additional meaning from the more basic -ic form.
academic, algebraic, arithmetic, artistic, athletic, catholic,
domestic, dramatic, egoistic, emphatic, energetic, fantastic,
geometric, strategic, linguistic, majestic, neurotic, pathetic,
pedagogic, phonetic, public, semantic, s!ntactic,
s!stematic, tragic
biological, chemical, critical, c!nical, grammatical, fanatical,
illogical, logical, mathematical, mechanical, medical,
musical, pedagogical, ph!sical, radical, surgical tactical,
topical
Be bu!s c'assic cars. traditional, old st!le "e listen to c'assica' music. from a cultural 'sometimes Greek,
1oman, $uropean( source, or 6Dth,.
Bis comic verse filled books. artistic comed! Bis comica' verse entertained audiences. funn!
Bis economic theor! was proved unsound. of the science of
economics
Bis economica' car was unsound. cheap
n e'ectric motor powered the car. a particular machine !'ectrica' e3uipment makes our work easier. general, mass
That was aAan historic moment. recorded in past history This is aAan historica' moment. worthy of being recorded in history
The h5steric 6 h5sterica' woman was out of control. unable
to control !our behaviour or emotions
The movie was h5sterica'. very funny, causing uncontrollable
laughter
The little girl pla!ed with a magic wand. of a m!sterious source -t was a magica' experience. m!sterious, wonderful, exciting
Be was a medic in the militar!. intern or doctor Be did medica' research. related to medicine
Be wrote in a &oetic speech. imaginative, having the quality of
poetry, like poetry
Be wrote in a &oetica' manner. having the form of poetry
-t=s not &o'itic to ask such 3uestions wise

-t was a &o'itica' 3uestion. concerning government and politics
Swan, /ichael. Practical English sage. Eth ed. F88GH Oxford &niversit! :ress. :rint. 'FIE(
:refixes and Suffixes, "ikipedia,"eb. httpHAAen.wikipedia.orgAwikiAListJofJmedicalJroots,JsuffixesJandJprefixes
:op5; <Bistorical<



4ractice
Adjective Word Forms


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