Lesson

3 Adjectives and adverbs

A Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing

annoyed (infastidito)
bored (annoiato)
confused (confuso)
depressed (depresso)
disappointed (deluso)
excited (eccitato)
exhausted (esausto)
interested (interessato) interesting (interessante)
tired (stanco)
worried (preoccupato)
annoying (fastidioso)
boring (noioso)
confusing (che confonde)
depressing (deprimente)
disappointing (deludente)
exciting (entusiasmante)
exhausting (spossante)
tiring (stancante)
worrying (preoccupante)
1 We use an adjective ending in -ed to describe how
we think or feel about something. We use an
adjective ending in -ing to describe the people or
things that cause this feeling.
Susans boyfriend is very boring. (He isnt a very
interesting person.)
Thats why Susan is very bored. (He causes Susan
to feel bored.)
Remember unlike Italian, in English adjectives always
precede the noun and do not vary according to
gender or number.

B Comparative and superlative adjectives

Adjective Comparative Superlative 1 We use comparative adjectives (+ than)
to compare two people or things.
1 syllable old older (than) the oldest (in/of)
To make a negative comparison we
1 syllable ending large larger the largest use less (+ than).
in -e
My sisters older than me.
1 syllable ending hot hotter the hottest Im less stressed than you.
in consonant +
vowel + consonant 2 We use the + superlative adjectives
2 syllables ending funny funnier the funniest (+ in/of) to compare more than two
in consonant + -y people or things. We use the least for
2 syllables exciting more exciting the most exciting negative superlatives.
Shes the tallest person in my class.
Irregular good better the best
bad worse the worst
Hes the least organised guy I know.
far farther/further the farthest/furthest 3 We use (not) as as to say that two
people or things are similar, or
less than, the least less complicated than different in some way.
the least worrying of/in Hes as clever as me.
(not) as as as easy as, not as simple as She isnt as tall as me.

C Adverbs
1 We form adverbs by adding -ly to an adjective (see Spelling rules
the Spelling rules). Regular adjectives + -ly slow slowly
2 We use adverbs to describe how we do something Adjectives which end in -y: y becomes -ily
or to describe an adjective. easy easily
He walked slowly to the bus stop.
Adjectives which end in -ble: -ble becomes -bly
Hes incredibly lucky.
terribile terribly
3 We do not put an adverb between the verb and the
Adjectives which end in -c: + ally
object of a sentence.
historic historically
She did her homework carefully.
NOT She did carefully her homework. Irregular adjectives:
good well fast fast hard hard

D Comparative adverbs
2 Irregular adverbs also have irregular comparative
1 We form comparative adverbs like this:
forms.
more + adverb + than well better badly worse fast faster
You talk more slowly than me. hard harder early earlier late later

6
 Lesson

3
A Adjectives ending in -ed and -ing
1 Choose the correct alternative. 2 Complete the sentences with an adjective
1 I dont like my aerobics class because the from the list on page 6.
instructors really bored/boring. 1 Go to bed if youre tired .
2 Jennys behaving strangely. Im getting worried/ 2 Please stop biting your nails. Its very
worrying about her. .
3 Training was really hard tonight. Im exhausted/ 3 I couldnt read the map. It was really
exhausting! .
4 Alexs exam results were very disappointing/ 4 Were about our holiday in
disappointed. New York.
5 My mums new job seems really interesting/ 5 Angelas been since she lost
interested. her job.

B Comparative and superlative adjectives

3 Complete the sentences with the 4 Complete the sentences with as as, less
comparative or superlative forms of the than or the least and the adjective in brackets.
adjectives in the box and than or in. 1 The film wasnt as exciting as --I expected.
large long relaxing difficult high (exciting)
2 Dogs are cats. (independent)
1 Which is the longest river in the world?
3 This is film Ive ever seen!
2 Yoga is football.
(interesting)
3 Id like to climb mountain
4 Gillian wasnt her mum.
the world.
(embarrassed)
4 Do you think Physics is Maths?
5 Im just you! (intelligent)
5 Our new house is our old one.

C Adverbs
5 Change the adjectives in the box into adverbs
and put them in the correct place in the
sentences. Write in your exercise books.
fantastic angry beautiful bad
perfect terrible
1 Mary plays the piano.
Mary plays the piano beautifully.
2 Our team played today and we lost.
3 Dianas upset about failing her exams.
4 Paul looked at me when I told him.
5 They understand me.
6 Chris sang and got a standing ovation.
6 Are the underlined words right or wrong?
Tick ! the correct words, and correct the
wrong ones.
1 She studied hardly all summer. hard
2 Shes a very aggressive driver.
3 My sister writes very neat.
4 You must talk quiet in the library.
5 I see Naomi fairly regularly.
6 Do you always walk so fastly?
7 Bill paints very skilful.
8 Annies incredibly talented.

D Comparative adverbs
7 Complete the sentences with the comparative 8 Translate the sentences into English in your
form of an adverb in the box + than. exercise book.
late careful early aggressively quickly 1 Puoi parlare pi lentamente, per favore?
1 I have to go to bed earlier than my sister. Can you speak more slowly, please?
2 My friends can stay out me. 2 Mi alzo pi presto di te.
3 You must do your homework 3 Il treno va pi veloce dellautobus.
this. 4 Jack e Claire vanno pi daccordo quando sono
4 Can you text your best friend? in vacanza.
5 Do people drive in big cities 5 A Capisci pi facilmente linglese dello spagnolo?
in small towns? B S. Capisco perfettamente linglese.