Typical adjective endings

Some adjectives can be identified by their endings. Typical adjective endings

include:

1. -able/-ible understandable, capable, readable, incredible

2. -al mathematical, functional, influential, chemical
3. -ful beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful
4. -ic artistic, manic, rustic, terrific
5. -ive submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive
6. -less sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless
7. -ous gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous
Sometimes when adding these endings changes have to be made. Here are
some rules for forming adjectives and their exceptions:

Add Exceptions Word Adjective

Nature Natural
-al If ending with an ‘e‘, drop it
Function Functional

Ice Icy
-y If ending with an ‘e‘, drop it
Oil Oily

Beauty Beautiful
-ful If ending with a ‘y‘, replace with an ‘i‘
Peace Peaceful

Mystery Mysterious
-ous/-ious If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it
Danger Dangerous

History Historic
-ic If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it
Rust Rustic
Forming adjectives from nouns and verbs
Adjectives can be formed from different words. They can be formed from nouns:

Noun Adjective

accident accidental

danger dangerous

length long

star starry

wind windy

From verbs:

Verb Adjective

enjoy enjoyable

help helpful

obey obedient

play playful
Verb Adjective

talk talkative

Or even from other adjectives:

Adjective Adjective

comic comical

correct corrective

elder elderly

red reddish

sick sickly

Examples of forming adjectives

1. Our house color is a kind of yellow. → We live in a yellowish house.
2. He often acts like a child. → He often acts in a childish way.
3. The event was a big success. → We enjoyed a successful event.
4. We enjoyed the sound of the drum’s rhythm. → We enjoyed the
drum’s rhythmicsound.
5. She adopted a dog without a home. → She adopted a homeless dog.
6. Look out, that plant is poison. → Look out for that poisonous plant.
7. It looks like it will rain today. → It looks like we’ll have rainy weather today.
8. She always acts with courtesy. → She always behaves in a courteous manner.
9. Her hair is pretty. → She has the prettiest hair.
10. We go for a walk each day. → We go for a daily walk.

Forming adjectives exercises

1. Choose the adjective from each of the following groups of words:

A. inventive, invent, invented

B. curiosity, curious, curiousive
C. proliferate, prolific, proud
Answers 1: A – inventive B – curious C – prolific

2. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

A. smell
B. chill
C. width
Answers 2: A – smelly B – chilly C – wide

3. Form adjectives from the following verbs:

A. interested
B. amazed
C. annoyed
Answers 3: A – interesting B – amazing C – annoying

4. Form adjectives from the following verbs. Some words may be formed into more than
one adjective:

A. escape
B. improve
C. damage
Answers 4: A – escaped, escaping B – improved, improving C – damaged,
damaging

5. Form longer adjectives from the following adjectives. Some words may be formed into
more than one adjective:

A. funny
B. incorrect
C. blue
Answers 5: A – funnier, funniest B – incorrectly C – bluest, bluer, blueish
6. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

A. magic
B. fool
C. lady
Answers 6: A – magical B – foolish C – ladylike

7. Form two adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A. life
B. power
C. friend
Answers 7: A – lifelike, lifeless B – powerful, powerless C – friendly,
friendless

8. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A. cost
B. war
C. month
Answers 8: A – costly B – warlike C – monthly

9. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A. poison
B. courtesy
C. mystery
Answers 9: A – poisonous B – courteous C – mysterious

10. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A. athlete
B. photograph
C. science
Answers 10: A – athletic B – photographic C – scientific