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Humor:
Position of adjectives
a) Usually in front of a noun:
A beautiful girl.
b) After verbs like "to be", "to seem" , "to look",
"to taste":
Examples
- The girl is beautiful
- You look tired
- This meat tastes funny.
c) After the noun: in some fixed expressions:
Examples
- The Princess Royal
- The President elect
- a court martial
d) After the noun with the adjectives involved, present,
concerned:
Examples
Be careful! When these adjectives are used before the
noun they have a different meaning:
- An involved discussion = detailed, complex
- A concerned father = worried, anxious
- The present situation = current, happening now.
Position of adjectives
a) Usually in front of a noun:
A beautiful girl.
b) After verbs like "to be", "to seem" , "to look", "to taste":
Examples
- The girl is beautiful
- You look tired
- This meat tastes funny.
c) After the noun: in some fixed expressions:
Examples
- The Princess Royal
- The President elect
- a court martial
d) After the noun with the adjectives involved,
present, concerned:
Examples
Be careful! When these adjectives are used before
the noun they have a different meaning:
- An involved discussion = detailed, complex
- A concerned father = worried, anxious
- The present situation = current, happening now.
Function of Adjectives
Adjectives can:
Describe feelings or qualities:
Examples
- He is a lonely man
- They are honest people
Give nationality or origin:
Examples
- Pierre is French
- This clock is German
- Our house is Victorian
Tell more about a thing's characteristics:
Examples
- A wooden table.
- The knife is sharp.
Tell us about age:
Examples
- He's young man
- My coat is very old
Tell us about size and measurement:
Examples
- John tall man.
- This is a very long film.
Tell us about colour:
Examples
- Paul wore a red shirt.
- The sunset was crimson and gold.
Tell us about material/what something is made of:
- It was a wooden table
- She wore a cotton dress
Tell us about shape:
Examples
- A rectangular box
- A square envelope
Express a judgment or a value:
Examples
- A fantastic film
- Grammar is boring.
Order of Adjectives
Rules
Where a number of adjectives are used together, the order
depends on the function of the adjective. The usual order is:
Value/opinion, Size, Age/Temperature, Shape, Colour, Origin,
Material
| Value/opinion | delicious, lovely, charming | ||
| Size | small, huge, tiny | ||
| Age/Temperature | old, hot, young | ||
| Shape | round, square, rectangular | ||
| Colour | red, blonde, black | ||
| Origin | Swedish, Victorian, Chinese | ||
| Material | plastic, wooden, silver | ||
Examples:
- a lovely old red post-box
- some small round plastic tables
- some charming small silver ornaments
COMPARISON OF
ADJECTIVES
FORMING THE COMPARATIVE AND
SUPERLATIVE
Using the comparative of adjectives in English
is quite easy once you have understood the few
simple rules that govern them.
Below you will find the rules with examples for
each condition.
If you are not sure what a syllable or a consonant is -
have a look here.
| Number of syllables | Comparative | Superlative |
|
one syllable |
+ -er |
+ -est |
|
tall |
taller |
tallest |
| |
||
|
one syllable with the spelling consonant + single vowel + consonant: double the final consonant: | ||
|
fat |
fatter |
fattest |
|
big |
bigger |
biggest |
|
sad |
sadder |
saddest |
| Number of syllables | Comparative | Superlative |
| two syllables | + -er OR more + adj |
+ -est OR most + adj |
|
ending in: -y, -ly, -ow ending in: -le, -er or -ure these common adjectives - handsome, polite, pleasant, common, quiet | ||
|
happy |
happier/ more happy |
happiest/ most happy |
|
yellow |
yellower/ more yellow |
yellowest/ most yellow |
|
simple |
simpler/ more simple |
simplest/ most simple |
|
tender |
tenderer/ more tender |
tenderest/ most tender |
| | ||
|
If you are not sure, use MORE + OR MOST +
sunny, lucky etc:. replace the -y with -ier or -iest in the comparative and superlative form | ||
|
busy |
busier |
busiest |
| | ||
| Number of syllables | Comparative | Superlative |
| three syllables or more | more + adj | most + adj |
| important |
more important |
most important |
| expensive | more expensive | most expensive |
Examples
- A cat is fast, a tiger is faster but a cheetah is the
- fastest
- A car is heavy, a truck is heavier, but a train is the heaviest
- A park bench is comfortable, a restaurant chair is
- more comfortable, but a sofa is the most comfortable.
IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND
SUPERLATIVES
These adjectives have completely irregular comparative
and superlative forms.
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|
good |
better |
best |
|
bad |
worse |
worst |
|
little |
less |
least |
|
much |
more |
most |
|
far |
further / farther |
furthest / farthest |
