Adjectives

We use adjectives to describe nouns or pronouns and give more information about them. In this lesson, we will explain how to form adjectives.

Adjectives features

1- Adjectives come in different places in a sentence. They can come before or after the described noun.

2- Adjectives can come before a singular or plural noun. They always come in the singular, even if the described noun is plural.

3- Several suffixes end with adjectives, as there is no general rule for forming adjectives.

4- We do not use articles before adjectives unless the adjective and the described noun come together.

5- Adjectives can describe size, shape, age, color, origin, material, or benefit. When more than one adjective is mentioned, there is adjectives order to use.

Types of adjectives

1- Descriptive adjectives, which are the most common and used. We will learn about them in this lesson.

2- Demonstrative adjectives (this - that - these - those).

3- Possessive adjectives (my - your - his - her - its - our - their).

4- Comparative adjectives.

5- Superlative adjectives.

Adjectives placed in a sentence

They can come in different places in a sentence.

1- Before the described noun. 

Example: The tall man.

2- After the described noun directly.

 Example: Someone weird.

3- After the verb Be. 

Example: He is handsome.

4- After linking verbs.

Examples:

Adjectives forming

We can form adjectives by adding a suffix or prefix to the word, as each group of words has its own rule.

1- The suffix ing:

We form it by adding (ing) to the end of the infinitive form of a verb.

Examples:

2- The suffix ed:

We form it by adding (ed) to the end of the infinitive form of a verb.

Examples:

3- The suffixes less and ful:

These suffixes change the meaning of a word when they are added to the end of the word. The suffix ful means (with), and the suffix less means (without).

Examples:

4- More suffixes:

Examples:

5- Adjectives derived from countries or continents:

Examples:

6- We can use some prefixes before an adjective to give the meaning of negation.

Examples:

7- Adjectives that do not have a specific rule and we do not add a prefix or suffix to them.

Examples:

Adjectives order

In case there is more than one adjective describing a particular noun in a sentence, we place these adjectives starting with:

1- Quantity (one - few …)

2- Opinion (beautiful - smart …)

3- Size (big - small …)

4- Age (young - old …)

5- Shape (round - oval …)

6- Color (black - white …)

7- Material (wood - glass …)

8- Origin (british - american …)

9- Purpose (cleaning - cooking …)

Examples

Compound adjectives

It is an adjective consisting of two or more parts separated by a hyphen (-) and is considered singular, even if the described noun is plural.

Examples:

That was all about descriptive adjectives. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can share them with us in the comments section below.

Exercises:

A- Write the correct adjective form in the blank.

1- She has a …. dress. (beauty)

2- The mirror is …. . (break)

3- This pizza is not …. . (delicious

4- I have a …. boat. (wood)

5- He is …. . (Russia)

6- She has …. . (blue - eye)

7- A …. girl. (blue - eye)

Answers

1- beautiful 

2- breakable

3- delicious

4- wooden

5- Russian

6- blue eyes

7- blue-eyed

B- Put the words in the correct order.

1- cotton/ shirt/ white

2- green/ cars/ many/ new

3- bag/ leather/ big

4- square/ room/ large

Answers

1- White cotton shirt.

2- Many new green cars.

3- Big leather bag.

4- large square room.