The suffix –ful has most of the times a positive
Complete these sentences with adjectives
meaning and –less a negative meaning but not given in brackets endings –ful or –less.
always: the adjectives awful or dreadful have
negative meanings (= frightening) and priceless has a
positive meaning (= valuable). 1. What a lovely present! That was very
________________ of you. (think)
We can make adverbs from these adjectives with 2. He's told me ________________ times about
-fully or –lessly: carefully and carelessly. how good he is at football. (count)
3. My best friend is a rich, _________________
Here you are some of the most common examples:
lawyer. (power)
4. You must remember to recharge your phone.
Noun Verb Adjective Without its batteries, it's _____________. (use)
5. Although everybody knows that cigarettes
care care careful / careless are _______________ to our health, many
colour colour colourful / colourless people still smoke. (harm)
fear fear fearful / fearless 6. The new sales assistant was really
________________ and rude. (help)
harm harm harmful / harmless
7. Look at the newborn baby. He’s completely
help help (un)helpful / helpless
______________. (help)
hope hope hopeful / hopeless 8. Don't worry, John - this injection will be
meaning mean meaningful / meaningless completely ________________. (pain)
pain pain painful / painless 9. Thieves broke into the museum and stole a
power power powerful / powerless ______________ painting by Van Gogh. (price)
sleep sleep sleepful / sleepless 10. She's really rich, but her clothes are always
thought think thoughtful / thoughtless very ________________ and elegant. (taste)
taste taste tasteful / tasteless 11. I bought some shares in the company 5
use use useful / useless years ago. Nevertheless now they are
_______________. (worth)
These adjectives take -ful or -less, but not both. 12. How could you be so _______________ as to
lose your wallet? (care)
Noun Verb Adjective 13. I’m going to give some clothes to the
________________. (home)
awe awe awful / awesome 14. I spent a ______________ night worrying about
brain - brainless (unintelligent) you! Where have you been? (sleep)
count count countless / countable 15. That little boy is absolutely _______________.
dread dread dreadful He’s not afraid of anything! (fear)
end end endless 16. Despite he has lost some points, he’s
home - homeless _____________ they can win the game. (hope)
peace - peaceful
play play playful
price price priceless
success succeed (un)successful
time - timeless
wire wire wireless
worthless (without
worth worth
value)
The suffix –ful has most of the times a positive
meaning and –less a negative meaning but not
always: the adjectives awful or dreadful have
negative meanings (= frightening) and priceless has a
positive meaning (= valuable).
Complete these sentences with adjectives
We can make adverbs from these adjectives with given in brackets endings –ful or –less.
-fully or –lessly: carefully and carelessly.
Here you are some of the most common examples:
1. What a lovely present! That was very
__thoughtful__ of you. (think)
2. He's told me ___countless__ times about
how good he is at football. (count)
3. My best friend is a rich, ___powerful____
lawyer. (power)
4. You must remember to recharge your phone.
Noun Verb Adjective Without its batteries, it's __useless_____.
(use)
care care careful / careless 5. Although everybody knows that cigarettes
colour colour colourful / colourless are ____harmful_____ to our health, many
fear fear fearful / fearless people still smoke. (harm)
harm harm harmful / harmless
6. The new sales assistant was really
__helpless_ and rude. (help) (=
help help (un)helpful / helpless
incompetent)
hope hope hopeful / hopeless 7. Look at the newborn baby. He’s completely
meaning mean meaningful / meaningless ___helpless___. (help) (= defenceless)
pain pain painful / painless 8. Don't worry, John - this injection will be
power power powerful / powerless completely __painless___. (pain)
sleep sleep sleepful / sleepless 9. Thieves broke into the museum and stole a
thought think thoughtful / thoughtless ___priceless__ painting by Van Gogh.
taste taste tasteful / tasteless (price)
use use useful / useless 10. She's really rich, but her clothes are always
very _tasteful_ and elegant. (taste)
These adjectives take -ful or -less, but not both. (=stylish)
11. I bought some shares in the company 5
Noun Verb Adjective years ago. Nevertheless now they are
__worthless___. (worth) (= have no value)
awe awe awful / awesome 12. How could you be so ____careless____ as to
brain - brainless (=unintelligent) lose your wallet? (care) (= inattentive)
count count countless / countable 13. I’m going to give some clothes to the
dread dread dreadful ___homeless___. (home)
end end endless 14. I spent a _____sleepless____ night worrying
home - homeless about you! Where have you been? (sleep)
peace - peaceful 15. That little boy is absolutely ____fearless__.
play play playful He’s not afraid of anything! (fear) (=brave)
price price priceless 16. Despite he has lost some points, he’s
succee __hopeful__ they can win the game. (hope)
success (un)successful
d
time - timeless
wire wire wireless
worthless (=without
worth worth
value)
