Adjectives
An adjective is a part of speech that can be used to describe or
provide more information about a noun or pronoun that acts as
the subject in a sentence. Adjectives are found after the verb or
before the noun it modifies.
For example ‘big’, ‘black’ and ‘clever’
• in a big house
• black tea
• a clever idea
Adjectives can be used to compare similar qualities of
different subjects that perform the same action. There are
three forms of adjectives or rather three
degrees of comparison. They are:
•Positive or Absolute Form
•Comparative Form
•Superlative Form
Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right.
Examples:
A cool guy
A messy desk
A rigid guideline
An awful situation
A mischievous cat
Garrulous squirrels
Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between
two or more things. For most one-syllable adjectives, the comparative
is formed by adding the suffix -er (or just -r if the adjective already
ends with an e). For two-syllable adjectives, some use -er to form the
comparative while others use the word more.
Examples:
A cooler guy
A messier desk
A rigider/more rigid guideline
A more awful situation
A more mischievous cat
More garrulous squirrels
Superlative adjectives indicate that something has the highest
degree of the quality in question. One-syllable adjectives
become superlatives by adding the suffix -est (or just -st for
adjectives that already end in e). As with the comparative, some
two-syllable adjectives use -est to form the superlative while
others use the word most.
Example:
The coolest guy
The messiest desk
The rigidest/most rigid guideline
The most awful situation
The most mischievous cat
The most garrulous squirrels
Order of adjectives
The rule is that multiple adjectives are always ranked
accordingly: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material,
purpose.
Determi Quantity Opinion Size Age Shape Colour Origin Material Purpose Noun
ner /
Qualifier
Your elegant red silk saree
My new cylindri leather bag
cal
The two pretty young Indian girls
An interesti Korean series
ng
My old blue sports uniform
His huge wooden wall
Put the words in brackets in the correct order.
1. We wanted (grey / a / metal) table.
2. They bought (red / a / new) car.
3. She went home and sat on (comfortable / her / wooden / old) bed.
4. He bought (woollen / a / British / fabulous) suit.
5. They have (Dutch / black) bicycles.
6. He wants (some / French / delicious / really) cheese.
7. (young / a / pretty) girl walked into the room.
8. He has (a lot of / old / interesting) books.
9. She bought (plastic / red / a / new) lunchbox.
10. He is looking for (leather / stylish / a /black) bag.
11. She dropped (old / beautiful / the) plate and it smashed.
12. I want (silk / green / an / amazing) dress.
13. She drank (Italian / black / hot) coffee.
14. He saw (French / writing / old / an) desk.
15. They stayed in (little / a / cute) cottage.
16. I visited (ancient / a / spooky / German) castle.
17. He has (silver / old / beautiful / a) ring.
18. We ate (green / English / round / some) apples.
19. I need (computer / comfortable / a) desk.
20. They went on holiday to (small / wooden / a / beautiful) cabin.
Answers
1. We wanted a grey metal table.
2. They bought a new red car.
3. She went home and sat on her comfortable old wooden bed.
4. He bought a fabulous British woollen suit.
5. They have black Dutch bicycles.
6. He wants some really delicious French cheese.
7. A pretty young girl walked into the room.
8. He has a lot of interesting old books.
9. She bought a new red plastic lunchbox.
10. He is looking for a stylish black leather bag.
11. She dropped the beautiful old plate and it smashed.
12. I want an amazing green silk dress.
13. She drank hot black Italian coffee.
14. He saw an old French writing desk.
15. They stayed in a cute little cottage.
16. I visited a spooky ancient German castle.
17. He has a beautiful old silver ring.
18. We ate some round green English apples.
19. I need a comfortable computer desk.
20. They went on holiday to a beautiful small wooden cabin.
Complete the sentences with the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in brackets.
1.- My sister is _____________ my brother. (intelligent)
2.- The blue whale is ____________ animal. (big)
3.- Iceland is ___________ Spain (cold)
4.- This is ___________ book I’ve ever read. (good)
5.- My neighbour is _________ person I know (lucky)
6.- Friday is the __________ day of the week. (busy)
7.- These trainers are much ____________ those. (cheap)
8.- Frank works __________ most people. (hard)
9.- I’m __________ at English than you. (good)
10.- Today has been _________ day of the year. (hot)
11.- This is __________ CD I’ve ever listened. (bad)
12.- English is __________ Japanese. (easy)
13.- Which mountain is ___________ in the world? (high)
14.- John is _________ his brother. (clever)
Answers
1.- MORE INTELLIGENT THAN
2.- THE BIGGEST
3.- COLDER THAN
4.- THE BEST
5.- THE LUCKIEST
6.- THE BUSIEST
7.- CHEAPER THAN
8.- HARDER THAN
9.- BETTER
10.- THE HOTTEST
11.- THE WORST
12.- EASIER THAN
13.- THE HIGHEST
14.- CLEVERER THAN
