English grammar topics
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Adjectives (12)
What is an adjective?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify, or add meaning to, other words.
They are usually placed before the noun or pronoun that they modify.
Adjectives can…
Describe feelings or qualities:
Examples
- He is a sad man
- They are happy 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 is a young man.
- My coat is very old.
Tell us about size and measurement:
Examples
- John is a 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:
Examples
- It was a wooden table
- She wore a cotton dress
Tell us about shape:
Examples
- A rectangular box
- A square envelope
Express a judgement or a value:
Examples
- A fantastic film
- Grammar is boring
These words refer to a group of people or things, and to individual members of the group. They show different ways of looking at the individuals within a group, and they express how something is distributed, shared or divided.
How to use adjectives
Form of Adjectives
Rules
1. Adjectives are invariable:
They do not change their form depending on the gender or number of the noun.
A hot potato Some hot potatoes
2. To emphasise or strengthen the meaning of an adjective use ‘very‘ or ‘really‘:
A very hot potato Some really hot potatoes.
1. Adjectives are invariable:
They do not change their form depending on the gender or number of the noun.
| A hot potato | Some hot potatoes |
2. To emphasise or strengthen the meaning of an adjective use ‘very‘ or ‘really‘:
| A very hot potato | Some really hot potatoes. |
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”:
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:
- 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:
- The Princess Royal
- The President elect
- a court martial
d) After the noun with the adjectives involved, present, concerned:
Examples
- I want to see the people involved/concerned (= the people who have something to do with the matter)
- Here is a list of the people present (= the people who were in the building or at the meeting)
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
- I want to see the people involved/concerned (= the people who have something to do with the matter)
- Here is a list of the people present (= the people who were in the building or at the meeting)
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
The 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
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
- a lovely old red post-box
- some small round plastic tables
- some charming small silver ornaments
COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE 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.
Rules
Number of syllables Comparative Superlative (see rule) 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 + Note: Adjectives ending in ‘-y’ like happy, pretty, busy, 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
| Number of syllables | Comparative | Superlative (see rule) |
| 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 + Note: Adjectives ending in ‘-y’ like happy, pretty, busy, 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 of comparatives and superlatives
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
- 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 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
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
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 |
See how many sentences you can make using the irregular comparative and superlative adjectives
Look at this image and make as many sentences as you can.
Look at this image and make as many sentences as you can.
Here are a couple to get you going...
- Simon is the best at speaking English. He is better than Max and Dan.
- Dan is the worst at speaking English.
- Simon speaks good English.
- Simon is the best at speaking English. He is better than Max and Dan.
- Dan is the worst at speaking English.
- Simon speaks good English.
The plus superlative
THE + SUPERLATIVE
Rule
‘the’ is placed before the superlative:
‘the’ is placed before the superlative:
Examples:
- He is the richest man in the world.
- That is the biggest crocodile I have ever seen.
- She is the tallest girl in her class.plus
- He is the richest man in the world.
- That is the biggest crocodile I have ever seen.
- She is the tallest girl in her class.plus
Making a comparison with than
COMPARATIVE + THAN
To compare the difference between two people, things or events.
To compare the difference between two people, things or events.
Examples
- Mt. Everest is higher than Mt. Blanc.
- Thailand is sunnier than Norway.
- A car is more expensive than a bicycle.
- Albert is more intelligent than Arthur.
- Mt. Everest is higher than Mt. Blanc.
- Thailand is sunnier than Norway.
- A car is more expensive than a bicycle.
- Albert is more intelligent than Arthur.
AS + ADJECTIVE + AS
Usage
To compare people, places, events or things, when there is no difference, use as + adjective + as:
To compare people, places, events or things, when there is no difference, use as + adjective + as:
Examples
- Peter is 24 years old. John is 24 years old. Peter is as old as John.
- Moscow is as cold as St. Petersburg in the winter.
- Ramona is as happy as Raphael.
- Einstein is as famous as Darwin.
- A tiger is as dangerous as a lion.
- Peter is 24 years old. John is 24 years old. Peter is as old as John.
- Moscow is as cold as St. Petersburg in the winter.
- Ramona is as happy as Raphael.
- Einstein is as famous as Darwin.
- A tiger is as dangerous as a lion.
NOT AS + ADJECTIVE + AS
Difference can also be shown by using not so/as …as:
Examples
- Mont Blanc is not as high as Mount Everest
- Norway is not as sunny as Thailand
- A bicycle is not as expensive as a car
- Arthur is not as intelligent as Albert
- Mont Blanc is not as high as Mount Everest
- Norway is not as sunny as Thailand
- A bicycle is not as expensive as a car
- Arthur is not as intelligent as Albert
COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY
The rule is:
MORE + nouns that are countable or uncountable
FEWER + countable nouns
LESS + uncountable nouns
MORE + nouns that are countable or uncountable
FEWER + countable nouns
LESS + uncountable nouns
Examples:
With countable nouns: more / fewer
- Eloise has more children than Chantal.
- Chantal has fewer children than Eloise.
- There are fewer dogs in Cardiff than in Bristol
- I have visited fewer countries than my friend has.
- He has read fewer books than she has.
With uncountable nouns: more / less
- Eloise has more money than Chantal.
- Chantal has less money than Eloise.
- I spend less time on homework than you do.
- Cats drink less water than dogs.
- This new dictionary gives more information than the old one.
With countable nouns: more / fewer
- Eloise has more children than Chantal.
- Chantal has fewer children than Eloise.
- There are fewer dogs in Cardiff than in Bristol
- I have visited fewer countries than my friend has.
- He has read fewer books than she has.
With uncountable nouns: more / less
- Eloise has more money than Chantal.
- Chantal has less money than Eloise.
- I spend less time on homework than you do.
- Cats drink less water than dogs.
- This new dictionary gives more information than the old one.
COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY SHOWING NO DIFFERENCE
Rules
To show no difference: as much as , as many as, as few as, as little as
- as many as / as few as + countable nouns
- as much as / as little as + uncountable nouns
To show no difference: as much as , as many as, as few as, as little as
- as many as / as few as + countable nouns
- as much as / as little as + uncountable nouns
Examples:
With countable nouns:
- They have as many children as us.
- We have as many customers as them.
- Tom has as few books as Jane.
- There are as few houses in his village as in mine.
- You know as many people as I do.
- I have visited the States as many times as he has.
With uncountable nouns:
- John eats as much food as Peter.
- Jim has as little food as Sam.
- You’ve heard as much news as I have.
- He’s had as much success as his brother has.
- They’ve got as little water as we have.
With countable nouns:
- They have as many children as us.
- We have as many customers as them.
- Tom has as few books as Jane.
- There are as few houses in his village as in mine.
- You know as many people as I do.
- I have visited the States as many times as he has.
With uncountable nouns:
- John eats as much food as Peter.
- Jim has as little food as Sam.
- You’ve heard as much news as I have.
- He’s had as much success as his brother has.
- They’ve got as little water as we have.
Nationalities & Regions
Here is a list of the most common nationalities and regions showing the country or region, the noun form and the adjective form.
AFRICA
- She is an African. She comes from Kenya.
- She has an African dress.
COUNTRY ADJECTIVE NOUN Africa African an African America American an American Argentina Argentinian an Argentinian Austria Austrian an Austrian Australia Australian an Australian Bangladesh Bangladesh(i) a Bangladeshi Belgium Belgian a Belgian Brazil Brazilian a Brazilian Britain British a Briton/Britisher Cambodia Cambodian a Cambodian Chile Chilean a Chilean China Chinese a Chinese Colombia Colombian a Colombian Croatia Croatian a Croat the Czech Republic Czech a Czech Denmark Danish a Dane England English an Englishman/Englishwoman Finland Finnish a Finn France French a Frenchman/Frenchwoman Germany German a German Greece Greek a Greek Holland Dutch a Dutchman/Dutchwoman Hungary Hungarian a Hungarian Iceland Icelandic an Icelander India Indian an Indian Indonesia Indonesian an Indonesian Iran Iranian an Iranian Iraq Iraqi an Iraqi Ireland Irish an Irishman/Irishwoman Israel Israeli an Israeli Jamaica Jamaican a Jamaican Japan Japanese a Japanese Mexico Mexican a Mexican Morocco Moroccan a Moroccan Norway Norwegian a Norwegian Peru Peruvian a Peruvian the Philippines Philippine a Filipino Poland Polish a Pole Portugal Portuguese a Portuguese Rumania Rumanian a Rumanian Russia Russian a Russian Saudi Arabia Saudi, Saudi Arabian a Saudi, a Saudi Arabian Scotland Scottish a Scot Serbia Serbian a Serb the Slovak Republic Slovak a Slovak Sweden Swedish a Swede Switzerland Swiss a Swiss Thailand Thai a Thai The USA American an American Tunisia Tunisian a Tunisian Turkey Turkish a Turk Vietnam Vietnamese a Vietnamese Wales Welsh a Welshman/Welshwoman Yugoslavia Yugoslav a Yugoslav
We use the + nationality adjective ending in -ese or -ish with a plural verb, to refer to all people of that nationality:
- The Chinese are very hard-working.
- The Spanish enjoy tapas.
| COUNTRY | ADJECTIVE | NOUN |
| Africa | African | an African |
| America | American | an American |
| Argentina | Argentinian | an Argentinian |
| Austria | Austrian | an Austrian |
| Australia | Australian | an Australian |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh(i) | a Bangladeshi |
| Belgium | Belgian | a Belgian |
| Brazil | Brazilian | a Brazilian |
| Britain | British | a Briton/Britisher |
| Cambodia | Cambodian | a Cambodian |
| Chile | Chilean | a Chilean |
| China | Chinese | a Chinese |
| Colombia | Colombian | a Colombian |
| Croatia | Croatian | a Croat |
| the Czech Republic | Czech | a Czech |
| Denmark | Danish | a Dane |
| England | English | an Englishman/Englishwoman |
| Finland | Finnish | a Finn |
| France | French | a Frenchman/Frenchwoman |
| Germany | German | a German |
| Greece | Greek | a Greek |
| Holland | Dutch | a Dutchman/Dutchwoman |
| Hungary | Hungarian | a Hungarian |
| Iceland | Icelandic | an Icelander |
| India | Indian | an Indian |
| Indonesia | Indonesian | an Indonesian |
| Iran | Iranian | an Iranian |
| Iraq | Iraqi | an Iraqi |
| Ireland | Irish | an Irishman/Irishwoman |
| Israel | Israeli | an Israeli |
| Jamaica | Jamaican | a Jamaican |
| Japan | Japanese | a Japanese |
| Mexico | Mexican | a Mexican |
| Morocco | Moroccan | a Moroccan |
| Norway | Norwegian | a Norwegian |
| Peru | Peruvian | a Peruvian |
| the Philippines | Philippine | a Filipino |
| Poland | Polish | a Pole |
| Portugal | Portuguese | a Portuguese |
| Rumania | Rumanian | a Rumanian |
| Russia | Russian | a Russian |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi, Saudi Arabian | a Saudi, a Saudi Arabian |
| Scotland | Scottish | a Scot |
| Serbia | Serbian | a Serb |
| the Slovak Republic | Slovak | a Slovak |
| Sweden | Swedish | a Swede |
| Switzerland | Swiss | a Swiss |
| Thailand | Thai | a Thai |
| The USA | American | an American |
| Tunisia | Tunisian | a Tunisian |
| Turkey | Turkish | a Turk |
| Vietnam | Vietnamese | a Vietnamese |
| Wales | Welsh | a Welshman/Welshwoman |
| Yugoslavia | Yugoslav | a Yugoslav |
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