adjectives adjectives 1 and 2

Foundation English- Adjectives I -Dr Pramela Krish

pramela@ukm.my

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What Is An Adjective?An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words.

An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.

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Adjectives

A describing word

Tell us something about a person, place or thing

It modify nouns – making meaning more specific

Adds information – size, colour, age, material and other attributes and qualities

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Examples of adjectives

The truck-shaped balloon floated over the treetops.

Jen papered her kitchen walls with lovely wall paper.

The hall was dark and dusty.

Many stores have already begun to sell interesting Christmas gifts.

The back room was filled with large yellow pails.

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Adjectives are identified by their endings (suffixes)

- al, bridal

- able, debatable

- ible, flexible

-ic, heroic

- ical,

- ish, foolish

- ed, interested

- ing, interesting

- ive, attractive

- less, colourless

- ous, joyous

- y, cloudy

- ful, playful

- ese, Japanese

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Types of adjectives

Attributive adjectives come before the noun

A red scarf

An honest man

The bridal suite

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Predicative adjectives come after the noun and a linking verb - be, become, get, seemed

The scarf is pink.

He is honest.

That patient seemed nervous.

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He said she was open to suggestions

I reckon he is capable of handling the project.

*After a verb and never immediately after the noun

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Postpositive adjectives come immediately after the modified noun

Attorney general

Governor General  

Princess Royal    

*Sometimes classified as compound nouns

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Identify - Attributive/Predicative/Postpositive

1. The green door opened slowly.

2. This stretch of water is dangerous. 

3. The share-holders present voted against the Chairman. 

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4. Jan feels ill. 

5. A larger than normal pay increase was awarded to teachers. 

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Feedback

ATTRIBUTIVE adjectives come before the noun which they modify. In this exercise, there are two attributive adjectives - green (1) and larger (5). Sentence 5 is a bit difficult, because larger is separated from the noun by than normal. But it still comes before the noun, so it is an attributive adjective.

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Qualitative adj - describes person or thing in terms of qualities comparative/superlative

Size, shape, character

Age

This adjective is gradable

E.g. Tall, taller, tallest

Beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful

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Colour adjectives - specify colour of things

A yellow shirt with black stripes

Qualitative adjectives – bright, dark, light, –to show strength and intensity of the colour

Bake the cake until it turns light brown

She is using a bright red scarf

Compound qualitative adjectives

Good-looking

Tongue-tied

Sun-tanned

* Look up for more examples to discuss during your tutorial. You may include new ones in your online discussion.

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Qualitative adjectives also express speaker/writer’s opinion

Strong feelings - absolute rubbish

- total bliss

I think that dress is beautiful

It was an exciting trip

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Interrogative adjective (which or what) is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own (see also demonstrative adjectives and possessive adjectives):

Which plants should be watered twice a week?

What book are you reading?

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demonstrative adjectives

this, these, that, those, and what are identical to the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases, as in the following sentences:

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Examples

When the librarian tripped over that cord, she dropped a pile of books.

In this sentence, the demonstrative adjective that modifies the noun cord

This apartment needs to be fumigated.

Here this modifies apartment and the noun phrase

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Demonstrative adjectives This/That/These/Those SPACE

That picture on the wall is interesting. This button on my shirt is loose. I like these shoes that I am wearing. Those men across the street are plumbers.

TIME This afternoon I will sleep. That afternoon last year was long. Those years were fun when I was a kid. These years right now are the best of my

life.

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Adjectives II

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Adjectives look similar but have different meanings

-ing and -ed

The film was boring. Everyone in the cinema was bored.

Collecting autographs is interesting. Li Min is interested in collecting autographs from singers

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Verbs of emotion can become Adjectives by adding -ed or -ingSample verbs of emotion

Amuse Irritate Comfort Fascinate Puzzle Amaze Captivate Confuse Shock Intrigue Disappoint

Satisfy Annoy Surprise Depress Excite Frustrate Bore Tire Interest exhaust Aggravate

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Wendy was _______ in that book.

I was ______ by my old job.

My old job was ________. It was hard but fun.

He was _____ by the low turn-out.

My cat's behavior is often ______ to me. 

The teacher was ______ with her students' work. 

The little boy was _______ by the scary movie.  

The movie was ______ because it had many horrible, evil monsters in it.  

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The -ed ending modifiers are often accompanied by prepositions (these are not the only choices):

We were amazed at all the circus animals.

We were amused by the clowns.

We were annoyed by the elephants.

We were bored by the ringmaster.

I was embarrassed by my brother.

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We were exhausted from all the excitement.

We were excited by the lion-tamer.

We were excited about the high-wire act, too.

We were frightened by the lions.

We were introduced to the ringmaster.

We were interested in the tent.

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We were confused by the noise.

We were disappointed by the motorcycle daredevils.

We were disappointed in their performance.

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My mother was irritated by the heat.

We were satisfied with the UKM choir during the recent convocation ceremony.

We were shocked at the level of noise in that shopping complex.

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We were surprised by the fans' response.

We were surprised at their indifference.

We were tired of all the lights after a while.

We were worried about the traffic leaving the parking lot.

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Position of the adjectives

opinion +age +colour +origin +purpose

+NOUN

a talented young Malaysian footballer

new red Italian racing car

the playful black kitten

a huge Japanese sumo wrestler

our successful hiking trip

http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/grammar/partsofspeech.html#adjectives

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Exercise

1.  Those are probably the ___________ curtains in the store. fancyestfanciestmost fanciest

2.  Uncle Carl is really ______________________ man. an old sweeta sweet, olda sweet old

3.  The Karmen-Ghia used to be _________________ sportscar.

a fine Germana German, finea fine, German

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4.  Everyone was home for the holidays. What could make for ___________ Christmas than that? a merryerthe merriesta merrier

5.  They grew up in ___________________ house in Mexico City.

a comfortable, littlea little, comfortablea comfortable little

6.  Diehard is the ____________ movie I've ever seen. most excitedmost excitingmost exciteable

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7.  Tashonda wanted to take a course with _____________________ professor. that interesting new Japanese economicsthat Japanese interesting, new economicsthat interesting, new, Japanese, economics

8.  Of all the mechanics in the shop, Jerzy is surely ______________ . the less competent.the least competent.the competentest.

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9.  In the fall, the valleys tend to be ___________ than the hilltops. foggymore foggierfoggier

10.  My cold is definitely _________ this morning. worseworstworser

Blue, brown, orange and pink soft-looking feathers

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Unique and exotic feather earrings

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Fun and scrumptious-looking candy covered apples

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Thank You

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