FORM AND FUNCTION OF 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.
(BUT see also Modifiers/Adverbs)
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":
Examples
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:
Examples
1. I want to see the people involved/concerned (= the people who have something to do with the
matter)
2. 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
Function of Adjectives
Adjectives can:
Describe feelings or qualities:
Examples
He is a lonely man
They are honest 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's young man
My coat is very old
Tell us about size and measurement:
Examples
John 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.
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
Examples:
a lovely old red post-box
some small round plastic tables
some charming small silver ornaments
COMPARISON 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
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
IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES
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
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
COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY
To show difference: more, less, fewer + than
To show no difference: as much as , as many as, as few as, as little as
COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY
To show difference: more, less, fewer + than
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.
So, the rule is:
MORE + nouns that are countable or uncountable
FEWER + countable nouns
LESS + uncountable nouns
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
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.
