1. Formation of adjectives
ADJECTIVES ARE DIVIDED INTO:
| Simple | Derivative | Compound |
| good red new unkind | beautiful foolish hopeless four-wheeled | snow-white deaf-mute cold-hearted |
ADJECTIVES FORMED WITH SUFFIXES:
Many adjectives related to verbs or nouns have a characteristic ending (or suffix): □ We enjoyed the party. - The party was very enjoyable.
| manageable boastful energetic attractive hesitant permissible, likable Victorian foolish, reddish friendly humorous occasional |
-able (capable of being)
-ful (full of)
-ic
-ive (capable of being)
-ant
-ible (like - able)
-<i)an (historical period, etc.)
-ish (having the quality of)
-ly (having this quality)
-ous
-al
And note -ing forms used as adjectives: running water.
ADJECTIVES FORMED WITH PREFIXES:
A prefix (e.g. im-) added to an adjective generally has a negative effect:
□ I think it's possible to solve the problem. I think it's impossible to solve the problem.
un- uncooked, unimaginable
in- incapable, inhuman
il- illegal, illegible
im- immoral, impractical
dis- dishonest, disagreeable
ir- irresponsible, irregular
And note pre- (pre-war) and hyper- (hyperactive), which do not create opposites but modify the meaning of the word in some way.
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COMPOUND ADJECTIVES OF MEASUREMENT, ETC.:
"a twenty-year-old man"
1. We combine numbers with nouns in the singular to form compound adjectives with
hyphens: a twenty-year-old man (not "a twenty-years-old man").
We prefer compounds of this kind to phrases with of: a man of twenty years.
2. Compound adjectives of this kind can refer to:
- age a three-year-old building
- volume a two-litre car
- length a twelve-inch ruler
- price a $50 dress (a fifty-dollar dress)
- weight a five-kilo bag
- area a fifty-acre farm
- duration a four-hour meeting
- depth a six-foot hole
- time/distance a ten-minute walk.
EXERCISES_____________________________________________________________
Ex. 1. (A) Form adjectives from the given words with the help of the suffixes.
Model: care c> careful c> careless;
wool c> woollen. Use, frost, rain, rock, fog, snow, ice, sun, noise, speed, nature, trouble, hope, art, truth, possibility, beauty, insist, significance, shame.
Ex. 2. (A, B) Form adjectives from the given ones with the help of the prefixes and point out the changes in meaning.
Model: urban n> interurban practical n> impractical Acceptable, national, continuous, possible, legal, appointing, complete, married, accurate, able, bearable, available, believable, conscious, stellar.
Ex. 3. (A, B) Give the adjectives of the nationalities according to the models.
Model: Russia n> Russian; England j^> English. Europe, America, Asia, the Ukraine, Scandinavia, Australia, Poland, Finland, Spain, India, Canada, Egypt, Iran, Chile, Yugoslavia, Sweden, Rumania, Nigeria, Italy.
Ex. 4. (B) Supply the right adjective forms for the italicized words.
Model: The story is full of humour. I've rarely read anything that's so humorous.
1. I enjoyed his company greatly. It was just____________ .
2. This firm produced a lot in recent years. This firm has been very_____ in recent years.
3. Many years have passed but I recognized the place at once. It is_____________ .
4. I don't know where you find all that energy. You're tremendously_____________ .
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5. I found the book easy and pleasant to read. It's_________________ .
6. I don't know how to describe the colour of the sky. It's almost red, sort of
7. I've never met anyone who boasts as he does. He's extremely
8. What level of radiation can be permitted? How much radiation is_________________ .
9. I'm attracted by this man. I find him very__________________ .
Ex. 5. (B) Complete the following sentences with the adjectives made by adding the right suffixes to the italicized nouns.
Model: The play was full of humour. c> The audience laughed at the humorous situations.
1 . The child obeys his parents. He is an_______ child. 2. The Sun was shining brightly. It was
a_______ day. 3. Everybody respected the man. He is a________ man. 4. Bob hardly
escaped the danger. The situation was very___________ . 5. Olaf hoped to earn fame for his
book. Did he hope to become__________ ? 6. He sleeps on a bench in the park because he
has no home. He is_______ . 7. The flood in India was a disaster. It was very______ .
8. The soldier was given a medal for his courage. He was______________ .
Ex. 6. (B) Supply the right adjective forms. The first sentence has been done for you.