English grammar Adjectives

Absolute adjectives1. Some adjectives express ideas that cannot be graded. For example, a person can’t be more or less dead. In the same way, a sphere can’t be more or less round. In grammars these adjectives are called nongradable or absolute adjectives.Nongradable adjectives do not have comparative or superlative forms. There are very few nongradable adjectives, so you can learn them by heart if you really want. Here is a list of common nongradable adjectives in English. Note that this is not a comprehensive list.Absolute, impossible, principal, adequate, inevitable, sufficient, complete, main, unanimous, unavoidable, entire, minor, fatal, unique, final, universal, ideal, whole, preferable, dead etc. 2. ExceptionsAlthough the adjectives given above are not normally used in comparative and superlative forms, you might still hear expressions like more complete or most perfect. Though incorrect, these expressions are quite common in speech and they have become sort of acceptable, too. However, if you are a careful user of the language, you must avoid them especially in writing.

English Grammar Course

Course: 2020-2022

Topic: Adjectives

Absolute adjectives

1 Some adjectives express ideas that cannot be graded For

example, a person can’t be more or less dead In the same way, a

sphere can’t be more or less round In grammars these adjectives

are called non-gradable or absolute adjectives

Non-gradable adjectives do not have comparative or superlative

forms There are very few non-gradable adjectives, so you can

learn them by heart if you really want Here is a list of common

non-gradable adjectives in English Note that this is not a

comprehensive list

Absolute, impossible, principal, adequate, inevitable, sufficient,

complete, main, unanimous, unavoidable, entire, minor, fatal,

unique, final, universal, ideal, whole, preferable, dead etc

2 Exceptions

Although the adjectives given above are not normally used in

comparative and superlative forms, you might still hear

expressions like more complete or most perfect Though

incorrect, these expressions are quite common in speech and

they have become sort of acceptable, too However, if you are a careful user of the language, you must avoid them especially in writing

3 Also be careful, not to use more along with a comparative

adjective ending in –er and most with a superlative adjective

ending in -est Do not write more taller or most smartest These are examples of double comparatives and superlatives They are always wrong and must be avoided

EX: She is prettier than her sister (NOT She is more prettier than her sister.)

4 Some compound adjectives have two possible comparatives and superlatives

EX1: Positive: good-looking

Comparative: better-looking or more good-looking

Superlative: best-looking or most good-looking

EX2: Positive: well-known

Comparative: better-known or more well-known

Superlative: best-known or most well-known

In this case, you can decide which form you want to use, but don’t write most best-known or more better-looking

Adjective phrase

1 A word group that has an adjective as its head is called an

adjective phrase Note that the adjective in this phrase may be accompanied by other words such as determiners, modifiers etc

Adjective phrases can go before a noun (attributive position)

They can also go after a linking verb like be (predicative position)

EX: He was wearing a dark brown suit (Here the adjective phrase

‘a dark brown’ modifies the noun suit.)

The fish tasted awfully funny (Here the adjective phrase ‘awfully funny’ says something about the fish It goes after the copular or linking verb tasted

2 A copular verb does not take an object and it cannot be

modified by an adverb The word or phrase that follows a copular verb typically says something about the subject of the sentence

EX: The fish tasted awful (NOT The fish tasted awfully.)

Here the adjective awful says something about the fish It doesn’t modify the verb tasted

3 Note that the adjective in an adjective phrase may be modified

by an adverb When it is modified by an adverb, the adverb goes

before the adjective The adjective may also be modified by other determiners like articles, possessives and demonstratives

Consider the phrase ‘my cute little daughter’

Here the adjective phrase ‘my cute little’ consists of a possessive (my) and two adjectives (cute and little)

4 Sometimes the idea expressed by an adjective can also be expressed using a noun phrase Consider the examples given below

EX: Brutus is an honorable man (Here the adjective honorable modifies the noun man.)

The same idea can be expressed using the phrase: a man of honor

EX: Brutus is a man of honor

Another example is given below

Churchill was an eminent man (Here the adjective eminent

modifies the noun man.)

Churchill was a man of eminence (Here the noun phrase ‘a man

of eminence’ means the same as the phrase ‘an eminent man’.)

Adjective Or Participle

Participles can also act as adjectives In this case, they modify nouns Sometimes participles are used as adjectives after be or other copular verbs In this case, they complete the predicate

When participles help to form continuous and perfect tenses, they act as participles

This grammar exercise tests your ability to recognize participles and adjectives

1 She was excited about the project

A Excited is an adjective

B Excited is a past participle

EXP: Excited is an adjective here and it acts as the complement

of the verb was

2 I watched an interesting movie yesterday

A Interesting is an adjective

B Interesting is a present participle

EXP: When ing forms are used before nouns they act as

adjectives

3 She was driving us crazy

A Driving is an adjective

B Driving is a present participle

EXP: When ing forms are used to form continuous tenses, they are used as participles

4 I hope you are fully recovered from your operation

A Recovered is an adjective

B Recovered is a past participle

EXP: Recovered is an adjective here Participles are often used after the verb be In this case, they complete the predicate and act as adjectives

5 Her idea seems exciting

A Exciting is an adjective

B Exciting is a present participle

EXP: Participles are often used as adjectives after be and other copular verbs

6 The children were screaming at the top of their voice

A Screaming is an adjective

B Screaming is a present participle

EXP: When ing forms are used to form continuous tenses, they act as present participles

7 I had warned you

A Warned is an adjective

B Warned is a past participle

EXP: When participles are used to form perfect tenses, they act

as past participles

8 He was not expecting this

A Expecting is an adjective

B Expecting is a present participle

EXP: When participles are used to form continuous tenses, they act as present participles

9 It was beginning to rain

A Beginning is an adjective

B Beginning is a present participle

EXP: When ing forms are used to form continuous tenses, they act as present participles

10 I did not enjoy the party because I was bored

A Bored is an adjective

B Bored is a past participle

EXP: Participles are often used after the verb be as adjectives In this case, they complete the verb

11 They have not been able to find the missing child

A Missing is an adjective

B Missing is a present participle

EXP: When ing forms are used before nouns, they act as

adjectives

12 She is retired now

A Retired is an adjective

B Retired is a past participle

EXP: Participles are often used after the verb be as adjectives In this case, they complete the verb

Adjectives Exercise Fill in the blanks

1 Of the two sisters, Susie is the ………

A older

B oldest

EXP: We do not normally use the superlative to talk about two

people or things

2 Mumbai is ……… from Kochi than Bangalore

A further

B farther

C Either could be used here

EXP: Farther shows distance

3 I want ……… information

A farther

B further

EXP: Further means additional

4 Namita is my ……… sister

A elder

B older

C Either could be used here

5 This painting is superior ……… that

A than

B to

C Either could be used here

EXP: The adjectives superior, inferior, junior and senior are

followed by to

6 The injured were taken to the ……… hospital

A nearest

B next

EXP: Nearest indicates distance Next indicates order

7 As soon as she finished one project, she started working on the

………

A nearest

B next

8 You must act without any ……… delay

A farther

B further

9 He is the ……… man in the town

A eldest

B oldest

10 Is this the ……… edition of this book?

A last

B latest

EXP: Latest means the most recent

11 He is the ……… of the two

A cleverer

B cleverest

12 The meeting was attended by ……… parents

A the few

B a few

EXP: A few means some