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Adjectives: It's A Quiet Little Restaurant. Mike Was Wearing A Dirty Old Coat

This document discusses adjectives and their usage. It provides information on: 1. What adjectives are and how they are used to describe nouns or indicate feelings through linking verbs. 2. The typical order of multiple adjectives, which is generally opinion, size, other qualities, age, color, origin, material, type, and purpose. 3. Some adjectives that can only be used before or after certain parts of speech, such as nouns or linking verbs.

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janebennet3000
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137 views

Adjectives: It's A Quiet Little Restaurant. Mike Was Wearing A Dirty Old Coat

This document discusses adjectives and their usage. It provides information on: 1. What adjectives are and how they are used to describe nouns or indicate feelings through linking verbs. 2. The typical order of multiple adjectives, which is generally opinion, size, other qualities, age, color, origin, material, type, and purpose. 3. Some adjectives that can only be used before or after certain parts of speech, such as nouns or linking verbs.

Uploaded by

janebennet3000
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ADJECTIVES

A Introduction

Henry and Claire are having dinner in a quiet restaurant. It's a warm evening. The food is delicious.
Henry is feeling romantic.

An adjective is a word like quiet, warm, delicious, romantic. The word quiet describes the restaurant.
It tells us what the restaurant is like.

B Word order

There are two places where we can use an adjective:


before a noun {a quiet restaurant) and after a linking verb (feeling romantic).

BEFORE A NOUN AFTER A LINKING VERB


Claire's got a new car. Claire's car is new.
It was a dark night. It was getting dark.
This is good coffee. This coffee tastes good.
Some linking verbs are: appear, be, become, feel,
get, look, seem, smell, stay, taste
We can use two or more adjectives together.
It's a quiet little restaurant. Mike was wearing a dirty old coat.

We can put a word like very or quite before an adjective.


It was a very dark night. Henry was feeling quite romantic.
Very and quite are adverbs of degree.

C Adjectives used in one position only

We can use most adjectives in both positions - before a noun or after a linking verb.
But a few adjectives can go in one position but not in the other.

Here are some examples of adjectives which can only go before a noun.
Be careful crossing the main road. The only problem is I've got no money.
Chess is an indoor game. The former footballer now trains young players.
Some more examples are: chief (= main), elder (= older), eldest (= oldest),
inner, outdoor, outer, principal (= main), upper

Here are some examples of adjectives which can only go after a linking verb.
At last the baby is asleep. Emma's two brothers are very alike. I'm really
pleased to see you. Vicky looked ill, I thought.
Some more examples are: afraid, alone, ashamed, awake, alive, content (= happy),
fine (= in good health), glad, unwell, well

EXERCISES
1 Adjectives (A)
Look at the pictures and write a phrase with an adjective and noun.
Use these nouns: building, car, cat, chairs, music, power, skirt, weather
e.g. a long skirt 3 ..................................................
e.g. cold weather 4 ................................................
1. ……………………………………………….. 5 ………………………………..
2. ……………………………………………….. 6 ……………………………….

2 Adjectives (A-B)
Underline all the adjectives in this description of a hotel.
This comfortable hotel with its pleasant gardens is ideal for people who want a quiet holiday, yet it is only
a short distance from the highly popular attractions of the area. There are lovely views from every room.
The atmosphere is very friendly, and the staff are always helpful. A holiday here is very good value for
money. You can eat your meals at the hotel, where the food tastes marvellous. Or you can of course try
some of the excellent local restaurants.

3 Adjectives used in one position only (C)


Look at the notes and write the song titles. Sometimes the adjective comes before the noun, and
sometimes you need to use is or are.
e.g. your sister / elder Your elder sister
e.g. this boy / alone This boy is alone
1 the world / asleep
2 my desire / chief
3 my heart / content
4 the thing to remember / main
5 the night / alive
6 secrets / inner
7 the girl for me / only
The order of adjectives

A Introduction

It's beautiful sunny weather. Nick has got a big black dog.
We can use more than one adjective before a noun. There is usually one correct order.
We cannot say sunny beautiful weather or a-black big dog

B Adjectives and nouns


We sometimes use two nouns together.
a glass door a computer program
Here we use glass like an adjective, to describe the door. When we use another adjective
as well (e.g. heavy), it comes before both the nouns.
a heavy glass door a useful computer program

C Word order
We order adjectives according to their meaning. This is the normal order:

EXAMPLES
GROUP

1 Opinion (how good?) wonderful, nice, great, awful, Adjectives that say how good
terrible
2 Size (how big?) large, small, long, short, tall and how big come first.

3 Most other qualities quiet, famous, important, soft, Most adjectives come next if they
wet, do not belong to another group.
difficult, fast, angry, warm
4 Age (how old?) new, old

5 Colour red, blue, green, black

6 Origin (where from?) American, British, French

7 Material (made of?) stone, plastic, steel, paper Some of these are nouns.

8 Type (what kind?) An electric kettle, political


matters, road transport
9 Purpose (what for?) A bread knife, a bath towel

Here are some examples.


a small green insect (size, colour)
Japanese industrial designers (origin, type)
a wonderful new face cream (opinion, age, purpose)
awful plastic souvenirs (opinion, material)
a long boring train journey (size, quality, type)
some nice easy quiz questions (opinion, quality, purpose)
a beautiful wooden picture frame (opinion, material, purpose)
We sometimes put commas between adjectives in Groups 1-3
a horrible, ugly building
a busy, lively, exciting city

EXERCISES

1 The order of adjectives (A-C)


Describe the pictures. Use these words: boots, building, car, seat, singer

► big leather boots


1. …………………………………………….. 3 …………………………………….
2. …………………………………………….. 4 ……………………………………

2 The order of adjectives (A-C)


Write a list of things to be sold at an auction.
► basin / sugar, antique, silver an antique silver sugar basin
1 vase / glass, old, lovely
2 mirror / wall, attractive
3 desk / modern, office
4 chairs / kitchen, red, metal
5 boat / model, splendid, old
6 stamps / postage, valuable, Australian
7 table / small, coffee, wooden

3 The order of adjectives (A-C)


Look at each advertisement and write the information in a single sentence.
► This game is new. It's for the family. And it's exciting.
This is an exciting new family game.
1 This computer is for business. It's Japanese. And it's powerful.
2 This fire is electric. It's excellent. And it's small.
3 This is a chocolate bar. It's new. And it's a big bar.
4 This comedy is American. It's for television. And it's terrific.
5 These doors are aluminium. They're for your garage. And they're stylish.
6 These shoes are modern. They're for sports. And they're wonderful.
This phone is a mobile. It's German. And it's very good.

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