Adjectives
1 Order of adjectives
Several adjectives can be used before a noun in English. See p. 23 for a guide to the order in which they can be used. In general we put the more precise adjective nearest the noun but it is not always easy to decide which is the most precise; a possible order would be:
(D (2) (3) (4)
determiner, your own opinions, dimensions (size, weight), age,
(5)    (6) (7) (8) (9)
shape, colour, place of origin, material, purpose.
Examples
- a Chinese silk wedding dress
- some short blue denim jeans
- an awful old stair carpet
2 Other points to notice about the order and use of adjectives
Heisl metre 30 tall.
I don't like living alone.
It's difficult to read.
The instructions are easy to
follow.
She was worried about him. He's a worried man.
It's all very worrying.
It's a worrying time for us all.
1 Adjectives describing measurement come after the measurement.
2 Some adjectives (e.g. alone, afraid, alive, awake) come after the verb, never before a noun.
3 Adjectives are often followed by an infinitive with to.
4a Adjectives ending in -ed come after a verb like be, seem or before a nou n and describe a . person's feelings.
b Adjectives ending in -ing come after a verb or before a noun and describe the person or thing that produces those feelings.     t> p.18
3 Comparative and superlative of adjectives     > pp.74,86
J.1 Form
London is bigger than Edinburgh.
This armchair is more comfortable than that wooden seat.
This is the biggest factory in the area.
I have many old books but this is the most interesting.
We form the comparative by 1 a adding -er to one-syllable adjectives and to two-syllable adjectives ending in -y
using more + two- and more than two-syllable adjectives + than
We form the superlative by
2a adding -est to one-syllable adjectives and to two-syllable adjectives ending in -y
using most + two- and more than two-syllable adjectives
3 He is as strong as a horse. He isn't as/so clever as his sister.
3 We use as + adjective + as for positive comparisons or nof as/so + adjective + as for negative comparisons.
1.3.2 Adjectives of one syllable
1 If the adjective ends in two consonants (e.g. -ng, -rd, -rm) just add -er, -est to the adjective: long   longer longest
hard harder hardest warm warmer warmest
2 If the adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant (e.g. -in,-at, -of) double the consonant and add -er, -esf to the adjective:
thin   thinner thinnest fat    fatter fattest hot   hotter hottest
3 If the adjective ends in -e add -r, -st to the adjective:
wide wider widest rude ruder rudest
Exceptions
good        better best bad worse worst
much/many more most far farther farthest
(used to describe distance but can also mean 'additional, extra' e.g. further details, further information)
old older oldest
(used to describe objects and people)
old elder eldest
Notice elder, eldest are used before a noun to talk about family relationships but after a verb only older, oldest are possible (e.g. My older/elder brother. My brother is older than I am.)
1.3.3 Adjectives of more than one syllable
1 I've never been happier than I am now,
Friday the 13th is the unluckiest day of the year in Britain.
2 Sally is cleverer/more clever
than her brother. The commonest/most common cause of road deaths is careless driving.
3 I find science more interesting than the arts.
He told me the most extraordinary story.
1 If the adjective ends in y, change they to/and add -er, -est to the adjective.
Exception friendly, more friendly, most friendly
2 Some adjectives with two syllables can form their comparative and superlative in two ways: either by adding -(e)r, -(e)st or by using more, most.
3 If the adjective has three (or more) syllables use more, mosf + the adjective.
2 Adverbs
2.1 Form
1 quick slow
quickly slowly
2 careful carefully beautiful beautifully
3 lucky luckily funny funnily
4 He greeted me in a friendly way.
She looked at me with a silly expression on her face.
1 Adverbs can be formed from adjectives by adding -ty.
2 The same rule applies to adjectives which end in /.
3 To form adverbs from adjectives ending in y, change the y to i and add -ly.
4 To form adverbs from adjectives ending in -ly we use a phrase in a... way etc.
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