Adjectives: What Is An Adjective?

Adjectives
What is an adjective?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify other words. They can identify or quantify another
person or thing in the sentence. Adjectives are usually positioned before the noun or the pronoun
that they modify.
In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:
1.
They live in a beautiful house.
2.
Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today.
Forming adjectives
Typical adjective endings
Some adjectives can be identified by their endings. Typical adjective endings include:
1.
-able/-ible understandable, capable, readable, incredible
2.
-al mathematical, functional, influential, chemical
3.
-ful beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful
4.
-ic artistic, manic, rustic, terrific
5.
-ive submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive
6.
-less sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless
7.
-ous gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous
Sometimes when adding these endings changes have to be made. Here are some rules for forming
adjectives and their exceptions:
Add
Exceptions
Word
Adjective
-al
If ending with an e, drop it
Nature
Natural
Add
Exceptions
Word
Adjective
Function
Functional
-y
If ending with an e, drop it
Ice
Oil
Icy
Oily
-ful
If ending with a y, replace with an i
Beauty
Peace
Beautiful
Peaceful
-ous/-ious
If ending with a y, drop it
Mystery
Danger
Mysterious
Dangerous
-ic
If ending with a y, drop it
History
Rust
Historic
Rustic
Forming adjectives from nouns and verbs

Adjectives can be formed from different words. They can be formed from nouns:
Noun
Adjective
accident
accidental
danger
dangerous
length
long
star
starry
Noun
Adjective
wind
windy
From verbs:
Verb
Adjective
enjoy
enjoyable
help
helpful
obey
obedient
play
playful
talk
talkative
Or even from other adjectives:

Adjective
Adjective
comic
comical
correct
corrective
Adjective
Adjective
elder
elderly
red
reddish
sick
sickly
Examples of forming adjectives

1.
Our house color is a kind of yellow. We live in a yellowish house.
2.
He often acts like a child. He often acts in a childish way.
3.
The event was a big success. We enjoyed a successful event.
4.
We enjoyed the sound of the drums rhythm. We enjoyed the drums rhythmic sound.
5.
She adopted a dog without a home. She adopted a homeless dog.
6.
Look out, that plant is poison. Look out for that poisonous plant.
7.
It looks like it will rain today. It looks like well have rainy weather today.
8.
She always acts with courtesy. She always behaves in a courteous manner.
9.
Her hair is pretty. She has the prettiest hair.
10.
We go for a walk each day. We go for a daily walk.
Forming adjectives exercises

1. Choose the adjective from each of the following groups of words:
A.
inventive, invent, invented
B.
curiosity, curious, curiousive
C.
proliferate, prolific, proud

Answers: A inventive B curious C prolific
2. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

A.
smell
B.
chill
C.
width
Answers: A smelly B chilly C wide
3. Form adjectives from the following verbs:

A.
interested
B.
amazed
C.
annoyed
Answers: A interesting B amazing C annoying
4. Form adjectives from the following verbs. Some words may be formed into more than one
adjective:
A.
escape
B.
improve
C.
damage
Answers: A escaped, escaping B improved, improving C damaged, damaging
5. Form longer adjectives from the following adjectives. Some words may be formed into more than
one adjective:
A.
funny
B.
incorrect
C.
blue
Answers: A funnier, funniest B incorrectly C bluest, bluer, blueish

A.
magic
B.
fool
C.
lady
Answers: A magical B foolish C ladylike
7. Form two adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A.
life
B.
power
C.
friend
Answers: A lifelike, lifeless B powerful, powerless C friendly, friendless
8. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A.
cost
B.
war
C.
month
Answers: A costly B warlike C monthly

A.
poison
B.
courtesy
C.
mystery
Answers: A poisonous B courteous C mysterious

A.
athlete
B.
photograph
C.
science
Answers: A athletic B photographic C scientific
Denominal adjectives
What are denominal adjectives?
Denominal adjectives (sometimes called denominal adjectives) are adjectives derived from nouns.
For example:
1.
A mathematical puzzle. (a puzzle based on mathematics)
2.
A biological experiment. (an experiment in biology)
3.
A wooden boat. (a boat made of wood)
Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns. They commonly describe something in terms of
nationality, religious affiliation, or culture. Like proper nouns, proper adjectives have their first letter
capitalized. For example:
1.
I married a Russian woman.
2.
The Jewish community in NY is very large.
Adjectives of this type should be carefully distinguished from adjectives denoting nationalities
(nominal adjectives). For example:
1.
Denominal Adjective: The French people are noted for their wines.
2.
Nominal Adjective: The French are noted for their wines.
or:
1.
Denominal Adjective: The poor people are more vulnerable.
2.
Nominal Adjective: The poor are getting poorer.
Examples of denominal adjectives

1.
A mathematical puzzle.
2.
A biological experiment.
3.
A wooden boat.
4.
I married an American woman.
5.
The Jewish community in NY is very big.
6.
Mary has a collection of expensive Russian dolls.
7.
In the winter you must wear heavy woolen clothes.
8.
The polar bear is listed as threatened.
Denominal adjective exercises

1. Choose the sentence containing the denominal adjective:
A.
We worked on our homework all evening.
B.
We spent the evening working on our English homework.
C.
We felt sad about using the evening to do our homework.
Answer: B. We spent the evening working on our English homework.

2. A or B? Which of the following sentences contain denominal adjectives?
A.
London is noted for its many museums and monuments.
B.
London is noted for its art museums and monuments.
A.
The Japanese embassy is nearby.
B.
The embassy of Japan is nearby.
A.
I gave him a wooden walking stick.
B.
He needs to use a walking stick.
Answers: B,A,A
3. A, B, or C? Which phrase contains the denominal adjective?
A.
tidal wave
B.
screen door
C.
10-month-old baby
A.
bunny rabbit
B.
junior high
C.
wooden boat
A.
killer bees
B.
weird science
C.
oh, fudge!
Answers: A, C, A
4. Choose the correct denominal adjective for each sentence:
A.
The sun had a cold, _____________ gleam.
metallic
strange
constant
B.
We walked along at a ________________ pace.
quick
leisurely
fast
C.
He does an _______________ check of his email.
interest
hourly
scanning
Answers: metallic, leisurely, hourly

5. Which sentences contain proper denominal adjectives?
A.
The Japanese are noted for their sushi.
B.
The Japanese people are noted for their sushi.
A.
He is English, but he married a Russian.
B.
He is an Englishman, but he married a Russian woman.
A.
New York is home to many nationalities; for example, there are many Puerto Ricans living
there.
B.
New York is a melting pot of nationalities; for example, there are many Puerto Rican people
living there.
Answers: B,B,B
6. Which group of words contains only denominal adjectives?
A.
orderly, order, port
B.
masterly, orderly, cowardly
C.
cowardly, orderly, order
Answer: B
7. Which of the following sentences does not contain a denominal adjective?
A.
The dining room was comfortably appointed.
B.
She rowed across the Atlantic in a wooden dinghy.
C.
His grandfather was a carpenter of talent.
Answer: C
8. Which group of words contains no denominal adjectives?
A.
Armenian, Indian, American
B.
museum, clothing, party
C.
restaurant, wooden, shindig
Answer: B
9. Find the proper denominal adjective in each of the following sentences:
A.
His favorite dessert is German chocolate cake.
B.
She is a long-standing member of the Democratic party.
C.
We met some interesting Romanian people on the train.
Answer: A: German B: Democratic C: Romanian

10. Proper or not? Identify the denominal adjectives in the following sentences and state whether
they are proper.
A.
The Queen had rosy cheeks.
B.
We enjoyed the finest Greek goat cheese available.
C.
They lived in a brick house.
D.
We went to Paris for our yearly vacation.
E.
My grandfather is a member of the British parliament.
Answers:
A.
rosy, not proper
B.
Greek, proper
C.
brick, not proper
D.
yearly, not proper
E.
British, proper
Comparing adjectives
Forming comparative adjectives
As well as serving as modifying words like beautiful and big, adjectives are also used for indicating
the position on a scale of comparison. The lowest point on the scale is known as the absolute form,
the middle point is known as the comparative form, and the highest point is known as
the superlativeform. Here are some examples:
Absolute
Comparative
Superlative
This book is long.
This book is longer than that book.
This is the longest book.
The airport is far.
The airport is farther than the train station.
This is the farthestairport.
My mom is a goodcook.
My mom is a better cook than your mom.
My mom is the bestcook.
The comparative form

When two objects or persons are being compared, the comparative form of the adjective is used.
The comparative adjective can be formed in two ways:
1.
Adding er to the absolute form of the adjective.
2.
Adding the word more before the adjective.
For example:
1.
My essay is longer than yours.
2.
She is more beautiful than her sister.
Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
Add
When
Example
Forming and Exceptions
Words ending with e, add r to the

end of the word (e.g., lame lamer).
er
Words of one
syllable
Words with one vowel and one

consonant at the end, double the consonant
This is a longerbook.
and add er to the end of the word (e.g., big

bigger).
Words with more than one vowel or

more than one consonant at the end, add
er to the end of the word (e.g., hard
harder).
er
Words of two
syllables ending
with y
This doll is prettier.
Change y to i, and add er to the end of

the word.
more
Words of two
syllables not
ending with y
He is morecharming
than his friend.
Insert more before the adjective
more
Three syllable
words or longer
This is
amorepowerful
cable.
Insert more before the adjective
When comparing two things, the word than is positioned between the adjective and the thing being
compared. For example:
1.
Apples are tastier than oranges.
2.
This painting is more interesting than that painting.
Superlatives
The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a
group or of its kind. The superlative can be formed in two ways:
1.
Adding est to the absolute form of the adjective.
2.
Adding the word most before the adjective.
For example:
1.
This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.
2.
The biggest table in the room.
Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
Add
When
Example
Forming and Exceptions
Words ending with e, add st to

the end of the word (e.g., large largest).
est
Words of one
syllable
This is the
longestbook.
Words with one vowel and one

consonant at the end, double the consonant
and add est to the end of the word (e.g., big
biggest).
Words with more than one vowel or

more than one consonant at the end, add
est to the end of the word (e.g., blue
bluest).
est
Words of two
syllables ending
with y
This doll is the

prettiest.
Change y to i, and add est to the end of

the word.
mos
t
Words of two
syllables not
ending with y
He is
themostcharming boy
at school.
Insert most before the adjective
mos
t
Three syllable
words or longer
This is
themostpowerful
story.
Insert most before the adjective
Superlatives are usually preceded by the word the.
Positive form
The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things
or persons. To form the positive, we use the word as before and after the absolute form of the
adjective. For example:
1.
Danny is as smart as Phillip.
2.
She is as beautiful as her older sister.
This can also be applied in a negative context to indicate that the compared objects are not similar:
1.
Danny is not as smart as Phillip.
2.
She is not as beautiful as her older sister.
Exceptions (irregular forms)

Certain adjectives have irregular forms in the comparative and superlative degrees:
Absolute
Comparative
Superlative
Good
Better
Best
Bad
Worse
Worst
Little
Less
Least
Much/many/some
More
Most
Examples of comparing adjectives

1.
This house is bigger than that one.
2.
This flower is more beautiful than that.
3.
He is taller than Mr. Hulas.
4.
He is more intelligent than this boy.
5.
Jonathan is the most handsome man on campus.
6.
This is the prettiest dress in the window.
7.
I lost my most comfortable shoes.
8.
My job is worse than yours.
Comparing adjective exercises

1. Choose the comparative adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
1.
Her hair is short.
2.
Her hair is shorter than it was before.
3.
Her hair is the shortest it has ever been.
1.
We live nearer the train station than we used to.
2.
Park in the lot nearest the train station.
3.
I know the train station is somewhere near.
1.
My dog might be ugly, but he is nice.
2.
Thats the ugliest dog Ive ever seen!
3.
Because he was uglier than the others, my dog won the ugly dog contest.
B.
C.
D.
1.
Your presentation was more informative than most.
2.
She gave an informative talk on honeybees.
3.
Thats the most informative speech Ive ever heard Professor Brown give!
Answers: A: 2 shorter B: 1 nearer C: 3 uglier D: 1: more informative

2. Which of the following sentences does not contain a comparing adjective?
A.
Id like to have more participation from each of you this time around.
B.
If youd have listened better, you wouldnt be confused right now.
C.
They live in the brick house on the corner.
Answer:C
3. Choose the superlative adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
1.
Thats the best ice cream Ive ever tasted!
2.
Youre a lot nicer than your sister.
3.
This is delicious cake.
1.
This presentation seems longer than usual.
2.
Of all the hairstyles in the room, hers is most stylish.
3.
Im often trying to do better than others.
1.
Lake Silfra has some of the clearest water on the world.
2.
This shop carries nicer things than it used to.
B.
C.
3.
My cat has three adorable kittens.
1.
Be careful; thats a fragile vase.
2.
Youre more cheerful than you used to be.
3.
This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.
D.
Answers: A 1: best B 2: most stylish C 1: clearest D 3: most exciting

4. Which of the following sentences contains a superlative adjective?
A.
I can run further than before.
B.
She has the pinkest cheeks Ive ever seen!
C.
Jimmy is a cute baby.
Answer: : B pinkest
5. Choose the absolute adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
1.
Your face is red.
2.
You have the reddest face!
3.
If you dont wear sunscreen, your face will get redder.
1.
This is the best book Ive ever read.
2.
I like this book better than the last one I read.
3.
Thats a good book.
1.
Most chocolate is sweet.
B.
C.
2.
Milk chocolate is sweeter than dark chocolate.
3.
Im not sure which chocolate is sweetest.
1.
This is a charming house.
2.
Our new home is so much more charming than our old one.
3.
Shes the most charming person Ive ever met.
D.
Answers: A 1: red B 3: good C 1: sweet D charming

6. Choose the correct comparing adjective for each sentence:
A.
My mother is a _____________ woman.
Smart
Smarter
Smartest
B.
The surgeon worked ____________ to stabilize the patient.
Quickly
Most quickly
More quickly
C.
We ran ______________ than we did last week.
Fast
Faster
Fastest
D.
After the party, the house was the _______________ its ever been.
Messy
Messier
Messiest
Answers: A smart B quickly C faster D messiest

7. Name the type of comparing adjective in each sentence:
A.
Jinx is a hairy dog.
B.
She has the bluest eyes Ive ever seen.
C.
He made me madder than Ive been in a long time.
D.
We felt more excited than ever when we heard the news.
Answers: A absolute B superlative C comparative D comparative

8. Choose the sentence with the positive form comparing adjective:
A.
This book is more interesting than that one.
B.
The story we heard this week was as interesting as last weeks.
C.
This is one of the most interesting stories Ive ever heard.
Answer: B
9. Which of the following sentences contains a comparing adjective in the comparative form?
A.
Weve had a run of bad luck lately.
B.
This is the worst snowstorm we have had in ten years.
C.
Your injury is worse than mine.
Answer: C worse
10. Which of the following sentences contains a comparing adjective in the superlative form?
A.
She is not as mean as her older sister is.
B.
This is the least exciting movie Ive ever seen.
C.
Mr. Brown is more boring than Mr. Philips.
Answer: B least exciting
Compound adjectives
What are compound adjectives?
A compound adjective is formed when two or more adjectives are joined together to modify the
same noun. These terms should be hyphenated to avoid confusion or ambiguity. For example:
1.
Diana submitted a 6-page document.
2.
She adopted a two-year-old cat.
Compound adjectives Exceptions

Note that combining an adverb and an adjective does not create a compound adjective. No hyphen
is required because it is already clear that the adverb modifies the adjective rather than the
subsequent noun. For example:
1.
It was a terribly hot day.
2.
It is an amazingly good idea.
In addition, you should not place a hyphen in a compound adjective if the adjectives are capitalized,
such as when they are part of a title.
Examples of compound adjectives

1.
This is a four-foot table.
2.
Daniella is a part-time worker.
3.
This is an all-too-common error.
4.
Beware of the green-eyed monster.
5.
He is a cold-blooded man.
6.
I love this brightly-lit room!
7.
Dannys dog is well-behaved.
8.
You have to be open-minded about things.
Compound adjective exercises

1. From each group, choose the sentence that contains a compound adjective:
A.
Sheila was horribly moody.
B.
Wed like you to be part of the decision-making process.
C.
The company showed steady improvement in their stock trades.
A.
This is a widely used procedure for finishing wood floors.
B.
Moths ate his woolen socks.
C.
That was really generous of you.
A.
Sharons adopted son is five years old today.
B.
My new car has leather upholstery.
C.
She was a well-known actress by the time she reached age five.
Answers:B, A, C
2. Using hyphens in compound adjectives: Which sentences are correct?
A.
The group was full of rowdy 10 year old schoolboys.
B.
The group was full of rowdy 10-year-old schoolboys.
A.
The actress is well known.
B.
The actress is well-known.
A.
They enjoyed a three-year profit streak.
B.
They enjoyed a three-year-profit streak.
Answers:B, A, A
3. Using ly adverbs in compound adjectives: Which sentences are correct?
A.
Along the river, rapidly increasing floodwaters caused evacuations.
B.
Along the river, rapidly-increasing floodwaters caused evacuations.
A.
My neighbor Jim is an internationally recognized author.
B.
My neighbor Jim is an internationally-recognized author.
A.
The bank robbers tried to hatch their ill conceived plan and failed.
B.
The bank robbers tried to hatch their ill-conceived plan and failed.
Answers:A, A, B
4. Choose the correct compound adjective for each sentence.
A.
He is fond of ______________________ Scotch.
good
12-year-old
10 year old
B.
The weather has been ___________________ lately.
terribly-cold
terribly cold
too cold
C.
Babysitting these kids is like trying to manage a _____________________.

three ring circus
three-ring-circus
three-ring circus
Answers: A 12-year-old B terribly cold C three-ring circus

5. Fill in the blanks with the best compound adjective for the situation:
A.
Melanie has everything she needs. She is _____________________.
two-faced
very badly behaved
well-cared for
B.
Louis overcomes difficulties easily. He is _______________________.
short-tempered
level-headed
internationally renowned
C.
Mr. Chan likes to hear about new ideas. He is ______________________.
strong-minded
two faced
open-minded
Answers: A well-cared for B level-headed C open-minded

6. Fill in the blanks with the best phrase for the situation:
A.
Jesse was promoted, so he bought ________________________________.
himself-a brand new car
himself a brand-new-car
himself a brand-new car
B.
The _______________________ has been going on for decades.
gun control debate
gun-control debate
gun-control-debate
C.
The sound of ___________________________ always soothes my mind.
gently-flowing water
gently flowing water
gently-flowing-water
Answers: A himself a brand-new car B gun-control debate C gently flowing water

7. From each group, choose the sentence containing the correct compound adjective:
A.
Maria is old-fashioned. She cant quite see the words on the blackboard.
B.
Maria is near-sighted. She cant quite see the words on the blackboard.
C.
Maria is very shy. She cant quite see the words on the backboard.
A.
She wore an old-fashioned dress to the ball.
B.
She wore a deeply-rooted dress to the ball.
C.
She wore a seasonal dress to the ball.
A.
He works for a Texas-based pharmaceutical company.
B.
He works for a rapidly increasing pharmaceutical company.
C.
He works for an American-style pharmaceutical company.
Answers:B near-sighted A old-fashioned C Texas-based

8. Creating compound adjectives: From each group, choose the sentence pair that makes the most
sense.
A.
I dont like glue that dries slowly. = This is a quick-drying glue.
B.
Did you know that some plants eat meat? = Did you know that there are meat-eating plants?
C.
Professor Brown has a very narrow mind. = Professor Browns mind is very narrow.
A.
The price of the car was high. = It was a high-priced car.
B.
The meal tasted good. = This was a tasteful-meal.
C.
He likes to weigh in on political issues. = He is loud-mouthed and boring.
A.
The tapeworm measured 35 inches. = The tape-worm measured 35-inches.
B.
The duck has flat feet. = Thats a flat-footed duck.
C.
Why not try some carrot juice? = Have some carrot-juice.
Answers:B meat-eating plants A high-priced car B flat-footed duck

9. Compound adjectives containing numbers: From each group, choose the sentence containing the
correct compound adjective.
A.
The earthworms were at least three inches long.
B.
He ate a 12-inch sandwich for lunch.
C.
The sumo champion weighed 210-kilograms.
A.
He drives a one-ton truck.
B.
Our house has three-bedrooms and two-bathrooms.
C.
There are nine-carrots in each bottle of juice.
A.
My new chainsaw cost three-hundred dollars.
B.
I got a 300-dollar chainsaw for two hundred dollars.
C.
The best chainsaws cost more than three-hundred-dollars.
Answers:B 12-inch sandwich A one-ton truck B 300-dollar chainsaw
10. Use the underlined phrase to make a compound adjective.

A.
He suggested an innovative plan to save money.
B.
Her brother had a sharp mind.
C.
My cat died suddenly when it was ten years old.
Answers:
A.
He suggested an innovative money-saving plan.
B.
Her brother was sharp-minded.
C.
My ten-year-old cat died suddenly.
Order of adjectives
How to order adjectives in English
In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific order. Generally, the
adjective order in English is:
1.
Quantity or number
2.
Quality or opinion
3.
Size
4.
Age
5.
Shape
6.
Color
7.
Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
8.
Purpose or qualifier
For example:
1.
I love that really big old green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
2.
My sister adopted a beautiful big white bulldog.
When there are two or more adjectives that are from the same group, the word and is placed
between the two adjectives:
1.
The house is green and red.
2.
The library has old and new books.
When there are three or more adjectives from the same adjective group, place a comma between
each of the coordinate adjectives:
1.
We live in the big green, white and red house at the end of the street.
2.
My friend lost a red, black and white watch.
A comma is not placed between an adjective and the noun.
Order of adjectives examples

Determi
ner
Quant
ity or
numb
er
Siz
e
beauti
ful
The
Quali
ty or
opini
on
three
An
More examples:
beauti
ful
amazi
ng
Ag
e
Sha
pe
Col
or
ol
d
litt
le
heart
shap
ed
Prope
r
adject
ive
Purpo
se or
qualif
ier
No
un
Italian
sports
car
gold
plat
es
red
and
whit
e
sofa
1.
I love that really old big green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
[quality age size color proper adjective]
2.
My sister has a big, beautiful, tan and white, bulldog. [size quality color color]
3.
A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion age origin]
4.
A big square blue box. [dimension shape color]
5.
A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion color material]
6.
Some slim new French trousers. [dimension age origin]
7.
8.
I bought a pair of black leather shoes. [color material]
Order of adjectives exercises

1. Choose the best answer for each sentence.
A.
The house is __________________.
large and white
white and large
large white
B.
They live in a __________________ house.
large and white
white and large
large white
Answers: A large and white B large white

2. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?
A.
We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus.
B.
We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus.
C.
We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.
Answer: C
A.
Id like three good reasons why you dont like spinach.
B.
Id like a good three reasons why you dont like spinach.
C.
Id like good reasons three why you dont like spinach.
Answer: A
A.
I like that really big red old antique tractor in the museum.
B.
I like that really big old red antique tractor in the museum.
C.
I like that old, red, really big antique tractor in the museum.
Answer: B
A.
My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
B.
My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.
C.
My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.
Answer: A
6. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A.
My grandmother lives in the ________________________ house on the corner
little blue, green and white
little blue and green and white

B.
little, blue, green, and white

The store carries an assortment of _____________________ objects.
interesting new, old and antique
new, old, interesting and antique
interesting, old and new and antique
C.
We went for a two-week cruise on a __________________________ ocean liner.
incredible brand-new, huge Italian
incredible, huge, brand-new Italian
Italian incredible, brand-new, huge
Answers: A little blue, green and white B interesting new, old and antique C incredible, huge,
brand-new Italian
A.
I bought a pair of _________________ boots.
new, nice, red rain
nice new red rain
red nice new rain
B.
My dad was thrilled with his gift of ______________________ bowties for his clown act.
three squirting new nice big polka-dotted
three polka-dotted nice new squirting
three nice big new polka-dotted squirting
C.
Please put the marbles into that ______________________ box.

round little old red
little old round red
little old red round
Answers: A nice new red rain B three nice big new polka-dotted squirting C little old round red
8. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank:
A.
I was surprised to receive a __________________ puppy for my birthday.
little, cute, eight-week-old golden retriever
cute eight-week-old little golden retriever
cute little eight-week-old golden retriever
B.
Our work uniform consists of black pants, black shoes, and a ________________ shirt.
yellow baggy big polo
big baggy yellow polo
baggy yellow big polo
C.
Ive been spending a lot of time in antique shops looking for the perfect _______________
clock.
little silver Italian cuckoo
little Italian silver cuckoo
silver little Italian cuckoo
Answers: A cute little eight-week-old golden retriever B big baggy yellow polo C little silver
Italian cuckoo
A.
Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black and white stripes.
B.
Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black with white stripes.
C.
Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black, white stripes.
Answer: A
A.
During my college years, I wore a red, white and black big hat to sporting events.
B.
During my college years, I wore a big red, white and black hat to sporting events.
C.
During my college years, I wore a big red white and black, hat to sporting events.
Answer: B
Lists of adjectives
Common adjectives
Good
New
First
Last
Long
great
little
own
other
old
right
big
high
different
small
large
next
early
young
important
few
public
bad
same
able
Appearance adjectives
adorable
beautiful
clean
drab
elegant
fancy
glamorous
handsome
long
magnificent
old-fashioned
plain
quaint
sparkling
ugliest
unsightly
wide-eyed
Color adjectives
red
orange
yellow
green
blue
purple
gray
black
white
Condition adjectives
alive
better
careful
clever
dead
easy
famous
gifted
helpful
important
inexpensive
mushy
odd
powerful
rich
shy
tender
uninterested
vast
wrong
Personality adjectives Positive
agreeable
brave
calm
delightful
eager
faithful
gentle
happy
jolly
kind
lively
nice
obedient
proud
relieved
silly
thankful
victorious
witty
zealous
Personality adjectives Negative
angry
bewildered
clumsy
defeated
embarrassed
fierce
grumpy
helpless
itchy
jealous
lazy
mysterious
nervous
obnoxious
panicky
repulsive
scary
thoughtless
uptight
worried
Shape adjectives
broad
chubby
crooked
curved
deep
flat
high
hollow
low
narrow
round
shallow
skinny
square
steep
straight
wide
Size adjectives
big
colossal
fat
gigantic
great
huge
immense
large
little
mammoth
massive
miniature
petite
puny
scrawny
short
small
tall
teeny
teeny-tiny
tiny
Sound adjectives
cooing
deafening
faint
hissing
loud
melodic
noisy
purring
quiet
raspy
screeching
thundering
voiceless
whispering
Time adjectives
ancient
brief
early
fast
late
long
modern
old
old-fashioned
quick
rapid
short
slow
swift
young
Taste/touch adjectives
bitter
delicious
fresh
greasy
juicy
hot
icy
loose
melted
nutritious
prickly
rainy
rotten
salty
sticky
strong
sweet
tart
tasteless
uneven
weak
wet
wooden
yummy
Touch adjectives
boiling
breeze
broken
bumpy
chilly
cold
cool
creepy
crooked
cuddly
curly
damaged
damp
dirty
dry
dusty
filthy
flaky
fluffy
freezing
hot
warm
wet
Quantity adjectives
abundant
empty
few
full
heavy
light
many
numerous
sparse
substantial
aback abaft abandoned abashed aberrant abhorrent abiding abject ablaze able abnormal
aboard aboriginal abortive abounding abrasive abrupt absent absorbed absorbing abstracted absurd
abundant abusive acceptable accessible accidental accurate acid acidic acoustic acrid actually ad
hoc adamant adaptable addicted adhesive adjoining adorable adventurous afraid aggressive
agonizing agreeable ahead ajar alcoholic alert alike alive alleged alluring aloof amazing ambiguous
ambitious amuck amused amusing ancient angry animated annoyed annoying anxious apathetic
aquatic aromatic arrogant ashamed aspiring assorted astonishing attractive auspicious automatic
available average awake aware awesome awful axiomatic
Examples of adjectives
Typical adjective endings
1.
They live in a beautiful house.
2.
Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today. This soup is not edible.
3.
She wore a beautiful dress.
4.
He writes meaningless letters.
5.
This shop is much nicer.
6.
She wore a beautiful dress.
7.
Ben is an adorable baby.
8.
Lindas hair is gorgeous.
9.
This glass is breakable.
10.
I met a homeless person in NY.
Denominal adjective examples

1.
A mathematical puzzle.
2.
A biological experiment.
3.
A wooden boat.
4.
I married an American woman.
5.
The Jewish community in NY is very big.
6.
Mary has a collection of expensive Russian dolls.
7.
In the winter you must wear heavy woollen clothes.
8.
The polar bear is listed as threatened.
Order of adjective examples

1.
I love that really big old green antique car that is always parked at the end of the street.
[quality size age color qualifier]
2.
My sister has a beautiful big white bulldog. [quality size color]
3.
4.
A big square blue box. [size shape color]
5.
A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion color material]
6.
Some new slim French trousers. [age shape origin]
7.
My small new red sleeping bag. [size age color purposee]
8.
I bought a pair of black leather shoes. [color material]
Comparing adjective examples

1.
This house is bigger than that one.
2.
This flower is more beautiful than that.
3.
He is taller than Mr. Hulas.
4.
He is more intelligent than this boy.
5.
Jonathan is the most handsome man on campus.
6.
This is the prettiest dress in the window.
7.
I lost my most comfortable shoes.
8.
My job is worse than yours.
Compound adjectives examples

1.
This is a four-foot table.
2.
Daniella is a part-time worker.
3.
This is an all-too-common error.
4.
Beware of the green-eyed monster.
5.
He is a cold-blooded man.
6.
We saw a man-eating shark!
7.
Dannys dog is well-behaved.
8.
You have to be open-minded about things.
Adjectival phrase examples

1.
Susan is really clever.
2.
The doctor is very late.
3.
My sister is fond of animals.
4.
I am happy to meet you.
5.
The kids are ready to go.
6.
Dont be afraid of the dark.
7.
Tony lost his dark brown briefcase.
8.
Hes an extraordinary looking man.
For more examples, read our comprehensive lists of adjectives in the English language.
Adjective exercises
much vs many
Decide whether you have to use much or many:
1.
We saw _____ animals at the zoo.
2.
How _____ oranges did you put in the box?
3.
There isnt _____ sugar in my coffee.
4.
I dont have ______ friends.
5.
The old man hasnt got _____ hair on his head.
6.
Ive packed _____ bottles of water.
7.
I didnt get _____ sleep last night.
8.
How _____ fruit do you eat in an average day?
Answers:
1.
many
2.
many
3.
much
4.
many
5.
much
6.
many
7.
much
8.
much
a little vs a few
Decide whether you have to use a little or a few:
1.
Can you please buy _______ apples.
2.
We need _______ water.
3.
I have _______ money left.
4.
I take _______ sugar with my coffee.
5.
We had _______ pints of beer there.
6.
You have _______ time left.
7.
There are _______ chairs in the room.
8.
He only spent _______ dollars there.
Answers:
1.
a few
2.
a little
3.
a little
4.
a little
5.
a few
6.
a little
7.
a few
8.
a few
some vs any
Decide whether you have to use some or any:
1.
Is there _______ milk left?
2.
There is _______ juice in the bottle.
3.
Do you have _______ coffee?
4.
I dont have _______ money left.
5.
She has _______ money.
6.
Do you know _______ of these singers?
7.
I dont know _______ of them.
8.
I know _______ of them.
Answers:
1.
any
2.
some
3.
any
4.
any
5.
some
6.
any
7.
any
8.
some
some vs many
Decide whether you have to use some or many:
1.
The child put _______ sand into the bucket.
2.
I can lend you _______ money if you need it.
3.
There arent _______ pears left. Only two.
4.
We had _______ cake with the tea.
5.
Dont eat so _______ sweets or youll get fat.
6.
I had _______ beer last night at the bar.
7.
I dont have _______ friends.
8.
He brought _______ food with him.
Answers:
1.
some
2.
some
3.
many
4.
some
5.
many
6.
some
7.
many
8.
some
little vs less
Decide whether you have to use little or less:
1.
I have _______ interest in classical music.
2.
I have _______ faith in him.
3.
We need _______ furniture in this dance hall than in the big one.
4.
You have to drink _______ coffee.
5.
He has _______ money than I thought.
6.
Tonight I drank _______ wine than last night.
7.
She dedicates _______ time to her homework than to her hobbies.
8.
This will take _______ time to finish than the last time we tried.
Answers:
1.
little
2.
little
3.
less
4.
less
5.
less
6.
less
7.
less
8.
less
a little vs a lot
Decide whether you have to use a little or a lot:
1.
That may cost you _______ of money.
2.
I added _______ sugar to the mix.
3.
Youll have to spend _______ of cash on this car. (a lot)
4.
I can do it with _______ help from my friends.
5.
_______ change can really make a difference.
6.
I dont have _______ of free time today.
7.
He left _______ of laundry for me to do.
8.
She gave him _______ attention.
Answers:
1.
a lot
2.
a little
3.
a lot
4.
a little
5.
a little
6.
a lot
7.
a lot
8.
a little
few vs little
Decide whether you have to use few or little:
1.
Theres _______ point in calling.
2.
_______ people understood what he said.
3.
There is _______ use in trying to do this.
4.
Theres _______ space here as it is.
5.
Theres _______ I can do about this.
6.
Dan is a great student. He has _______ problems with history.
7.
There was _______ traffic on the road.
8.
I think Coventry will win the match but _______ people agree with me.
Answers:
1.
little
2.
few
3.
little
4.
little
5.
little
6.
few
7.
little
8.
few
fewer vs less
Decide whether you have to use fewer or less:

1.
There were _______ days below freezing last winter.
2.
I drank _______ water than she did.
3.
I have _______ than an hour to do this work.
4.
People these days are buying _______ newspapers.
5.
I have _______ time to do this work.
6.
_______ than thirty children each year develop the disease.
7.
I wear _______ makeup on weekdays.
8.
He worked _______ hours than I did.
Answers:
1.
fewer
2.
less
3.
less
4.
fewer
5.
less
6.
fewer
7.
less
8.
fewer
farther vs further
Decide whether you have to use farther or further:
1.
How much _______ do you plan to drive tonight?
2.
I just cant go any _______.
3.
Do you have any _______ plans for adding on to the building?
4.
Thats a lot _______ than I want to carry this heavy suitcase!
5.
The _______ that I travel down this road, the _______ behind schedule I get.
6.
How much _______ do you intend to take this legal matter?
7.
Its not that much _______ to the gas station.
8.
How much _______ do I have to run, coach?
Answers:
1.
farther
2.
further
3.
further
4.
farther
5.
farther, further
6.
further
7.
farther
8.
farther
later vs latter
Decide whether you have to use later or latter:
1.
My neighbours have a son and a daughter : the former is a teacher, the _______ is a nurse.
2.
I will address that at a _______ time.
3.
Of the first two Harry Potter books, I prefer the _______.
4.
John arrived at the party _______ than Mary did.
5.
I prefer the _______ offer to the former one.
6.
I will be back _______.
7.
I was given the choice between a hamburger or a hotdog, I chose the _______ of the two;
the hotdog.
8.
When it comes to soy burgers or a juicy cow burger, I prefer the _______.
Answers:
1.
latter
2.
later
3.
latter
4.
later
5.
latter
6.
later
7.
latter
8.
latter
last vs latter
Decide whether you have to use last or latter:
1.
Jack, Jill and Bob went up the hill; the _______ watched the other two fall down.
2.
The former half of the film is more interesting than the _______ half.
3.
Out of chapters 1, 2, and 3, the _______ one is the most difficult to learn.
4.
Dan is now friends with Ruth, Maya and Ben. The _______ is his cousin.
5.
Jane speaks Italian and English : the former language fairly well and the _______ fluently.
6.
There are two versions, A and B, but the _______ is more popular.
7.
Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the _______ is remembered today.
8.
I study math, English and history. I enjoy the _______ one most.
Answers:
1.
last
2.
latter
3.
last
4.
last
5.
latter
6.
latter
7.
latter
8.
last
More Adjective Exercises

A.
water
B.
ice
C.
syrup
Answers:
A.
Watery
B.
Icy
C.
Syrupy
2.Form adjectives from the following verbs:
A.
walk
B.
amaze
C.
decay
Answers:
A.
walking
B.
amazing
C.
decaying
3.Which of the following sentences contains a proper denominal adjective?

A.
People in New York are usually busy.
B.
New York residents are often busy.
A.
We had fun listening to classic French music.
B.
Music by the French is fun to listen to.
A.
He speaks Russian.
B.
He speaks the Russian language.
Answers: B,A,B
4.Choose the superlative adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
I like dark coffee.
B.
This is the fastest car Ive ever driven.
C.
Id like darker curtains.
A.
This is good ice cream.
B.
Meet Sue, my younger sister.
C.
Of all the options available, this seems to be the best one.
A.
This is a better play than the last one.
B.
The box was blue, and oddly shaped.
C.
This is the most exciting thing Ive ever experienced!
Answers: B, C, C
5. Choose the absolute adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
We live in a blue house.
B.
The grass is greener on the other side.
C.
This is the shortest my hair has ever been.
A.
Thats a short dress.
B.
Why dont you choose a longer style?
C.
Just because its the shortest dress doesnt mean its the most stylish.
A.
Our house is bigger than our grandmothers is.
B.
They live in the biggest house Ive ever seen.
C.
Thats a big house!
Answers: A, A, C
6. Choose the adjective from each of the following groups of words:
A.
interest, interesting, party
B.
amount, colorful, medicine
C.
fur, hilarious, cup
Answers:
A.
interesting
B.
colorful
C.
hilarious
7. Fill in the blanks with the best compound adjective for the situation.
A.
With ______________ temperatures, this is the coldest winter on record.
below zero
below-zero
freezing
B.
Jeremy gave Linda a _____________________ engagement ring.
gorgeous diamond
gorgeous-diamond
big
C.
Were celebrating with a __________________ bottle of champagne.
costly
ten-year-old
10 year old
Answers:
A.
below-zero
B.
gorgeous diamond
C.
ten-year-old
8. Choose the sentence containing the denominal adjective:

A.
We practiced for the play.
B.
We spent two hours practicing the Shakespearean play.
C.
We practiced Shakespeares play for two hours.
Answer: B. We spent two hour practicing the Shakespearean play.
9. Choose the comparative adjective in each group of sentences:

A.
This list is longer than the last one.
B.
This is probably the longest one Ive ever seen.
C.
This is a long list.
A.
Stop acting so weird.
B.
Youre acting weirder than ever.
C.
Youre the weirdest person in this class.
A.
This is the chocolatiest cake Ive ever tasted.
B.
Have some chocolate cake.
C.
Do you think this cake tastes chocolatier than the last one?
Answers: A, B, C
A.
His grandfather lives in the ________________________ house down the street.
big old yellow
yellow old big
old big yellow
B.
The shop offers all kinds of _____________________ objects.
interesting old antique
old antique interesting
old interesting antique
C.
We went for a long walk on a __________________________ trail.

Beautiful new 5-mile
New, beautiful 5-mile
5-mile new, beautiful
Answers:
A.
big old yellow
B.
interesting old antique
C.
beautiful new 5-mile
11. A, B, or C? Which phrase contains the denominal adjective?

A.
open door
B.
fun time
C.
Parmesan flavor
Answer: C
12. Some compound adjective contain hyphens. Which of the following sentences is correct?
A.
Hes a decent-judge of character.
B.
She submitted a 190-page document supporting her position.
C.
Were adopting a two year old parakeet.
Answer: B
A.
We took a ride on a red, new, Italian motorbike.
B.
We took a ride on an Italian, new, red motorbike.
C.
We took a ride on a new red Italian motorbike.
Answer: C
A.
I was thrilled to receive a __________________ book with my order.
big, beautiful, leather-bound
leather-bound, big, beautiful
beautiful big leather-bound
B.
His clown costume consists of a red nose, oversized shoes, and a ________________
jacket.
Size 4X polka-dotted silk smoking
polka-dotted silk smoking size 4X
polka dotted size 4x silk smoking
C.
Ive been shopping for the perfect _______________ chopsticks.
Japanese long sushi
long Japanese sushi
long sushi Japanese
Answers:
A.
beautiful big leather-bound
B.
size 4x polka-dotted silk smoking
C.
long Japanese sushi
15. From each group, choose the sentence containing the correct compound adjective.
A.
Jennifer is overworked. She has been putting in 12 hour days lately.
B.
Jennifer is overworked. She has been putting in 12-hour days lately.
C.
Jennifer is overworked. She has been putting in 12-hour-days lately.
A.
Jim prefers spicy, Caribbean-style food.
B.
Jim likes Caribbean foods with lots of spice.
C.
Jims favorite foods are spicy ones with Caribbean flavors.
A.
Hes grown two inches since last time we saw him.
B.
Hes grown by a whole two inches since we last saw him.
C.
Hes had a two-inch growth spurt since last time we saw him.
Answers: B, A, C

Adjectives: What Is An Adjective?

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Adjectives

They live in a beautiful house.

Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today.

-able/-ible understandable, capable, readable, incredible

-al mathematical, functional, influential, chemical

-ful beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful

-ic artistic, manic, rustic, terrific

-ive submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive

-less sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless

-ous gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous

If ending with an e, drop it

If ending with an e, drop it

If ending with a y, replace with an i

If ending with a y, drop it

If ending with a y, drop it

Forming adjectives from nouns and verbs

Or even from other adjectives:

Examples of forming adjectives

Our house color is a kind of yellow. We live in a yellowish house.

He often acts like a child. He often acts in a childish way.

The event was a big success. We enjoyed a successful event.

She adopted a dog without a home. She adopted a homeless dog.

Her hair is pretty. She has the prettiest hair.

We go for a walk each day. We go for a daily walk.

Forming adjectives exercises

inventive, invent, invented

curiosity, curious, curiousive

proliferate, prolific, proud

2. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

3. Form adjectives from the following verbs:

6. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

7. Form two adjectives from each of the following nouns:

8. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

9. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

10. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

A mathematical puzzle. (a puzzle based on mathematics)

A biological experiment. (an experiment in biology)

A wooden boat. (a boat made of wood)

I married a Russian woman.

The Jewish community in NY is very large.

Nominal Adjective: The French are noted for their wines.

Denominal Adjective: The poor people are more vulnerable.

Nominal Adjective: The poor are getting poorer.

Examples of denominal adjectives

I married an American woman.

The Jewish community in NY is very big.

Mary has a collection of expensive Russian dolls.

In the winter you must wear heavy woolen clothes.

The polar bear is listed as threatened.

Denominal adjective exercises

We worked on our homework all evening.

We spent the evening working on our English homework.

We felt sad about using the evening to do our homework.

Answer: B. We spent the evening working on our English homework.

London is noted for its many museums and monuments.

London is noted for its art museums and monuments.

The Japanese embassy is nearby.

The embassy of Japan is nearby.

I gave him a wooden walking stick.

He needs to use a walking stick.

The sun had a cold, _____________ gleam.

We walked along at a ________________ pace.