ADJECTIVES (1)

Social Networking

Sometimes, social networking websites are for sending news, messages,

and photos to friends. Theyre like big bulletin boards on the Internet. Now
social networking websites are for work, too. Unemployed people can find jobs
there, and companies can find new workers. Some sites also have a lot of very
useful information about jobs and careers.

Here is the story of two people who use JobsLink, a social networking
website.

Julia is a hardworking student at a large community college. Shes very

busy with her courses, but she is also ambitious. Her career goal is to be an
accountant. She has a profile on a social networking website for business
professionals. Her profile has a link to her rsum.

Ricardo is an employer. He has a small business. His accounting office

needs a new accountant. Hes interested in Julias profile on JobsLink. Shes
young, but shes an excellent student. Ricardo contacts Julia by e-mail. She had
an interview with Ricardo. He thinks that Julia is friendly and smart. Soon, Julia
has a new job. Julia and Ricardo are happy with the social networking website.

Words: social networking: meeting and talking to people on the Internet.

A. Comprehension Check
Answer the questions. Use the article to help you.

1. What is JobsLink?

_________________________________________

2. Is Julia a student or an instructor?

_________________________________________

3. Is Ricardo an employee or an employer?

_________________________________________

4. Who has an interview with Ricardo?

_________________________________________

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B. The nouns in each sentence are underlined. Circle the word that
describes each noun. These words are adjectives.

1. Its like a big bulletin board.

2. He had a small business.
3. Julia is a hardworking student at a large community college.
4. Julia had a new job.

Do the adjectives come before or after the nouns?

ADJECTIVES

Adjectives describe or give information about nouns people, places, things and ideas.

I found a good job. (Good describes job.)

This website is helpful. (Helpful describes this website.

1. Adjectives

a) Adjectives can come before nouns

He owns a small business.

She has a new job.

b) Adjectives can come after the verb be. They describe the subject.

Julia is smart.
They are young.

c) Adjectives have the same form when they describe singular or plural
nouns.

He needs a good accountant.

He needs two good accountants.

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2. Using Adjectives

a) When using an adjective before a singular

noun:
Use a before adjectives that begin They work for a big company.
with a consonant sound. She has a long rsum.
A new student is in my class.

Use an before adjectives that begin He had an interesting blog.

with a vowel sound. Shes an ambitious businessperson.
Thats an excellent idea!
b) You can use adjectives to describe:
Color A blue suit; an orange skirt
Age A new website; an old rsum
Size A tall building; a small phone
Shape A wide street; a round window
Opinions A great job; an excellent student
Length of time A short meeting; a long vacation
c) You can use very to make the adjective The meeting was very long.
stronger.

Data from the world

These adjectives are used after the verb to be: afraid, alone, asleep, awake.

Do not use them before a noun.

E.g.: Ahmed is asleep. NOT Ahmed is the asleep man.

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Exercises

a) Rewrite the sentences with the adjectives in parentheses.

1. James is an engineer. (unemployed)

_________________________________________
2. James is a person. (hardworking)
_________________________________________
3. This is a website. (useful)
_________________________________________
4. It has jobs. (interesting)
_________________________________________
5. This is a company. (large)
_________________________________________
6. James can send his rsum. (new)
_________________________________________

b) Write sentences about the people and things in parentheses. Use your
own ideas and some of the adjectives from the box. Remember to put
the adjectives before the nouns.

ambitious busy friendly interesting popular

unusual difficult good kind smart useful

1. (company) _______________________________________________________________.
2. (person) _________________________________________________________________.
3. (website) ________________________________________________________________.
4. (job) _____________________________________________________________________.
5. (employer) ______________________________________________________________.
6. (student) ________________________________________________________________.

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Opposites with Adjective + Noun and Be + Adjective

Asleep/awake Good/bad Old/new My office isnt loud. Its quiet.

Big/little Happy/sad Old/young Please be early. Dont be late.
Big/small Hot/cold Short/long This rsum is old, but that one is
new.
Early/late Loud/quiet Short/tall
Tall: height
Long: length
New: things
Young: people or animals.

Exercises

a) Complete the sentences with their opposites. Use adjectives from the
box.

1. Im not asleep right now. Im ____________.

2. This is a ____________ phone message. Its not old.
3. The office is very ____________. There are only two people here. It
isnt big.
4. The office building is ____________ . It isnt short. It has 50 floors.
5. Today isnt bad. This is a ____________ day! I have a new job!
6. Do you have a ____________ ruler? This one is short.

b) Pair Work: Work with a partner. Make sentences with adjectives from
the box. Your partner makes sentences with the opposite adjectives.
Take turns.
A. This isnt a little book.
B. Its a big book.

A. Im tall.
B. Maria is short.

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c) Complete the e-mail. Use the adjectives from the box.

excited happy interesting long young
friendly helpful late old

Hi Ramon,

How are you? Im very ____________ about my new job. My work

hours are ____________. For example, I usually work from 8:00 a.m. until
6:00 p.m. But Im ____________ because its an ____________ job. I am a
research assistant in a hospital. My office is on the tenth floor. Its an
____________ building. Its 60 years old. My boss is ____________ - hes only
30. Hes ____________ and ____________ when I have questions.
Thats all for now. Its ____________ at night and Im tired. Please
write soon.

Take care,

Jack