Mastering Adjectives: A Complete Guide to Using Adjectives in English

Adjective Placement in a Sentence

Adjectives can be placed in a variety of positions in a sentence depending on the type of adjective and the intended meaning. Here are three common ways that adjectives can be used in a sentence:

1. Adjectives before nouns: In English, adjectives are typically placed before the noun they are modifying. For example: “I saw a big dog in the park.” In this sentence, the adjective “big” is modifying the noun “dog” and is placed before it.
2. Adjectives after verbs: In some cases, an adjective can be placed after a linking verb, such as “be,” “seem,” or “become.” For example: “The sky appears blue.” In this sentence, the adjective “blue” is modifying the subject “sky” and is placed after the linking verb “appears.”
3. Adjectives in a series: When using more than one adjective to describe a noun, the adjectives are typically listed in a specific order. The order is: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, and purpose. For example: “She bought a small, old, square, green, wooden box.” In this sentence, the adjectives “small,” “old,” “square,” “green,” and “wooden” are all modifying the noun “box,” and are listed in the appropriate order.

It is important to pay attention to the placement of adjectives in a sentence to ensure that the intended meaning is conveyed accurately.

Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives

Formation of comparative and superlative forms

The comparative form of an adjective is used to compare two things, while the superlative form is used to compare three or more things. Here are some guidelines for forming the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives:

1. For one-syllable adjectives, the comparative form is usually formed by adding “-er” to the end of the adjective, while the superlative form is usually formed by adding “-est” to the end. For example:

• small (comparative form: smaller, superlative form: smallest)
• tall (comparative form: taller, superlative form: tallest)
• fast (comparative form: faster, superlative form: fastest)

2. For two-syllable adjectives that end in “-y,” the comparative form is usually formed by changing the “-y” to “-ier,” while the superlative form is usually formed by changing the “-y” to “-iest.” For example:

• happy (comparative form: happier, superlative form: happiest)
• busy (comparative form: busier, superlative form: busiest)
• pretty (comparative form: prettier, superlative form: prettiest)

3. For two-syllable adjectives that do not end in “-y,” the comparative form is usually formed by adding “more” in front of the adjective, while the superlative form is usually formed by adding “most” in front of the adjective. For example:

• expensive (comparative form: more expensive, superlative form: most expensive)
• popular (comparative form: more popular, superlative form: most popular)
• comfortable (comparative form: more comfortable, superlative form: most comfortable)

4. For three-syllable adjectives and longer, the comparative form is usually formed by adding “more” in front of the adjective, while the superlative form is usually formed by adding “most” in front of the adjective. For example:

• intelligent (comparative form: more intelligent, superlative form: most intelligent)
• beautiful (comparative form: more beautiful, superlative form: most beautiful)
• delicious (comparative form: more delicious, superlative form: most delicious)

It is important to note that there are many irregular comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in English, so it is always best to consult a dictionary to confirm the correct forms.

Irregular comparative and superlative forms

There are many irregular comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in English. These forms do not follow the regular patterns for forming the comparative and superlative, and must be learned separately. Here are some examples of irregular comparative and superlative forms of adjectives:

• good (comparative form: better, superlative form: best)
• bad (comparative form: worse, superlative form: worst)
• far (comparative form: farther/further, superlative form: farthest/furthest)
• little (comparative form: less, superlative form: least)
• many (comparative form: more, superlative form: most)

It is important to be familiar with the irregular comparative and superlative forms of adjectives to ensure that you are using them correctly in your writing and speech. It is always a good idea to consult a dictionary to confirm the correct forms.

Using “more” and “most” with comparative and superlative adjectives

“More” and “most” can be used with comparative and superlative adjectives to add emphasis or to make the comparison more specific.

1. “More” is used to form the comparative form of adjectives with three or more syllables, as well as some two-syllable adjectives that do not end in “-y.” For example:

• more intelligent
• more beautiful
• more expensive

2. “Most” is used to form the superlative form of adjectives with three or more syllables, as well as some two-syllable adjectives that do not end in “-y.” For example:

• most intelligent
• most beautiful
• most expensive

It is important to note that “more” and “most” are not used with one-syllable adjectives or with two-syllable adjectives that end in “-y.” For these adjectives, the comparative and superlative forms are formed using the regular patterns (e.g., “-er,” “-est,” “-ier,” “-iest”).

It is also important to be aware of the placement of “more” and “most” in a sentence. “More” and “most” are typically placed before the adjective they are modifying, as in the examples above. However, in some cases, they can be placed after the adjective, as in the following examples:

• The cat is more playful than the dog.
• The cat is less playful than the dog.
• The cat is the most playful animal in the house.
• The cat is the least playful animal in the house.

Using “more” and “most” with comparative and superlative adjectives can add emphasis and make your comparisons more specific and precise.

Adjective Clauses

An adjective clause is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or pronoun in the main clause of a sentence. Adjective clauses are also known as relative clauses because they “relate” to a noun or pronoun in the main clause. Adjective clauses are introduced by a relative pronoun, such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “that,” or “which.”

There are several different types of adjective clauses, including restrictive clauses and nonrestrictive clauses.

1. A restrictive clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence and cannot be removed without changing the meaning. A restrictive clause is not set off by commas. For example:

• The book that I bought is interesting. (The adjective clause “that I bought” is essential to the meaning of the sentence and cannot be removed.)

2. A nonrestrictive clause is not essential to the meaning of the sentence and can be removed without changing the meaning. A nonrestrictive clause is set off by commas. For example:

• My sister, who is a doctor, is coming to visit. (The adjective clause “who is a doctor” is not essential to the meaning of the sentence and can be removed.)

Adjective clauses can be used to add detail and provide additional information about a noun or pronoun in the main