We use adjectives to describe nouns.
Most adjectives can be used in front of a noun:
We saw a very exciting film last night.
or after a link verb like be, look or feel:
That film looks interesting.
When indefinite pronouns — such as something, someone, anybody — are modified by an adjective, the adjective comes after the pronoun:
Anyone capable of doing something horrible to someone nice should be punished.
Forming Adjectives: typical suffixes
-able/-ible – adorable, invisible, responsible, uncomfortable
-al – educational, gradual, illegal, nocturnal, viral
-an – American, Russian, urban
-ar – cellular, popular, spectacular, vulgar
-ent – intelligent, potent, silent, violent
-ful – harmful, powerful, tasteful, thoughtful
-ic/-ical – athletic, energetic, magical, scientific
-ine – bovine, canine, equine, feminine, masculine
-ile – agile, docile, fertile, virile
-ive – informative, native, talkative
-less – careless, endless, homeless, timeless
-ous – cautious, dangerous, enormous, malodorous
-some – awesome, handsome, lonesome, wholesome
Many adjectives end with -y, -ary and -ate, but they may also be the endings of nouns and verbs.
Degrees of Adjectives
The degrees of comparision are known as the positive, the comparative and the superlative.
Adjectives without degrees of comparison:
| absolute | impossible | principal |
| adequate | inevitable | stationary |
| chief | irrevocable | sufficient |
| complete | main | unanimous |
| devoid | manifest | unavoidable |
| entire | minor | unbroken |
| fatal | paramount | unique |
| final | perpetual | universal |
| ideal | preferable | whole |
Collective Adjectives
When the definite article, the, is combined with an adjective describing a class or group of people, the resulting phrase can act as a noun:
the poor, the rich, the oppressed, the homeless, the lonely, the unlettered, the unwashed, the gathered.
A collective adjective is always plural and requires a plural verb:
- The rural poor have been ignored by the media.
- The elderly are beginning to demand their rights.
- The young at heart are always a joy to be around.
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.
Diana submitted a 6-page document.
She adopted a two-year-old cat.
Adjectivesstarting.com Lists of adjectives (A-Z), Positive Adjectives, Food Adjectives, Adjectives to Describe a Person, Adjectives for Resumes
Source:Grammar.ccc.commnet.edu
