Form And Function Of Adjectives

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FORM AND FUNCTION OF ADJECTIVES

FORM

1. Adjectives are invariable:

They do not change their form depending on the gender or number of the

noun.

A hot potato                    Some hot potatoes

2. To emphasise or strengthen the meaning of an adjective use 'very' or

'really':

A very hot potato Some really hot potatoes.

(BUT see also Modifiers/Adverbs)

3. Position of adjectives:

a) Usually in front of a noun: A beautiful girl.

b) After verbs like "to be", "to seem" , "to look", "to taste":

The girl is beautiful

You look tired

This meat tastes funny.

c) After the noun: in some fixed expressions:

The Princess Royal

The President elect

a court martial

the adjectives involved, present, concerned:

1. I want to see the people involved/concerned (= the people who

have something to do with the matter)

2. Here is a list of the people present (= the people who were in the

building or at the meeting)

Be careful! When these adjectives are used before the noun they have a

different meaning:

An involved discussion = detailed, complex

A concerned father = worried, anxious

The present situation = current, happening now

FUNCTION OF ADJECTIVES

FUNCTION

Adjectives tell us more about a noun. They can:

1. Describe feelings or qualities:

He is a lonely man

They are honest people

Give nationality or origin:

Pierre is French

This clock is German

Our house is Victorian

2. Tell more about a thing's characteristics:

A wooden table.

The knife is sharp.

Tell us about age:

He's a young man

My coat is very old

3.Tell us about size and measurement:

John is a tall man.

This is a very long film.

4. Tell us about colour:

Paul wore a red shirt.

The sunset was crimson and gold.

5. Tell us about material/what something is made of:

It was a wooden table

She wore a cotton dress

6. Tell us about shape:

A rectangular box

A square envelope

7. Express a judgement or a value:

A fantastic film