Main points
* There are two main positions for adjectives: in front of a noun, or as the complement of a link verb.
* Most adjectives can be used in either of these positions, but some adjectives can only be used in one.
1 Most adjectives can be used in a noun group, after determiners and numbers if there are any, in front of the noun.
He had a beautiful smile.
She bought a loaf of white bread.
There was no clear evidence.
2 Most adjectives can also be used after a link verb such as `be', `become', or `feel'.
I'm cold.
I felt angry.
Nobody seemed amused.
3 Some adjectives are normally used only after a link verb.
afraid, alive, alone, asleep, aware, content, due, glad, ill, ready, sorry, sure, unable, well
For example, you can say `She was glad', but you do not talk about `a glad woman'.
I wanted to be alone.
We were getting ready for bed.
I'm not quite sure.
He didn't know whether to feel glad or sorry.
4 Some adjectives are normally used only in front of a noun.
easternatomicindooroccasional
northerncountlessintroductoryoutdoor
southerndigitalmaximum
westernexistingneighbouring
For example, you talk about `an atomic bomb', but you do not say `The bomb was atomic'.
He sent countless letters to the newspapers.
This book includes a good introductory chapter on forests.
5 When you use an adjective to emphasize a strong feeling or opinion, it always comes in front of a noun.
absolute, complete, entire, outright, perfect, positive, pure, real, total, true, utter
Some of it was absolute rubbish.
He made me feel like a complete idiot.
6 Some adjectives that describe size or age can come after a noun group consisting of a number or determiner and a noun that indicates the unit of measurement.
deeplongtallwide
higholdthick
He was about six feet tall.
The water was several metres deep.
The baby is nine months old.
Note that you do not say `two pounds heavy', you say `two pounds in weight'.
7 A few adjectives are used alone after a noun.
designate, elect, galore, incarnate
She was now the president elect.
There are empty houses galore.
8 A few adjectives have a different meaning depending on whether they come in front of or after a noun.
concerned, involved, present, proper, responsible
For example, `the concerned mother' means a mother who is worried, but `the mother concerned' means the mother who has been mentioned.
It's one of those incredibly involved stories.
The people involved are all doctors.
I'm worried about the present situation.
Of the 18 people present, I knew only one.
Her parents were trying to act in a responsible manner.
We do not know the person responsible for his death.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Unit 32 Order of adjectives
Main points
* You put opinion adjectives in front of descriptive adjectives.
* You put general opinion adjectives in front of specific opinion adjectives.
* You can sometimes vary the order of adjectives.
* If you use two or more descriptive adjectives, you put them in a particular order.
* If you use a noun in front of another noun, you put any adjectives in front of the first noun.
1 You often want to add more information to a noun than you can with one adjective. In theory, you can use the adjectives in any order, depending on the quality you want to emphasize. In practice, however, there is a normal order.
When you use two or more adjectives in front of a noun, you usually put an adjective that expresses your opinion in front of an adjective that just describes something.
You live in a nice big house.
He is a naughty little boy.
She was wearing a beautiful pink suit.
2 When you use more than one adjective to express your opinion, an adjective with a more general meaning such as `good', `bad', `nice', or `lovely' usually comes before an adjective with a more specific meaning such as `comfortable', `clean', or `dirty'.
I sat in a lovely comfortable armchair in the corner.
He put on a nice clean shirt.
3 You can use adjectives to describe various qualities of people or things. For example, you might want to indicate their size, their shape, or the country they come from.
Descriptive adjectives belong to six main types, but you are unlikely ever to use all six types in the same noun group. If you did, you would normally put them in the following order:
sizeageshapecolournationalitymaterial
This means that if you want to use an `age' adjective and a `nationality' adjective, you put the `age' adjective first.
We met some young Chinese girls.
Similarly, a `shape' adjective normally comes before a `colour' adjective.
He had round black eyes.
Other combinations of adjectives follow the same order. Note that `material' means any substance, not only cloth.
There was a large round wooden table in the room.
The man was carrying a small black plastic bag.
4 You usually put comparative and superlative adjectives in front of other adjectives.
Some of the better English actors have gone to live in Hollywood.
These are the highest monthly figures on record.
5 When you use a noun in front of another noun, you never put adjectives between them. You put any adjectives in front of the first noun.
He works in the French film industry.
He receives a large weekly cash payment.
6 When you use two adjectives as the complement of a link verb, you use a conjunction such as `and' to link them. With three or more adjectives, you link the last two with a conjunction, and put commas after the others.
The day was hot and dusty.
The room was large but square.
The house was old, damp and smelly.
We felt hot, tired and thirsty.
* You put opinion adjectives in front of descriptive adjectives.
* You put general opinion adjectives in front of specific opinion adjectives.
* You can sometimes vary the order of adjectives.
* If you use two or more descriptive adjectives, you put them in a particular order.
* If you use a noun in front of another noun, you put any adjectives in front of the first noun.
1 You often want to add more information to a noun than you can with one adjective. In theory, you can use the adjectives in any order, depending on the quality you want to emphasize. In practice, however, there is a normal order.
When you use two or more adjectives in front of a noun, you usually put an adjective that expresses your opinion in front of an adjective that just describes something.
You live in a nice big house.
He is a naughty little boy.
She was wearing a beautiful pink suit.
2 When you use more than one adjective to express your opinion, an adjective with a more general meaning such as `good', `bad', `nice', or `lovely' usually comes before an adjective with a more specific meaning such as `comfortable', `clean', or `dirty'.
I sat in a lovely comfortable armchair in the corner.
He put on a nice clean shirt.
3 You can use adjectives to describe various qualities of people or things. For example, you might want to indicate their size, their shape, or the country they come from.
Descriptive adjectives belong to six main types, but you are unlikely ever to use all six types in the same noun group. If you did, you would normally put them in the following order:
sizeageshapecolournationalitymaterial
This means that if you want to use an `age' adjective and a `nationality' adjective, you put the `age' adjective first.
We met some young Chinese girls.
Similarly, a `shape' adjective normally comes before a `colour' adjective.
He had round black eyes.
Other combinations of adjectives follow the same order. Note that `material' means any substance, not only cloth.
There was a large round wooden table in the room.
The man was carrying a small black plastic bag.
4 You usually put comparative and superlative adjectives in front of other adjectives.
Some of the better English actors have gone to live in Hollywood.
These are the highest monthly figures on record.
5 When you use a noun in front of another noun, you never put adjectives between them. You put any adjectives in front of the first noun.
He works in the French film industry.
He receives a large weekly cash payment.
6 When you use two adjectives as the complement of a link verb, you use a conjunction such as `and' to link them. With three or more adjectives, you link the last two with a conjunction, and put commas after the others.
The day was hot and dusty.
The room was large but square.
The house was old, damp and smelly.
We felt hot, tired and thirsty.
Unit 33 Adjective + `to' or `that'
Main points
* Adjectives used after link verbs are often followed by `to'-infinitive clauses or `that'-clauses.
* Some adjectives are always followed by `to'-infinitive clauses.
* You often use `to'-infinitive clauses or `that'-clauses after adjectives to express feelings or opinions.
* You often use `to'-infinitive clauses after adjectives when the subject is impersonal `it'.
1 After link verbs, you often use adjectives that describe how someone feels about an action or situation. With some adjectives, you can add a `to'-infinitive clause or a `that'-clause to say what the action or situation is.
afraid, anxious, ashamed, disappointed, frightened, glad, happy, pleased, proud, sad, surprised, unhappy
If the subject is the same in both clauses, you usually use a `to'-infinitive clause. If the subject is different, you must use a `that'-clause.
I was happy to see them again.
He was happy that they were coming to the party.
You often use a `to'-infinitive clause when talking about future time in relation to the main clause.
I am afraid to go home.
He was anxious to leave before it got dark.
You often use a `that'-clause when talking about present or past time in relation to the main clause.
He was anxious that the passport was missing.
They were afraid that I might have talked to the police.
2 You often use `sorry' with a `that'-clause. Note that `that' is often omitted.
I'm very sorry that I can't join you.
I'm sorry I'm so late.
3 Some adjectives are not usually used alone, but have a `to'-infinitive clause after them to say what action or situation the adjective relates to.
able, apt, bound, due, inclined, liable, likely, prepared, ready, unlikely, unwilling, willing
They were unable to help her.
They were not likely to forget it.
I am willing to try.
I'm prepared to say I was wrong.
4 When you want to express an opinion about someone or something, you often use an adjective followed by a `to'-infinitive clause.
difficult, easy, impossible, possible, right, wrong
She had been easy to deceive.
The windows will be almost impossible to open.
Am Iwrong to stay here?
Note that in the first two examples, the subject of the main clause is the object of the `to'-infinitive clause. In the third example, the subject is the same in both clauses.
5 With some adjectives, you use a `that'-clause to express an opinion about someone or something.
awful, bad, essential, extraordinary, funny, good, important, interesting, obvious, sad, true
I was sad that people had reacted in this way.
It is extraordinary that we should ever have met!
6 You can also use adjectives with `to'-infinitive clauses after `it' as the impersonal subject. You use the preposition `of' or `for' to indicate the person or thing that the adjective relates to.
It was easy to find the path.
It was good of John to help me.
It was difficult for her to find a job.
See Unit 17 for `it' as impersonal subject.
See Unit 47 for more information about adjectives followed by `of' or `for'.
* Adjectives used after link verbs are often followed by `to'-infinitive clauses or `that'-clauses.
* Some adjectives are always followed by `to'-infinitive clauses.
* You often use `to'-infinitive clauses or `that'-clauses after adjectives to express feelings or opinions.
* You often use `to'-infinitive clauses after adjectives when the subject is impersonal `it'.
1 After link verbs, you often use adjectives that describe how someone feels about an action or situation. With some adjectives, you can add a `to'-infinitive clause or a `that'-clause to say what the action or situation is.
afraid, anxious, ashamed, disappointed, frightened, glad, happy, pleased, proud, sad, surprised, unhappy
If the subject is the same in both clauses, you usually use a `to'-infinitive clause. If the subject is different, you must use a `that'-clause.
I was happy to see them again.
He was happy that they were coming to the party.
You often use a `to'-infinitive clause when talking about future time in relation to the main clause.
I am afraid to go home.
He was anxious to leave before it got dark.
You often use a `that'-clause when talking about present or past time in relation to the main clause.
He was anxious that the passport was missing.
They were afraid that I might have talked to the police.
2 You often use `sorry' with a `that'-clause. Note that `that' is often omitted.
I'm very sorry that I can't join you.
I'm sorry I'm so late.
3 Some adjectives are not usually used alone, but have a `to'-infinitive clause after them to say what action or situation the adjective relates to.
able, apt, bound, due, inclined, liable, likely, prepared, ready, unlikely, unwilling, willing
They were unable to help her.
They were not likely to forget it.
I am willing to try.
I'm prepared to say I was wrong.
4 When you want to express an opinion about someone or something, you often use an adjective followed by a `to'-infinitive clause.
difficult, easy, impossible, possible, right, wrong
She had been easy to deceive.
The windows will be almost impossible to open.
Am Iwrong to stay here?
Note that in the first two examples, the subject of the main clause is the object of the `to'-infinitive clause. In the third example, the subject is the same in both clauses.
5 With some adjectives, you use a `that'-clause to express an opinion about someone or something.
awful, bad, essential, extraordinary, funny, good, important, interesting, obvious, sad, true
I was sad that people had reacted in this way.
It is extraordinary that we should ever have met!
6 You can also use adjectives with `to'-infinitive clauses after `it' as the impersonal subject. You use the preposition `of' or `for' to indicate the person or thing that the adjective relates to.
It was easy to find the path.
It was good of John to help me.
It was difficult for her to find a job.
See Unit 17 for `it' as impersonal subject.
See Unit 47 for more information about adjectives followed by `of' or `for'.
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