Adjective Summary

Diagnostic

Adj-Diagnostic

Adjective Diagnostic Quiz: a tool to help you identify specific points that need review

Quiz 1: beginning – intermediate
Quiz 2: intermediate – advanced

Adjective Modifiers

Adjective Order

Adjective Order: putting adjectives in a natural sounding order:

opinion (evaluation)
appearance (size, shape, condition)
age
color
origin (geographical or material)

A pretty, little, purple-and-pink paisley pussycat

Number Modifiers

Number Modifiers: changing numbers (nouns) to modifiers:

rephrasing
using hyphens

The ladder had six steps.

It was a six-step ladder.

Noun Modifiers

Noun Modifiers: changing nouns to modifiers

rephrasing
using hyphens

The Jeep has a drive(-train) that moves all four wheels.

It has four-wheel drive. (singular)

It is a sports car. (irregular plural modifier)

Modifiers to Adj

Modifiers to Adjectives: indicating how much or to what degree

specified amounts (quantities)
adverbs of degree
tall / high / long
color modifiers

Other modifiers to adjectives: Adverbs of Manner | Adverbs of Degree

The basketball player is nine feet tall. (plural)

He can place a ball in a basket ball hoop ten feet high.

He sleeps in a bed that is nine and a half feet long.

He is extremely tall.

Contrasting and Comparing

Comparisons

Comparisons: describing similarities and differences

similar to , same, like / unlike
dissimilar, unlike, different
as (adjective / adverb) as
in contrast, on the contrary
on the contrary (The opposite is true.)
while / whereas
on the other hand

The apple is similar to the orange.
The color of the apple is unlike the color of the orange.This While the orange is high in fiber, the apple is not.
On the one hand oranges are high in vitamin C, on the other hand they are very acetic to the stomach.

Same as

As ... as: describing the similarity of two items

the same (noun) as
as (adj. / adv.) as

The apple is the same weight as the orange.
The apple is as heavy as the orange.
The apple is as light as the orange.

More / -er

More / -er: comparing the quality of two items, comparing the manner of two actions

-er / more / less ... than
adjectives / adverbs
clause shortening after than
"funner"

This apple is better than that one. (good - better)
This apple is more beautiful than that one.
This apple is less beautiful than that one.

He drives faster than she does. / she.
He drives faster than her.

Most / -est

Most / -est: indicating the unique quality of an item in a group, indicating a unique manner of an action

-est / most / least
adjectives / adverbs
expressions: first, ever, of all

The Granny Smith apple is the tastiest apple for baking.
The Red Delicious apple is the most flavorful apple.
The Jonathan apple is the least flavorful apple.

The cheetah runs the fastest of all mammals.
The sloth moves the least fast of all mammals.

Increasing and Decreasing

Much / More

Much / More: increasing the amount of something

much more / many more
much better / much more beautiful
too much / too many
much to much / far too many

People have much more knowledge about eating right.
Many more people are eating healthier diets.

People eat too much fat, sugar and salt.
People eat too many chips, cookies and candy bars.

He is much too old for her.
She is far too young for him.

Fewer / Less

Fewer / Less: decreasing the amount of something

fewer w/count nouns
less w/non-count nouns

Do you want fewer lines and wrinkles on your face?
fewer lines
less wrinkling

Participial Adjectives

Part Adj 1 -ed / -ing

Participial Adjectives: describing someone or something as the cause or the receiver of an emotion

cause -ing ending
receiver -ed ending

The act was entertaining. (present participial adjective)
We were entertained. (past participial adjective)

Part Adj 2 -ed / -ing

Participial Adjectives: describing things with adjectives indicating ongoing versus completed states

ongoing process: -ing ending
completed process: -ed ending

Located in Passive Practices

a roasting chicken - still cooking! (present participial adjective)

a roasted chicken - done! (past participial adjective)

Partcpl Adj Quiz

Participial adjective quiz: auto-correcting quiz

source: -ing ending
receiver: -ed ending
ongoing process: -ing ending
completed process: -ed ending

I was surprised to see how much the neighborhood had changed. (past participial adjective)
It was surprising to see how much the neighborhood had changed. (present participial adjective)

We saw broken windows. (past participial adjective)
We heard breaking news. (present participial adjective)

Related Pages: Modifying Phrases & Clauses

That

That: adding descriptive clauses for inanimate things

that (subject or object pronoun)
the main sentence is the independent clause
the modifying phrase is the dependent clause

Located in Adjective Clause Summary

The car that is very small is economical to drive.

The car that I want to buy is economical to drive.

Particpl Phrases1

Participial Phrases 1: reducing clauses to modifying phrases

passive verb – past participle phrase (-ed)

That + be deletion

Located in Passive Summary

The Golden Gate Bridge, [which was] designed by Joseph Stauss, attracts thousands of tourists.

Particpl Phrases2

Participial Phrases 2: reducing clauses to modifying phrases

passive verb – past participle phrase (-ed)
active verb –present participle phrase (-ing)
That + be deletion