MUKHLiS TANVEER JAN KURD

English Grammar Tanveer Concepts

Noun gender

Nouns answer the questions "What is it?" and "Who is it?" They give names to things, people, and places.

Examples

dog

bicycle

Mary

girl

beauty

France

world

In general there is no distinction between masculine, feminine in English nouns. However, gender is sometimes shown by different forms or different words when referring to people or animals.

Examples

Masculine Feminine Gender neutral

man woman person

father mother parent

boy girl child

uncle aunt

husband wife spouse

actor actress

prince princess

waiter waitress server

rooster hen chicken

stallion mare horse

Many nouns that refer to people's roles and jobs can be used for either a masculine or a feminine subject, like for example cousin, teenager, teacher, doctor, student, friend, colleague

Examples

Mary is my friend. She is a doctor.

Peter is my cousin. He is a doctor.

Arthur is my friend. He is a student.

Jane is my cousin. She is a student.

It is possible to make the distinction for these neutral words by adding the words male or female.

Examples

Sam is a female doctor.

No, he is not my boyfriend, he is just a male friend.

I have three female cousins and two male cousins.

Infrequently, nouns describing things without a gender are referred to with a gendered pronoun to show familiarity. It is also correct to use the gender-neutral pronoun (it).

Examples

I love my car. She (the car) is my greatest passion.

France is popular with her (France's) neighbours at the moment.

I travelled from England to New York on the Queen Elizabeth; she (the Queen Elizabeth) is a great ship.

Plural nouns used with a singular verb Sentence

news The news is at 6.30 p.m.

athletics Athletics is good for young people.

linguistics Linguistics is the study of language.

darts Darts is a popular game in England.

billiards Billiards is played all over the world.

Some nouns have a fixed plural form and take a plural verb. They are not used in the singular, or they have a different meaning in the singular. Nouns like this include: trousers, jeans, glasses, savings, thanks, steps, stairs, customs, congratulations, tropics, wages, spectacles, outskirts, goods, wits

Plural noun with plural verb Sentence

trousers My trousers are too tight.

jeans Her jeans are black.

glasses Those glasses are his.

Countable and uncountable nouns

It's important to distinguish between countable and uncountable nouns in English because their usage is different in regards to both determiners and verbs.

Countable nouns

Countable nouns are for things we can count using numbers. They have a singular and a plural form. The singular form can use the determiner "a" or "an". If you want to ask about the quantity of a countable noun, you ask "How many?" combined with the plural countable noun.

Singular Plural

one dog two dogs

one horse two horses

one man two men

one idea two ideas

one shop two shops

Examples

She has three dogs.

I own a house.

I would like two books please.

How many friends do you have?

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable nouns are for the things that we cannot count with numbers. They may be the names for abstract ideas or qualities or for physical objects that are too small or too amorphous to be counted (liquids, powders, gases, etc.). Uncountable nouns are used with a singular verb. They usually do not have a plural form.

Examples

tea

sugar

water

air

rice

knowledge

beauty

anger

fear

love

money

research

safety

evidence

We cannot use a/an with these nouns. To express a quantity of an uncountable noun, use a word or expression like some, a lot of, much, a bit of, a great deal of , or else use an exact measurement like a cup of, a bag of, 1kg of, 1L of, a handful of, a pinch of, an hour of, a day of. If you want to ask about the quantity of an uncountable noun, you ask "How much?"

Examples

There has been a lot of research into the causes of this disease.

He gave me a great deal of advice before my interview.

Can you give me some information about uncountable nouns?

He did not have much sugar left.

Measure 1 cup of water, 300g of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

How much rice do you want?

Tricky spots

Some nouns are countable in other languages but uncountable in English. They must follow the rules for uncountable nouns. The most common ones are:

accommodation, advice, baggage, behavior, bread, furniture, information, luggage, news, progress, traffic, travel, trouble, weather, work

Examples

I would like to give you some advice.

How much bread should I bring?

I didn't make much progress today.

This looks like a lot of trouble to me.

We did an hour of work yesterday.

Be careful with the noun hair which is normally uncountable in English, so it is not used in the plural. It can be countable only when referring to individual hairs.

Examples

She has long blond hair.

The child's hair was curly.

I washed my hair yesterday.

My father is getting a few grey hairs now. (refers to individual hairs)

I found a hair in my soup! (refers to a single strand of hair).

Pronouns

Pronouns replace nouns. A different pronoun is required depending on two elements: the noun being replaced and the function that noun has in the sentence. In English, pronouns only take the gender of the noun they replace in the 3rd person singular form. The 2nd person plural pronouns are identical to the 2nd person singular pronouns except for the reflexive pronoun.

Subject pronoun Object pronoun Possessive adjective (determiner) Possessive pronoun Reflexive or intensive pronoun

1st person singular I me my mine myself

2nd person singular you you your yours yourself

3rd person singular, male he him his his himself

3rd person singular, female she her her hers herself

3rd person singular, neutral it it its

itself

1st person plural we us our ours ourselves

2nd person plural you you your yours yourselves

3rd person plural they them their theirs themselves

Subject pronouns

Subject pronouns replace nouns that are the subject of their clause. In the 3rd person, subject pronouns are often used to avoid repetition of the subject's name.

Examples

I am 16.

You seem lost.

Jim is angry, and he wants Sally to apologize.

This table is old. It needs to be repainted.

We aren't coming.

They don't like pancakes.

Object pronouns

Object pronouns are used to replace nouns that are the direct or indirect object of a clause.

Examples

Give the book to me.

The teacher wants to talk to you.

Jake is hurt because Bill hit him.

Rachid recieved a letter from her last week.

Mark can't find it.

Don't be angry with us.

Tell them to hurry up!

Possessive adjectives (determiners)

Possessive adjectives are not pronouns, but rather determiners. It is useful to learn them at the same time as pronouns, however, because they are similar in form to the possessive pronouns. Possessive adjectives function as adjectives, so they appear before the noun they modify. They do not replace a noun as pronouns do.

Examples

Did mother find my shoes?

Mrs. Baker wants to see your homework.

Can Jake bring over his baseball cards?

Samantha will fix her bike tomorrow.

The cat broke its leg.

This is our house.

Where is their school?

Possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns replace possessive nouns as either the subject or the object of a clause. Because the noun being replaced doesn't appear in the sentence, it must be clear from the context.

Examples

This bag is mine.

Yours is not blue.

That bag looks like his.

These shoes are not hers.

That car is ours.

Theirs is parked in the garage.

Reflexive & intensive pronouns

Reflexive and intensive pronouns are the same set of words but they have different functions in a sentence.

Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the clause because the subject of the action is also the direct or indirect object. Only certain types of verbs can be reflexive. You cannot remove a reflexive pronoun from a sentence because the remaining sentence would be grammatically incorrect.

Examples

I told myself to calm down.

You cut yourself on this nail?

He hurt himself on the stairs.

She found herself in a dangerous part of town.

The cat threw itself under my car!

We blame ourselves for the fire.

The children can take care of themselves.

Intensive pronouns emphasize the subject of a clause. They are not the object of the action. The intensive pronoun can always be removed from a sentence without changing the meaning significantly, although the emphasis on the subject will be removed. Intensive pronouns can be placed immediately after the subject of the clause, or at the end of the clause.

Examples

I made these cookies myself.

You yourself asked Jake to come.

The Pope himself pardoned Mr. Brown.

My teacher didn't know the answer herself.

The test itself wasn't scary, but my teacher certainly is.

We would like to finish the renovation before Christmas ourselves.

They themselves told me the lost shoe wasn't a problem.

Indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns do not refer to a specific person, place, or thing. In English, there is a particular group of indefinite pronouns formed with a quantifier or distributive preceeded by any, some, every and no.

Person Place Thing

All everyone

everybody everywhere everything

Part (positive) someone

somebody somewhere something

Part (negative) anyone

anybody anywhere anything

None no one

nobody nowhere nothing

Indefinite pronouns are placed in the same location as a noun would go in the sentence.

Noun Indefinite pronoun

I would like to go to Paris this summer. I would like to go somewhere this summer.

Jim gave me this book. Someone gave me this book.

I won't tell your secret to Sam. I won't tell your secret to anyone.

I bought my school supplies at the mall. I bought everything at the mall.

Affirmative

In affirmative sentences, indefinite pronouns using some are used to describe an indefinite quantity, the indefinite pronouns with every are used to describe a complete quantity, and the pronouns with no are used to describe an absence. Indefinite pronouns with no are often used in affirmative sentences with a negative meaning, but these are nevertheless not negative sentences because they are lacking the word not.

Examples

Everyone is sleeping in my bed.

Someone is sleeping in my bed.

No one is sleeping in my bed.

I gave everything to Sally.

He saw something in the garden.

There is nothing to eat.

I looked everywhere for my keys.

Keith is looking for somewhere to live.

There is nowhere as beautiful as Paris.

Any and the indefinite pronouns formed with it can also be used in affirmative sentences with a meaning that is close to every: whichever person, whichever place, whichever thing, etc.

Examples

They can choose anything from the menu.

You may invite anybody you want to your birthday party.

We can go anywhere you'd like this summer.

He would give anything to get into Oxford.

Fido would follow you anywhere.

Negative sentences

Negative sentences can only be formed with the indefinite pronouns that include any.

Examples

I don't have anything to eat.

She didn't go anywhere last week.

I can't find anyone to come with me.

Many negative sentences that include an indefinite pronoun with any can be turned into affirmative sentences with a negative meaning by using an indefinite pronoun with no. However, there is a change in meaning with this transformation: the sentence that includes an indefinite pronoun with no is stronger, and can imply emotional content such as definsiveness, hopelessness, anger, etc.

Examples

I don't know anything about it. = neutral

I know nothing about it. = defensive

I don't have anybody to talk to. = neutral

I have nobody to talk to. = hopeless

There wasn't anything we could do. = neutral

There was nothing we could do. = defensive/angry

Negative questions

Indefinite pronouns with every, some, and any can be used to form negative questions. These questions can usually be answered with a "yes" or a "no"

Pronouns formed with anyand every are used to form true questions, while those with some generally imply a question to which we already know or suspect the answer.

Examples

Is there anything to eat?

Did you go anywhere last night?

Is everyone here?

Have you looked everywhere?

These questions can be turned in to false or rhetorical questions by making them negative. The speaker, when posing a question of this type, is expecting an answer of "no".

Examples

Isn't there anything to eat?

Didn't you go anywhere last night?

Isn't everyone here?

Haven't you looked everywhere?

Some and pronouns formed with it is only used in questions to which we think we already know the answer, or questions which are not true questions (invitations, requests, etc.) The person asking these questions is expecting an answer of "Yes".

Examples

Are you looking for someone?

Have you lost something?

Are you going somewhere?

Could somebody help me, please? = request

Would you like to go somewhere this weekend? = invitation

These questions can be made even more definite if they are made negative. In this case, the speaker is absolutely certain he will receive the answer "Yes".

Examples

Aren't you looking for someone?

Haven't you lost something?

Aren't you going somewhere?

Couldn't somebody help me, please?

Wouldn't you like to go somewhere this weekend?

Compound nouns

Words can be combined to form compound nouns. These are very common, and new combinations are invented almost daily. They normally have two parts. The first part tells us what kind of object or person it is, or what its purpose is. The second part identifies the object or person in question. Compound nouns often have a meaning that is different, or more specific, than the two separate words.

First part: type or purpose Second part: what or who Compound noun

police man policeman

boy friend boyfriend

water tank water tank

dining table dining-table

You have noticed that the compound noun can be written either as a single word, as a word with a hyphen, or as two words. There are no clear rules about this. A good rule of thumb is to write the most common compound nouns as one word, and the others as two words.

The elements in a compound noun are very diverse parts of speech.

Compound elements Examples

noun + noun bedroom

water tank

motorcycle

printer cartridge

noun + verb rainfall

haircut

train-spotting

noun + adverb hanger-on

passer-by

verb + noun washing machine

driving licence

swimming pool

verb + adverb lookout

take-off

drawback

adverb + noun onlooker

bystander

adjective + verb dry-cleaning

public speaking

adjective + noun greenhouse

software

redhead

adverb + verb output

overthrow

upturn

input

Pronunciation

Stress is important in pronunciation, as it distinguishes between a compound noun and an adjective with a noun. In compound nouns, the stress usually falls on the first syllable.

Examples

a 'greenhouse = place where we grow plants (compound noun)

a green 'house = house painted green (adjective and noun)

a 'bluebird = type of bird (compound noun)

a blue 'bird = any bird with blue feathers (adjective and noun).

Capitalization rules

Capital letters are used with particular types of nouns, in certain positions in sentences, and with some adjectives. You must always use capital letters for:

The beginning of a sentence

Examples

Dogs are noisy.

Children are noisy too.

The first person personal pronoun, I

Examples

Yesterday, I went to the park.

He isn't like I am.

Names and titles of people

Examples

Winston Churchill

Marilyn Monroe

the Queen of England

the President of the United States

the Headmaster of Eton

Doctor Mathews

Professor Samuels

Titles of works, books, movies

Examples

War and Peace

The Merchant of Venice

Crime and Punishment

Spider Man II

Months of the year

Examples

January

July

February

August

Days of the week

Examples

Monday

Friday

Tuesday

Saturday

Holidays

Examples

Christmas

Easter

New Year's Day

Thanksgiving Day

Names of countries and continents

Examples

America

England

Scotland

China

Names of regions, states, districts

Examples

Sussex

California

Provence

Tuscany

Names of cities, towns, villages

Examples

London

Cape Town

Florence

Vancouver

Names of rivers, oceans, seas, lakes

Examples

the Atlantic

the Pacific

Lake Victoria

the Rhine

the Thames

Names of geographical formations

Examples

the Himalayas

the Alps

the Sahara

Adjectives relating to nationality

Examples

French music

Australian animals

German literature

Arabic writing

Collective nouns for nationalities

Examples

the French

the Germans

the Americans

the Chinese

Language names

Examples

I speak Chinese.

He understands English.

Names of streets, buildings, parks

Examples

Park Lane

Sydney Opera House

Central Park

the Empire State Building

Wall StreStreet.

Capitalization rules

Capital letters are used with particular types of nouns, in certain positions in sentences, and with some adjectives. You must always use capital letters for:

The beginning of a sentence

Examples

Dogs are noisy.

Children are noisy too.

The first person personal pronoun, I

Examples

Yesterday, I went to the park.

He isn't like I am.

Names and titles of people

Examples

Winston Churchill

Marilyn Monroe

the Queen of England

the President of the United States

the Headmaster of Eton

Doctor Mathews

Professor Samuels

Titles of works, books, movies

Examples

War and Peace

The Merchant of Venice

Crime and Punishment

Spider Man II

Months of the year

Examples

January

July

February

August

Days of the week

Examples

Monday

Friday

Tuesday

Saturday

Holidays

Examples

Christmas

Easter

New Year's Day

Thanksgiving Day

Names of countries and continents

Examples

America

England

Scotland

China

Names of regions, states, districts

Examples

Sussex

California

Provence

Tuscany

Names of cities, towns, villages

Examples

London

Cape Town

Florence

Vancouver

Names of rivers, oceans, seas, lakes

Examples

the Atlantic

the Pacific

Lake Victoria

the Rhine

the Thames

Names of geographical formations

Examples

the Himalayas

the Alps

the Sahara

Adjectives relating to nationality

Examples

French music

Australian animals

German literature

Arabic writing

Collective nouns for nationalities

Examples

the French

the Germans

the Americans

the Chinese

Language names

Examples

I speak Chinese.

He understands English.

Names of streets, buildings, parks

Examples

Park Lane

Sydney Opera House

Central Park

the Empire State Building

Wall StCapetonian.

Nationalities

Forming nationality adjectives and nouns from country names is not always simple in English. Use the nationality adjective ending in -ese or -ish with a plural verb, to refer to all people of that nationality. The adjective listed also often refers to the language spoken in the country, although this is not always the case.

Examples

Country: I live in Japan.

Adjective: He likes Japanese food.

Origins: She is a Japanese person. = She is from Japan. = She is Japanese.

Language: She speaks Japanese.

Describing a group: Spaniards often drink wine. = Spanish people often drink wine.

Describing a group: The Chinese enjoy fireworks. = Chinese people enjoy fireworks.

In some cases, a nationality or regional noun may be negatively corrolated for some people, for historic or political reasons. When this is the case, many people will not use it, but will instead use a more neutral adjective + "people" formulation or "people from" + country name. This is the case for the examples with an asterisk below. Alternative formulations, less likely to give offense, are given in parentheses.

Geographic region/Continent Adjective Noun

Africa African an African* (an African person, someone from Africa)

Asia Asian an Asian* (an Asian person, someone from Asia)

Europe European a European

Central America Central American a Central American

Middle East Middle Eastern a Middle Easterner

North Africa North African a North African

South America South American a South American

Southeast Asia Southeast Asian a Southeast Asian person

Country or region Adjective Noun

Afghanistan Afghan an Afghan

Algeria Algerian an Algerian

Angola Angolan an Angolan

Argentina Argentine an Argentine

Austria Austrian an Austrian

Australia Australian an Australian

Bangladesh Bangladeshi a Bangladeshi

Belarus Belarusian a Belarusian

Belgium Belgian a Belgian

Bolivia Bolivian a Bolivian

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnian/Herzegovinian a Bosnian/a Herzegovinian

Brazil Brazilian a Brazilian

Britain British a Briton (informally: a Brit)

Bulgaria Bulgarian a Bulgarian

Cambodia Cambodian a Cambodian

Cameroon Cameroonian a Cameroonian

Canada Canadian a Canadian

Central African Republic Central African a Central African

Chad Chadian a Chadian

China Chinese a Chinese person

Colombia Colombian a Colombian

Costa Rica Costa Rican a Costa Rican

Croatia Croatian a Croat

the Czech Republic Czech a Czech person

Democratic Republic of the Congo Congolese a Congolese person (note: this refers to people from the Republic of the Congo as well)

Denmark Danish a Dane

Ecuador Ecuadorian an Ecuadorian

Egypt Egyptian an Egyptian

El Salvador Salvadoran a Salvadoran (also accepted are Salvadorian & Salvadorean)

England English an Englishman/Englishwoman

Estonia Estonian an Estonian

Ethiopia Ethiopian an Ethiopian

Finland Finnish a Finn

France French a Frenchman/Frenchwoman

Germany German a German

Ghana Ghanaian a Ghanaian

Greece Greek a Greek

Guatemala Guatemalan a Guatemalan

Holland Dutch a Dutchman/Dutchwoman

Honduras Honduran a Honduran

Hungary Hungarian a Hungarian

Iceland Icelandic an Icelander

India Indian an Indian

Indonesia Indonesian an Indonesian

Iran Iranian an Iranian

Iraq Iraqi an Iraqi

Ireland Irish an Irishman/Irishwoman

Israel Israeli an Israeli

Italy Italian an Italian

Ivory Coast Ivorian an Ivorian

Jamaica Jamaican a Jamaican

Japan Japanese a Japanese person

Jordan Jordanian a Jordanian

Kazakhstan Kazakh a Kazakhstani (used as a noun, "a Kazakh" refers to an ethnic group, not a nationality)

Kenya Kenyan a Kenyan

Laos Lao a Laotian (used as a noun, "a Lao" refers to an ethnic group, not a nationality)

Latvia Latvian a Latvian

Libya Libyan a Libyan

Lithuania Lithuanian a Lithuanian

Madagascar Malagasy a Malagasy

Malaysia Malaysian a Malaysian

Mali Malian a Malian

Mauritania Mauritanian a Mauritanian

Mexico Mexican a Mexican* (may be offensive in the USA. Use "someone from Mexico" instead.)

Morocco Moroccan a Moroccan

Namibia Namibian a Namibian

New Zealand New Zealand a New Zealander

Nicaragua Nicaraguan a Nicaraguan

Niger Nigerien a Nigerien

Nigeria Nigerian a Nigerian

Norway Norwegian a Norwegian

Oman Omani an Omani

Pakistan Pakistani a Pakistani* (may be offensive in the UK. Use "someone from Pakistan" instead.)

Panama Panamanian a Panamanian

Paraguay Paraguayan a Paraguayan

Peru Peruvian a Peruvian

The Philippines Philippine a Filipino* (someone from the Philippines)

Poland Polish a Pole* (someone from Poland, a Polish person)

Portugal Portuguese a Portuguese person

Republic of the Congo Congolese a Congolese person (note: this refers to people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well)

Romania Romanian a Romanian

Russia Russian a Russian

Saudi Arabia Saudi, Saudi Arabian a Saudi, a Saudi Arabian

Scotland Scottish a Scot

Senegal Senegalese a Senegalese person

Serbia Serbian a Serbian (used as a noun, "a Serb" refers to an ethnic group, not a nationality

Singapore Singaporean a Singaporean

Slovakia Slovak a Slovak

Somalia Somalian a Somalian

South Africa South African a South African

Spain Spanish a Spaniard* (a Spanish person, someone from Spain)

Sudan Sudanese a Sudanese person

Sweden Swedish a Swede

Switzerland Swiss a Swiss person

Syria Syrian a Syrian

Thailand Thai a Thai person

Tunisia Tunisian a Tunisian

Turkey Turkish a Turk

Turkmenistan Turkmen a Turkmen / the Turkmens

Ukraine Ukranian a Ukranian

The United Arab Emirates Emirati an Emirati

The United States American an American

Uruguay Uruguayan a Uruguayan

Vietnam Vietnamese a Vietnamese person

Wales Welsh a Welshman/Welshwoman

Zambia Zambian a Zambian

Zimbabwe Zimbabwean a Zimbabwean

Cities also can be transformed into adjectives and nouns, although they are highly irregular and the nominal form is not always agreed upon (there may be several). Some examples of transformed city names are below.

City Adjective Noun

Paris Parisian a Parisian

New York New York a New Yorker

Sydney Sydney a Sydney-sider

London London a Londoner

São Paulo São Paulo a Paulistano

New Delhi New Delhi a Delhiite

Cape Town Cape Town a Capetonian.

Forming the possessive

The possessive form is used with nouns referring to people, groups of people, countries, and animals. It shows a relationship of belonging between one thing and another. To form the possessive, add apostrophe + s to the noun. If the noun is plural, or already ends in s, just add an apostrophe after the s.

Examples

the car of John = John's car

the room of the girls = the girls' room

clothes for men = men's clothes

the boat of the sailors = the sailors' boat

For names ending in s, you can either add an apostrophe + s, or just an apostrophe. The first option is more common. When pronouncing a possessive name, we add the sound /z/ to the end of the name.

Examples

Thomas's book (or Thomas' book)

James's shop (or James' shop)

the Smiths's house (or the Smiths' house)

Functions of the possessive

'Belonging to' or 'ownership' is the most common relationship the possessive expresses.

Examples

John owns a car. = It is John's car.

America has some gold reserves. = They are America's gold reserves.

The possessive can also express where someone works, studies or spends time

Examples

John goes to this school. = This is John's school.

John sleeps in this room. = This is John's room.

The possessive can express a relationship between people.

Examples

John's mother is running late.

Mrs Brown's colleague will not be coming to the meeting.

The possessive can express intangible things as well.

Examples

John's patience is running out.

The politician's hypocrisy was deeply shocking.

Fixed expressions

There are also some fixed expressions where the possessive form is used.

Examples with time

a day's work

a month's pay

today's newspaper

in a year's time

Other examples

For God's sake! (= exclamation of exasperation)

a stone's throw away (= very near)

at death's door (= very ill)

in my mind's eye (= in my imagination)

The possessive is also used to refer to shops, restaurants, churches and colleges, using the name or job title of the owner.

Examples

Shall we go to Luigi's for lunch?

I've got an appointment at the dentist's at eleven o'clock.

Is Saint Mary's an all-girlscomplicated.

Functions of Adjectives

Adjectives describe the aspects of nouns. When an adjective is describing a noun, we say it is "modifying" it. Adjectives can:

Describe feelings or qualities,

Examples

He is a lonely man.

They are honest.

Give nationality or origin,

Examples

I heard a French song.

This clock is German.

Our house is Victorian.

Tell more about a thing's characteristics,

Examples

That is a flashy car.

The knife is sharp.

Tell us about age,

Examples

He's a young man.

My coat is old.

Tell us about size and measurement,

Examples

John is a tall man.

This film is long.

Tell us about colour,

Examples

Paul wore a red shirt.

The sunset was crimson.

Tell us what something is made of,

Examples

The table is wooden.

She wore a cotton dress.

Tell us about shape,

Examples

I sat at a round table.

The envelope is square.

Express a judgement or a value.

Examples

That was a fantastic film.

Grammar is complicated.

Using adjectives in English

Adjectives in English are invariable. They do not change their form depending on the gender or number of the noun.

Examples

This is a hot potato.

Those are some hot potatoes.

To emphasise or strengthen the meaning of an adjective, use the adverbs very or really in front of the adjective you want to strengthen.

Examples

This is a very hot potato

Those are some really hot potatoes.

Adjectives in English usually appear in front of the noun that they modify.

Examples

The beautiful girl ignored me.

The fast red car drove away.

Adjectives can also appear after being and sensing verbs like to be, to seem , to look & to taste.

Examples

Italy is beautiful.

I don't think she seems nice at all.

You look tired.

This meat tastes funny.

Some exceptions

Adjectives appear after the noun in some fixed expressions.

Examples

The Princess Royal is visiting Oxford today.

The President elect made a speech last night.

He received a court martial the following week.

The adjectives involved, present & concerned can appear either before or after the noun that they modify, but with a different meaning depending on the placement.

Examples

Adjective placed after the noun Meaning Adjective placed before the noun Meaning

I want to see the people involved. I want to see the people who have something to do with this matter. It was an involved discussion. The discussion was detailed & complex.

Here is a list of the people present at the meeting. Here is a list of the people who were at the meeting. The present situation is not sustainable. The current situation is not sustainable.

I need to see the man concerned by this accusation. I need to see the man who has been accused. A concerned father came to see me today. A worried father came to see me today.

Ordering multiple adjectives

When a number of adjectives are used together, the order depends on the function of the adjective. The usual order is:

quantity, value/opinion, size, temperature, age, shape, colour, origin, material

What the adjective expresses Examples

Quantity four, ten, a few, several

Value/opinion delicious, charming, beautiful

Size tall, tiny, huge

Temperature hot, cold

Age old, young, new, 14-year-old

Shape square, round

Color red, purple, green

Origin Swedish, Victorian, Chinese

Material glass, silver, wooden

Examples

They have a lovely old.

The playroom has six small round plastic tables.

I bought some charming Victorian silver ornaments at the flea market.

he comparative and the superlative

Comparative adjectives

Comparative adjectives are useTanveer.mpare differences between the two objects they modify (larger, smaller, faster, higher). They are used in sentences where two nouns are compared, in this pattern:

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

The second item of comparison can be omitted if it is clear from the context (final example below).

Examples

My house is larger than hers.

This box is smaller than the one I lost.

Your dog runs faster than Jim's dog.

The rock flew higher than the roof.

Jim and Jack are both my friends, but I like Jack better. ("than Jim" is understood.

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