Asist. dr. Alexandra COTOC, ​alexandra.cotoc@gmail.

com
Morphology, The Adjective

THE ADJECTIVE:
Definitions and explanations
1. Adjective/adjective phrase (AP)
2. Semantic sub-classification of adjectives
3. Usage of adjectives: Attributive/predicative adjectives
3.1 Attributive only
3.2 Predicative only
4. Adjective order
5. The comparison of adjectives

Practice 1: True (T) or False (F)?

1. The ​beautiful ​painting. beautiful = attributive adjective
2. He made his wife ​happy​. happy = predicative adjective functioning as an object complement
3. Predicative adjectives cannot be complement to a subject which is a finite or a non-finite clause.
4. Adjectives denoting nationalities can be noun-phrase heads.
5. An adjective cannot function as a verbless clause.
6. Adjectives that characterise the referent of the noun directly are called non-inherent and those
that do not are called inherent.
7. In the construction ​my former friend​, ​former ​is an inherent adjective with an attributive function.
8. The adjective has a predicative function in the following sentence: ​He is afraid to do it​.
9. In the structure ​a perfect mother​, the adjective ​perfect i​ s gradable.
10. Alive, afraid, alone, a​ nd ​asleep ​can be used only predicatively.
11. The​to-infinitive clause ​can postmodify adjectives.
12. Adjectives cannot follow nouns.
13. ​ nd ​the visible stars​ have the same meaning.
the stars visible a
14. There are words that can function both as adjectives and as adverbs.
15. John swam ​deeply i​ n the lake is grammatical.

Practice 2: Correct/incorrect
1. Brave enough students to attempt the course deserve to pass.
A brave enough student to attempt the course deserves to pass.

2. He is (not) brave enough a student to attempt the course.

He thought him too difficult a boy to teach.

3. The extremely old n ​ eed a great deal of attention; We will nurse ​your sick ​and feed ​your hungry​;
​ njoy life.
The young in spirit e

The beautiful​ a
4. ​ ​ re rendered in poetry.

5.​​Long and untidy​, his hair played in the breeze.

You are the v​ ery ​man I want to see.

6. ​

7. ​
He’s being thin.

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Asist. dr. Alexandra COTOC, ​alexandra.cotoc@gmail.com
Morphology, The Adjective

Practice 3: Put the following into the correct order: ​churches, Gothic, grey, stone, square, large,
old, the, five, last, city’s

Practice 4: Degrees of comparison (T/F and answer the questions)

1. The monosyllabic adjectives form the comparative of inferiority using not ​so/as …. as​.

2. What is the comparative of inferiority from ​good​? What about the negative superlative?

3. ‘More’ and ‘less’ are used in comparing quantities of mass nouns like ​tea, soap, time,​ etc.

4. ‘More’ and ‘fewer’ are used in comparing greater or smaller numbers of countable nouns like
books, dogs, e​ tc.
5. The following structures are correct: ​much more, many more, a little more, a few more, much
less.
6. How do you express the comparative of equality in English?
7. Consider the following sentences:
John is more/less stupid ​than B
​ ob.
John is as stupid ​as J​ ohn.
What are the words underlined?
8. Very good, very narrow, very interesting
Extremely interesting, awfully nice, tremendously fast
Ultrasensitive, ultramodern, overconfident
All the above are ……………………. constructions

Degrees of comparison I

Degrees of comparison II

Degrees of comparison III

Degrees of comparison IV