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Chapter # 5 English Adjectives An adjective modifies, describes, limits or add to the meaning of a noun or a pronoun, to modify a word, means

to make its meaning more definite. Adjectives always modify nouns or noun equivalents. 1. The old man was sitting in the sun. 2. The cake tastes delicious. 3. Hard work is key to success.

5.1KINDS OF ADJECTIVES:
(i) Adjectives of Quality: They describe Nouns. They show the quality, kind or state of a person or a thing: A fast friend; a rich man; honest boys; a noble king etc. Adjectives formed from Proper Nouns are called Proper Adjectives. They are also classed as Adjectives of Quality. The Indian batsman; The Kenya tea; The French lady etc. (ii) Adjective of Quantity: They show the quantity or degree of a thing: Much money; sufficient labour; some bread; no patience; half holiday etc. (iii) Adjectives of Number (Numeral Adjectives): They show the number (counting) of persons and things along with their order. They are of the following three kinds: (a) Definite Numeral Adjectives show order and definite number: First, Second, Third etc. One, two three etc. Single, double three-fold etc. (b) Indefinite Numeral Adjectives do not show a definite number: Some, many, few all, several certain etc. (c) Distributive Numeral Adjectives show each person or thing separately out of their groups: Each, every either, neither Now study the following sentences carefully: Adjectives of Quality Adjectives of Number 1. Did you eat any ripe mango. Are there any boys in the playground? 2. There is some milk in the jug. Some girls did not attend the class today. 3. She has no sense. No boy in the class has paid his dues so far. 4. He has lost all his wealth. All the mangoes are sour. 5. Your father has enough money. There are enough seats in the hall. (iv) Demonstrative Adjectives: They point to the concerned persons, places or things: This, that, these, those, such, same etc. A, an and the are also Demonstrative Adjectives. They are called Articles. (v) Interrogative Adjectives are used with Nouns to ask questions. What time is it now? Which pen do you like? Whose house was burgled last night?

5.2COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES:
Adjectives have three degrees of comparison:

1. Positive 2. Comparative 3. Superlative 1. Positive Degree shows simple quality. Comparative Degree shows a higher or lower degree of quality, and Superlative Degree shows the highest or the lowest quality; as 1. Rahat is a clever boy. (Positive) 2. Rahat is cleverer than Shan. (Comparative) 3. Rahat is the cleverest boy in the class. (Superlative)

5.3 FORMATION OF DEGREES:


The Comparative and Superlative Degrees are formed: (i) By adding r and st to the Positive when it ends in e. Positive Comparative Superlative Able Abler Ablest Brave Braver Bravest Noble Nobler Noblest Wise Wiser Wisest (ii) By adding er and est to the Positive: Positive Comparative Superlative Bold Bolder Boldest Clever Cleverer Cleverest Great Greater Greatest Sweet Sweeter Sweetest Tall Taller Tallest (iii) If the Positive Degree ends in y and there is a consonant before y, change y into i and add er or est with it. Positive Comparative Superlative Easy Easier Easiest Happy Happier Happiest Heavy Heavier Heaviest Wealthy Wealthier Wealthiest (iv) If some adjective ends in y; and there is a vowel before y add er and est are added to it. Positive Comparative Superlative Gay Gayer Gayest Grey Greyer Greyest (v) If the Positive Degree ends in a single consonant, and there is some vowel before the consonant, that consonant is doubled and er and est are added to it. Positive Comparative Superlative Big Bigger Biggest Fat Fatter Fattest Hot Hoter Hottest Red Redder Reddest Sad Sadder Saddest Thin Thinner Thinnest (vi) If some Positive Degree ends in two or more syllables add more and most or less and least before it. Positive Comparative Superlative

Beautiful More/less beautiful Courageous More/less Courageous Intelligent More/less Intelligent (vii) Irregular Comparisons: Positive Comparative Bad, ill, evil Worse Good, well Better Little Less Much, many More Fore Former Hind Hinder Late Later, latter

Most/least beautiful Most/least Courageous Most/least Intelligent

Superlative Worst Best Least Most Foremost, first Hindmost Latest (time Last (order) Near Nearer Nearest, next Old Older, elder Oldest, eldest Note: Older is used in respect of age. Elder is used only for members of the same family. Ahmad is my elder borther. Hamid is older than I (me). (viii) Certain words are Adverbs in Positive Degree but are Adjectives in Comparative and Superlative Degree: Positive Comparative Superlative Far Farther Farthest (distance) Far Further Furthest (Position) In Inner Inmost, innermost Out Outer Outermost, uttermost Up Upper Up most, uppermost 5.4 USES OF DEGREES OF COMPARISON: 1. Positive Degree is used: To show simple quality and when there is no comparison: You are a clever boy. To show comparison between two persons or things when they are equal in some quality: She is as tall as her sister. (Positive) He is not so wise as his friend. (Negative) Comparative Degree is used: When, two persons or things are compared, than is normally put after them. Murree is cooler than Rawalpindi. My picture is more beautiful than yours. He is less intelligent than his brother. Neelam is wiser than all the other girls of her class. In case of making a selection between two persons or things put of in place of than after the Comparative Degree: This book is the better of the two. In case, two qualities of the same person or thing are compared to each other, the Comparative form (degree) of Adjective is not used: He is more wise than honest. (a) Now study the use of Comparative Degree in the following sentences: The sooner you come, the better.

The oftener we do a thing, the easier it becomes The more I advised them, the worse he grew. (b) The following Latin Adjectives in Comparative Degree take to instead of than: He is junior to me in service. You are senior to me by two years. This cloth is inferior to that. The paper of my book is superior to that of yours Prior to his appointment, he had to work for six months without pay. Superlative Degree is used when more than two persons or things are compared. It is generally preceded by the: He is the wisest of all the boys in the class Akbar was one of the greatest Mughal Kings. You are the least industrious boy in the class. Uzma is the most intelligent girl that I have ever seen. Note: If Possessive Pronoun is followed by superlative degree or in case there is a Noun in Possessive Case, The is omitted; as You are my best friend. This is Shielas finest picture. Some important points to Note: (a) Dont use double Comparative or Superlative. It is incorrect to say: She is more wiser than her sister. He is the most tallest boy in the class. But, we say: She is wiser than her sister. He is the tallest boy in the class. (b) Never use the Superlative Degree where the Positive Degree is required. He is a best player. (Incorrect) He is a very good player. (Correct) (c) Use much, very much, or far before Comparative Adjectives and very and by far before Superlative Adjectives to make the Degree of Comparison intense: You are much taller than he. Raja is by far the wisest boy in the class. (d) To compare two qualities existing in, the same person or thing, use more in place of comparative form (degree) of Adjectives. Sohail is more brave (not braver) than prudent. (e) Some Adjectives like perfect, ideal, unique are not compared. (f) Former, latter, elder, hinder, inner, upper, minor, major, outer, utter etc., are not followed by than: Raheela and Ammara are two sisters. The former is a painter and the latter, a poetess. She is my elder sister. Note: We do not use than but use to after elder. Ahmad, my brother, is elder to me. The area of the inner circle is smaller than that of the outer one. You should try to overcome the major difficulty. Nouns used as Adjectives: There are some Nouns which can be used as Adjectives: The well water is good to drink. She offered me a gold ring.

Stone walls do not make a prison. He has joined a night school. Adjectives Used as Nouns: Certain adjectives have been given below which can be used as Nouns. The article the is placed before them and they are used in the plural, like the Common Nouns: Always help the needy. Do not look down upon the poor. The rich are never contented. Do not laugh at the blind. Respect the old and love the young. Note: 1. Every four hours means regularly after an interval of our hours. 2. Every fourth hour means after each interval of three hours. 3. Every other hour means every second hour.

5.4 POSITION OF THE ADJECTIVES:


1. Attributive Adjective: (i) Before Nouns: Im reading an interesting novel. Adjective Noun Ali needs expensive suits. Adjectives which appear immediately before the noun or noun phrase that they describe are called attributive adjectives. i. Good boys are always polite. ii. Ahmad reads an interesting book. iii. Each one of us brought used books from the jumbo sale. 2. Predicative Adjective: Certain adjective come after their verbs and said to be used predicatively. These verbs are these: be, become, seem, appear, feel, sound, taste, make, keep, look, get, turn, grow etc. i. I feel good. ii. It sounds great. iii. The weather grew cool. iv. He makes me happy. v. It appears nice. The adjectives which come after the linking verb refer back to noun or pronoun of the subject and are called Predictive Adjectives. i. Ali is intelligent ii. Hassan is always very helpful. After a direct object as objective complement. iii. Marium found the novel boring. 3. Post Position: a. An adjective sometimes can be post position, i.e. they can sometimes follow the item they modify. It is usually regarded as a reduced relative clause. The people involved were found. Only indefinite pronouns ending in body, one, thing, where can be modified in post position: I want to try on something larger (i.e. which is larger) b. It also happens in several compounds such as; Attorney general: heir apparent; post master general; notary public, etc. c. A few adjective also have post position. For example:

The house ablaze is next door to mine. d. Adjective Phrase: An idiomatic phrase or prepositional phrase modifying a noun comes after it. For example: i. The king hale and hearty appeared majestically in the court. ii. The map, although old and worn, proved to be useful. iii. The boys of my class are very naughty.

5.5 CORRECT USE OF SOME ADJECTIVES:


(i) All, Whole All denotes both quantity and umber, while whole referes only to quantity: All the apples are rotten. (Number) She drank all the milk. (Quantity) The milkman sold the whole (entire) milk. (Quantity) The lion ate up the whole (entire) goat. (Quantity) Note: The is used after all but before whole. (ii) Each, Every Each is used with two or more persons (definite), while Every is used with two or more persons (Indefinite): The two girls had each a book. Each of the girls had a book. Everything is ready. He comes to me every day. Note: Each and Every take a Singular Verb. (iii) Each other, One another Each other is used for two persons or things while One another is used with two or more persons (Indefinite): Board and Anders quarreled with each other over a watch. All the boys quarreled with one another. (iv) Either, Neither, Any, Any other Either means one of the two or each of the two. Neither is the opposite of either. Any means one or more out of many: There are shops on either side of the bazaar. I can speak on either side. He belongs to neither party. You may have any pen you like. She is wiser than any other girl in the class. Note: In such sentences never omit other because she herself is one of the girls. (v) Some, Any Some is used in Affirmative Sentences; while Any is used in Negative Sentences. But both of Some and Any can be used in Interrogative Sentences: I shall buy some books. I could not get any tonga there. Have you some work to do? Have you any money? (vi) Older, Oldest, Elder, Eldest Older and Oldest are used for both, living beings and things but elder and eldest are used for members of own family. Than is not used with elder: My elder sister is much older than I. My eldest brother deals in cotton.

This is the oldest temple in the city. Mark the difference between: He is my oldest son. He is my eldest son. (vii) Later, Latest; Latter, Last Later and latest refer to time; while latter and last refer to position or order: I came later than he. What is the latest news? Ahmad and Hamid are two brothers. The former is an engineer and the latter is a pilot. He came last of all. Note: Later is opposed to earlier, while latter is opposed to former. (viii) Less, Lesser, Fewer Less denotes quantity; while fewer denotes number. Lesser is the double comparative of little: This jug contains less milk than that. No fewer than fifteen houses were burnt to ashes. This is the lesser evil of the two. (ix) Farther, Further Farther means more distant; while further means next, onwards or additional: The nearer the Church, the farther from heaven. Let us proceed further. (x) First, Foremost First shows order or position; while foremost means the most important: I was the first to solve the question. The first chapter of this boo is not difficult. Our foremost duty is to obey our parents. (xi) Nearest, Next Nearest refers to position or order, next shows order in space or time: I went to the nearest railway station. The next house belongs to Rahat, my brother. (xii) Outer, Utter Outer shows position and utter refers to degree: The outer wall of this house has collapsed. In utter disappointment he gave up the attempt. (xiii) Many, Many a, Much Much denotes quantity while many denotes number. Many is followed by Plural Noun; while much by a Singular Noun: I have much work to do. Many students were absent yesterday. A great many men enjoyed the show. Many a man has died of cholera. Note: Singular Noun and verb are used after many a and not after many alone.

5.6 Correct use of English Adjectives


1. The Adjective is correctly used with a verb when some quality of the subject, rather than of the action of the verb, is to be expressed: The flowers smell sweet. (not sweetly) That statement sounds queer.

It tastes sour. 2. As a general rule, if any phrase denoting manner could be substituted, the adverb should be used; but if some part of the verb to be could be employed as a connective, the Adjective is required. The ship appeared suddenly. The decision appears unjust. We feel warmly on the subject. We feel warm. He spoke angrily. He looked angry. 3. The plural forms these and those are often used with the singular nouns kind and sort: These kind of things. Such a form of expression is, however, constantly heard and occurs in good writers. Some grammarians insist that we should say: This kind of things. Or Things of this kind. <!--[if !supportLists]-->4. <!--[endif]-->The words, superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, and posterior, take to instead of than: As a novelist Jane Austen is superior to Fielding. Haris is inferior to Rahim in intelligence. He is senior to me. 5. In comparing two things or classes of things the Comparative should be used: Of two evils, choose the less. (not least.) Which is the better (not best) of the two? He is the taller of the two. 6. When a comparison is instituted by means of a Comparative followed by than, the thing compared must be always excluded from the class of things with which it is compared, by using other or some such words: He is stronger than any other man living. The Nile is said to be longer than all other rivers in Asia. The Taj is more beautiful than all other mausoleums. 7. In a comparison by means of a superlative, the latter term should include the former: Soloman was the wisest of all men (not all other men.) The crocodile is the largest of all reptiles. 8. A very common form of error is exemplified in the following sentence: The population of London is greater than any town in Pakistan. Say: The population of London is greater than that of any town in Pakistan. The comparison is between: <!--[if !supportLists]-->(i) <!--[endif]-->The population of London and <!--[if !supportLists]-->(ii) <!--[endif]-->The population of any town in Pakistan. 9. Double Comparatives and Superlatives are to be avoided. It was the most unkindest cut. (incorrect) It was the unkindest cut. (correct) 10. Preferable has the force of a Comparative, and is followed by to. We must not say more preferable. He has a scheme of his own which he thinks preferable to that of any other person. 11. Less (the comparative of little) is used before uncountable nouns, while fewer (the comparative of few) is used before plural nouns.

No fewer (or less) than fifty miners were killed in the explosion. 12. Certain adjectives do not really admit of comparison because their meaning is already superlative; as, Unique, ideal, perfect, complete, universal, entire, extreme, chief, full, squire, round Do not therefore say: Most unique, quite unique, chiefest, extremist, fullest, 13. Older and oldest, may be said either of persons or of things, while elder and eldest apply to persons only, and are besides, strictly speaking, confined to members of the same family. He was older than Khalid. He will succeed to the title in the event of the death of his elder brother. He is the eldest of the Naeems family. 14. The two first is a meaningless expression, for it implies the two things may be first. We should say the first two. The first two chapters of the novel are rather dull. The first two boys were awarded gold medals. 15. Few and a. few have different meanings. Few is negative, and equivalent to not many, hardly any. A few is positive, and equivalent to some. Few persons can keep a secret. A few words spoken in earnest will convince him. Similarly little = not much; a little = some, though not much. There is little hope of his recovery. A little tact would have saved the situation. 16. Latter is often wrongly used for last. Use latter when there are two only, last when there are more. Of the three, tea, coffee and cocoa, the last (not latter) is his favourite. 17. Verbal is often wrongly used for oral. Verbal means of or pertaining to words; oral means, delivered by word of mouth not written. Hen ce the opposite of written is oral, not verbal. His written statement differs in several important respects from his oral (not verbal) statement. The lad was sent with an oral message to doctor. Were your instructions oral or written? 18. Do not say our mutual friend. The proper expression is our common friend. They were introducted to each other by a common (not mutual) friend. We happened to meet at the house of a common friend.

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