English Grammar and Composition chapter 3: Adjectives

Adjectives

A . Read the letter and follow the words in bold:

Dear John

Writing from my home. I'm in Bangladesh, finally. It's late December. The weather is fantastic! It's not at all humid. The temperature is moderate - in between 26-28 degree. Unlike England there is no rain, no strong wind here. Usually we have strong sun but now the sunlight is very soothing. In fact, our winter begins from November and continues till February. January is the coldest month in Bangladesh. The most interesting feature of winter in Bangladesh is - the country is full of variety of vegetable and delicious pitha, a kind of handmade cakes. Many foreigners like winter in Bangladesh as it is milder than the winter in many parts of the world such as England, Canada, or Russia.

You know, my father produces winter vegetables every year. I'm very fond of bottle gourds. This time the gourds are bigger and nicer than the previous years. Hope they will taste more delicious too. Well, I got to go now. Write to me soon.

Love.

Rima

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What are the words in bold doing?

All these words in bold are adjectives.

Some of them come before a noun and modify it, e.g. give extra information about it.

Some of the words are completing the sentences.

Thus adjectives work either as noun modifiers or as complements (that completes) of a sentence.

Adjectives have three forms:

Positive use of adjectives without comparing

e.g. The temperature is moderate.

Comparative use of adjectives to compare two things or persons

e.g. This time the gourds are bigger and nicer than the previous years.

Superlative use of adjectives to show the best or worst (comparison between many)

e.g. January is the coldest month in Bangladesh.

Grammar Rules

We form comparative and superlative adjectives in this way:

short adjectives with one syllable

1. for comparative: By adding –er.

mild milder

for superlative : By adding -est

mild milder mildest

short adjectives ending with one vowel and one consonant

2. for comparative: by doubling the consonant and adding –er

big bigger

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for superlative: by doubling the consonant and adding –est

big bigger biggest

short adjectives ending with -e

3. for comparative: By adding –r for comparative

nice nicer

for superlative: By adding –st for superlative

nice nicer nicest

Long adjectives with two or more syllables

4. for comparative: by adding more with the adjectives

interesting more interesting

for superlative: by adding most with the adjectives

interesting more interesting most interesting

adjectives ending with -y

5. for comparative: by changing y to –ier

dirty dirtier

for superlative: by changing y to –iest

dirty dirtier dirtiest

6. There are some adjectives that do not follow any rule. We call them irregular adjectives. We need to remember their other forms. Such as

good better best

bad worse worst

far farther farthest

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Use

We use comparative adjectives

• to tell about the differences between two or more things
• to give facts and opinions
• to compare and contrast

Activity 1 Read the following dialogue and indicate which of the above rules the adjective is following in each sentence. The first one is done for you.

: How was the food?

: That was the costliest food I had ever had. Rule 5

:But believe me, the food was really delicious.

: How was the service?

: It was also very good. The service was quicker than the one we had last week. Perhaps this is why the price of the foods is much higher than the neighbouring restaurants. Rule ..........

: Once I went to that restaurant. I liked the restaurant but the curry was thicker than what I like. Rule ..........

: Really! I think it was lighter than that in your uncle's restaurant.

Rule ..........

: Anyway, and how about the ice cream? Rule ..........

: Nicer than what we are eating now. Rule ..........

: But don't you think the glasses are bigger here? Rule ..........

: I don't know. In fact to me the most important thing is the taste not the quantity. Rule ..........

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Activity 2 Trina is talking about his possessions. Fill in the blank spaces in the following sentences with comparative forms of adjectives in the brackets.

a. My laptop is quite slow and I want a ..................... (smart) one.

b. My father bought this camera many years ago. This is an auto camera. I would like to buy a digital one but that is .............................................. (expensive).

c. My bike is quite old. I want a ............................. (new) one.

d. My harmonium is okay but I want a ................................ (good) one.

e. My friends like my T-shirt. But next time when I'll go to Dhaka, I'll buy a ............. (nice) one.

f. I won't ride my bike to go to your place because the road to your house is getting bad to ........................(bad).

g. Our school has a students' association. They are doing well. Yet I want a .................. (powerful) association for .............................(good) benefit.

Activity 3 Runi and Bony would like to go to the cinema. They are discussing which movie they should watch. Read the conversation and fill in the blank spaces using comparative adjectives. Use than where necessary.

Runi: Let's go to watch One Day at Bhola. I think that will be _______________ (exciting) The Forbidden Planet.

Bony: Well, it depends. One Day at Bhola is a romantic movie. The Forbiden Planet is a science fiction. Last year it was a hit film in the box office.

Runi: That's true. The Forbidden Planet is _______________(violent)whereas One Day at Bhola is _______________ (romantic). And you know I like romance and fun.

Bony: If you like fun, you can also see The Evening. Reviews say that One Day at Bhola is _______________ (funny).

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Runi: _______________ (Good) is The Thrifty Man. I watched it and to be honest I couldn't resist my laughter for a single moment.

Activity 4 Read the following sentences. Megha is giving information about his classmate Urmila. In the left hand column she is giving clues about what she wants to say. Write comparative sentences using than + a subjective pronoun or a possessive pronoun. The first one is done for you.

1. I'm not very tall. She is. She is taller than I.

2. She's good at English. I'm not. She is _______________________.

3. She has a big family. I don't. She has _________________.

4. Her house is beautiful. My house isn't. Her house is ___________ .

5. She wears very colourful dresses. I don't. Her clothes are ___________ .

6. Her brothers are young. My brothers aren't. Her brothers are ___________ .

7. She lives near the school. I don't. She lives _________________.

Activity 5

Complete the following text about a comparison between the rural life and urban life. Use comparative forms of adjectives in brackets.

Many people say that those who live in the rural areas are _________________________ (fortunate). They can enjoy _____________________ (Polluted) water and _______________________ (fresh) air. Their life is _________________________(relaxed) than that of the city people. Villages are also _________________________(green) than cities. Often cities are _________________________(dirty) than villages. But there are supporters of city life. They believe that city dwellers have _________________ (good) amenities than the rural people. It's true that city dwellers have

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.............................................. (much) freedom and social life but they have ............................................... (great) facilities to enjoy. The houses and malls are ............................................. (pretty) in the cities. Besides cities have ............................................. (good) hospitals, schools, and restaurants. In fact, it depends on your choice – which one is ....................................... (important) to you.

Activity 6

Bishu is talking to his friend, Steve and comparing himself. Complete the rewritten comparisons using as … as. The first one is done for you.

1. Your pencil is new. My pencil isn't. My pencil isn't as new as yours.

2. Your school bag is expensive. My school bag isn't.

   ---

3. You work hard. I work hard too.

   ---

4. You are very smart. I'm not.

   ---

5. You are very intelligent. I'm not.

   ---

6. You are very brave. I'm brave too.

   ---

7. You can cook well. I can't.

   ---

8. My bike is very good. Your bike isn't.

   ---

9. You get many e-mails. I do not.

   ---

10. You are friendly. I'm friendly too.

---

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Activity 7 Take one phrase from each of the two columns to complete the following sentences. You can use each phrase only once.

as keen on going outside — makes us a bit wiser

it's hotter in April — better

more and more crowded — beaches in the world

more fun than — trains

less expensive — every year

one of the most famous — her sister

tall as — his friends

the — I've ever had

was the best one — than going to Kuakata

our experience — than in February

a. Shapla isn't as _____________________________________________________

b. Going to Cox's Bazar on holidays is ___________________________________

c. Travelling by bus is ___________________________________________________

d. Hot tea? Good. The hotter _____________________________________________

e. In Bangladesh _______________________________________________________

f. Last year's Pohela Boishakh celebration _________________________________

g. Cox's Bazar has _____________________________________________________

h. Dipak isn't _________________________________________________________

i. The village side resorts are getting ___________________________________

j. Every year _________________________________________________________

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Activity 8 Read the advertisements. Answer the questions using the superlative forms of adjectives.

Which flat is the…?

a. (small) Flat B is the smallest. b. (sunny) _________________________________________________ c. (large) _________________________________________________ d. (near) the city centre ___________________________________________ e. (modern) _________________________________________________ f. (noisy) _________________________________________________ g. (expensive) _________________________________________________

Activity 9 Now write sentences using the opposite of the superlative adjectives you have written in activity 8.

Flat C is the largest.

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................

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Activity 10

Complete the questions using the superlative forms of adjectives in the bracket and ask them to one of your classmates.

a. What is ………………………… (good) place you have ever visited so far? b. Tell me about your ……………………………… (favourite) movie. c. What is your ……………………………… (exciting) experience in school? d. Who is ……………………………… (funny) student in your class? e. What is ……………………………… (horrible) experience in your life? f. What subject did you do ……………………………… (bad) in the last exam? g. Who among your friends is the ……………………………… (cold) with you? h. Who according to you is the ……………………………… (happy) student in this class? i. Why do you consider your school ……………………………… (good) in this town?

Activity 11 Catherin Masuda is talking about her job. Complete what she says, using the words in brackets in the correct comparative or superlative forms and patterns.

This year my brother has changed his job. He says his new job is better than (good) the previous one. He is now working in the _________________ (big) and _________________ (successful) school in this area. His students are very happy with him. My brother is a maths teacher. Students say that he is the_________________ (friendly) and cooperative teacher in the school. As a result, their performance is _________________ (bright) in maths nowadays. My brother is also very happy as he getting _________________ (high) salary.

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To be honest, my brother is my icon. He always does the _________________ (good) for his students. He is the _________________ (high) professional person I have ever seen. I'm _________________ (fortunate) than many of my friends to have such a brother. I must say - I'm happy to see my _________________(happy) brother.

Activity 12 Say or write five sentences comparing two members in your family. Use comparative adjective + than to tell or write about them.

Activity 13 Say or write down another five sentences comparing you with someone else using as…as.

Activity 14 Say or write five sentences about places or something else using the superlatives.