Module: Grammar
Level: 1st year
Date: 01-02-2021
Teacher: Siham Guibadj
Adjectives (Part1)
Definition: adjectives describe /modify a noun or a pronoun.
We use adjectives to describe and give more information about a person,
animal or thing.
There are many types of adjectives, but here is something you can get started
with:
We can describe a noun/pronoun based on:
1. Appearance:
 We can describe and give information about a noun/pronoun by describing
the appearance of it:
 Shape: square, round, triangular, rectangular, straight, flat, curved,
circular...etc.
Example: a round table, straight hair, curved glass.
 Colour: black, white, red, green, purple, pink, brown...etc.
Example: black bird, red pen, brown surface.
 Size: small, tall, large, huge, big, short, tiny, medium...etc.
Example: tall man, small house, short road, big eyes.
2. Composition:
 We also can describe a noun/pronoun by what is composed of:
Noun
wood
gold
leather
glass
silver
plastic
Adjective
wooden
golden
leather
glass
silver
plastic
Example: wooden table, glass door, golden bracelet, leather jacket.
3. Measurement:
 We describe something using numbers, units: inches, feet, meters,
kilometres, litres, pounds...etc.
Example: 5 Litres of water/ 2 L of juice/ 10 inches wig
4. Age:
 Give information about something by indicating its age
Example: a 5-year-old boy
an ancient city
a modern city
5. Quality:
 There are qualities of people, animals, things or places
Example: He is a nice person. She is a mean person, respectful man, a
wise woman.
a big city ( we refer not only to the size of the city but also that this
city is a busy city, the quality of that city), a small village(calm, quiet
village)
 Note: the more descriptive, the clearer the picture in the
listener’s mind of that thing becomes.
There are different ways to use adjectives:
 Pure/simple adjectives: usually they are one word acting as an adjective
Example: red, big, small, golden, tall, clear, clean, brilliant, calm,
peaceful, easy...etc.
 Adjective Clause: a clause that contains information that when removed
the sentence ceases to hold the same meaning.
A dependent clause that functions as an adjective
Examples:
The angry tiger snarled at me
└˃angry is a simple adjective describing the tiger
The tiger that was angry snarled at me
└˃ Adjective clause describing the tiger
He is a wise man who speaks little (the adjective clause could mean that
he is quiet, more information about the man)/ (wise is a simple
adjective).
 Adjectival Prepositional phrases/Adjective phrases: phrases with a
preposition functioning as an adjective.
Example:
The girl with the red hat
└˃ (red describes the hat, but the prepositional phrase
describes the girl)
The little boy with the blue hat ate the pudding.
The old schoolhouse on the hilltop is haunted
└˃ which schoolhouse? The one on the hilltop
 Compound adjectives: generally, they are formed by combining two
different words. When these two words are combined they can either be
similar in meaning or have a completely different meaning.
Number + noun: four-minute, one-way, ten-page, two-hour...etc.
I will watch a two-hour movie.
Adjective + noun: long-term, high-quality, last-minute...etc.
My uncle has bought a high-quality TV.
Adjective + present participle (p. continuous): easy-going, good-looking,
slow-moving...etc.
She is the most easy-going person in the class.
Noun + present participle (p. continuous): English-speaking, time-saving,
record-breaking, breath-taking...etc
This is an English-speaking country.
Noun + adjective: smoke-free, ice-cold, gluten-free, family-friendly...etc
That cafe is a smoking-free venue.
Note: adjectives can answer ‘’what kind?’’, ‘’which one?’’, ‘’how many?’’, or
‘’how much?’’ or ‘’whose?’’