Grammar for advanced learners: Adjectives - Thấm Tâm Vy

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1. GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS 11 * emphasising adjectives: mere, sheer, utter ADJECTIVES C. Predicative Position. Adjectives in predicative position are usually the complement Adjectives in English seem straightforward as they do not change their form except of a linking verb (e.g. be, become, feel , seem): when they are comparatives or superlatives. But the different positions of adjectives, - When she heard the noise Mary became very uneasy. e.g. concerned residents or residents concerned, and the sequence of groups of However, after certain verbs of thinking and feeling (i.e. consider, find, think) we adjectives can cause difficulty. Here we look at these areas and at the use of participle can omit the linking verb: and compound adjectives. - I consider / find him (to be) very reliable. ADJECTIVE PATTERNS Many adjectives beginning with the letter a and adjectives describing health and A. Form and use. Adjectives are words which give extra information about nouns. feelings are not usually used before nouns; we use them in predicative position: They do not changetheir form to show number or gender: - Try not to disturb the asleep children. - The hero was played bg a young boy. => Try not to disturb the children; they are asleep. - Several young girls took the secondary roles. * Adjectives usually used in predicative position: Many adjectives are formed from other words; notice the spelling changes: - beginning with a: ablaze, afloat, qfraid, alight, alike, alive, qlone, aloof, ashamed, +IC +(I)AL +ABLE +FUL +ENT +IVE askew, asleep, awake, aware history  politics  fashion  beauty  depend  effect  - health and feelings content: fine, glad, ill, pleased, poorlg, readg, sorry, sure, upset, historic political fashionable beautiful dependent effective (un)well +OUS +LESS PARTICIPLE COMPOUNDS  There are some fixed phrases/idioms in which we use normally predicative adjectives danger  hope  interesting home-made before a noun with a special meaning, e.g. glad tidings, an ill wind, a ready wit, a sorry dangerous hopeless interested red-hot state, an upset stomach. Adjectives can sometimes act as nouns when they describe a particular group or Some predicative adjectives have equivalent words which can be used before a noun: characteristic. We usually use the definite article and a plural verb: - They are doing experiments on live animals / animals which are alive. - Old people are becoming more numerous. = The old are becoming more numerous. * predicative: alive, afraid, alike, asleep, ill  We cannot use the possessive ‘s with adjectives used as nouns or make them plural: * attributive: live / living, frightened, similr, sleeping, sick - The governiment is looking at the disabled’s problems. D. Adjectives after nouns, pronouns, etc. We use adjectives after indefinite words like => The government is looking at the problems of the disabled. something, anyone, no one, nothing, somewhere, etc.: - The Japaneses enjoy a high standard of living. - I’m looking for cheap sonething. => I'm looking for something cheap. => The Japanese (or Japanese people) enjoy a high standard of living. Some adjectives, including some ending in -able and -ible, can follow a noun if the  When we make a brief comment in conversation we often use what + adjective + noun follows a superlative adjective or the first / last / next / only: noun or how + adjective: - They say she's the oldest woman alive. - What an amazing story! - What arnazing! => How amazing! - I'm afraid that's the last ticket available. B. Attributive Verb Position. Most adjectives can be used in front of a noun Adjectives that are followed by a prepositional phrase, e.g. interested in something. (attributive position), or after a linking verb e.g. be (predicative position): suitable for somebody go after, not before, a noun: * Attributive: - We've just seen an exciting film. - The project will appeal to interested in ecology students. * Predicative: - That film was exciting. => The proiect will appeal to students interested in ecology.  But there are some adjectives which we usually only use in one position. Some This is similar to a reduced relative clause. We can also use a full relative clause with classifying adjectives (which describe what type of thing something is) and the adjective in predicative position. emphasising adjectives are mainly used before a noun (see the table below): - The project wilt appeal to students who are interested in ecology. - The plant they are building outside the town is chemical.  Some adjectives have a different meaning when used before or after a noun: => They're building a chemical plant outside the town. - The meeting was full of concerned residents. (= worried) Adjectives usually used in attributive position: - The students concerned were a small minority. (= who took part/were involved) * classifying adjectives: chemical, chief, criminal, elder, entire, eventual, former, - I'm afraid we have opposite points of view. (= contrasting) industrial, local, lone, main, maximum, medical, national, nuclear, only, - We used to tive in the house opposite. (= physically facing/across from us) outdoorlindoor, principal, social, sole, underlying, whole - The present chairman is getting on a bit. (= current/existing now) Thẩm Tõm Vy, July 23, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS
2. - We took a vote of all members present. (= physically there) - I feel sorry for those left behind. (= Those people that are left behind.) - Responsible parents have been outraged by this show. (= caring/conscientious) C. Compounds. We sometimes combine participles with other words to make - The person responsible wilt be caught and punished. (= who did the action) compound adjectives. The participle usually comes last. Notice the use of hyphens - He gave us a ridiculously involved excuse. (= complicated) when the compound adjective is used before a noun: - The president gave medals to all those involved. (= who took part) - This Japanese maple is a particularly slow-growing variety. - Handel's 'Xerxes' was a rarely-performed opera until relatively recently. PARTICIPLE (-ING OR -ED) ADJECTIVES - Interest in Latino music is no longer confined to a Spanish-speaking audience. A. Position. We often use -ing and -ed participles as adjectives. We usually use them - The marines made a death-defying leap over the cliff edge. in the same positions as other adjectives. - A win, even by only one goal, would be a satisfying result. GROUPS OF ADJECTIVES - I never find fast food very satisfying. A. Adjective Order. We often use more than one adjective to describe a noun. The - Recommendations from satisfied customers got our business off the ground. order of adjectives generally follows this sequence of categories: - We follow up every complaint from customers dissatisfied with our service. - The 747's refurbished interior features fantastic soft grey leather seats. [Boeing 747] Some participle adjectives (see the table below) can be used on their own before or after a noun: opinion size quality/character age shape colour participles origin material type purpose - The chosen song features innovative use of digital sampling. - The song chosen may be a disappointment to lovers of traditional ballads. - For sale: small, old, French carriage clock.  But some participle adjectives (see the table below) can only be used after a noun: We always put the category which is most permanent or important (usually 'type' or - Please dispose your cigarettes in the provided ashtrays. 'purpose') next to the noun: => Please dispose of your cigarettes in the ashtrays provided. - The builders took out the gas heating antiquated system. * before or after a noun: affected, chosen, identified, infected, remaining, selected, => The builders took out the antiquated gas heating system. stolen And we put opinion adjectives before all others: * only after a noun: applging, caused, discussed, found, provided, questioned, - I’ve just bought this new mobile fantastic phone. taken => I've just bought this fantastic new mobile phone. B. Use. When we use participles as adjectives, -ing participles have an active meaning  We don't usually use more than three or four adjectives before a noun. lf we want to and -ed participles have a passive meaning: give more information we can use additional clauses: - I always seem to play for the losing team. (= the team which is losing) - It's a charming small nineteenth-century French brass carriage clock. - She found the lost ring under the sofa. (= the ring which had been lost) => It's a charming small French carriage clock, made of brass and dating from the We often use participles as adjectives to describe feelings or opinions. We use –ing nineteenth century. participles to describe a feeling that something causes: B. Paired Adjectives . If two adjectives describe different parts of the same thing we - It was a frightening film. (= it frightened us/it made us feel afraid) put and between them. We use -ed participles to describe a feeling that someone experiences: - The chrorne steel faỗade glinted in the sun light. - I felt frightened when I watched that film. (= I was frightened/ I experienced fear) =>The chrome and steel faỗade glinted in the sunlight. (= Some parts were chrome,  Inanimate objects cannot have feelings so we don't usually use -ed adjectives about some parts were steel.) feelings to describe them: We always use and between two colours: - The report into the Paddington rail crash was rather worried. - The players will be wearing blue red shirts for this match. => The report was rather worrying. (= The report made readers feel anxious.) => The players will be wearing blue and red shirts for this match. We can use that / those with all participle adjectives with a meaning like 'the one / the We can use and between two adjectives which describe similar aspects of something: ones that '. In this pattern, we use that to refer to a thing and those to refer to things or - She's looking for a stable and long-lasting relationship. people: When two adjectives describe contrasting aspects of the same thing we put but, yet or - The easiest route is that taken by Amundsen. (= the one which was taken by) though between them: - Those living in temporary accommodation will be rehoused within three months. - The flat was located in a rundown but central part of town. (= those people who are living in) - Group therapy can be a simple yet effective solution to this sort of problem. Thẩm Tõm Vy, July 23, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS
3. C. Commas and And. When there are several adjectives in predicative position we 5. A. The village has a local post office. B. The village post office is local. usually put and before the last one: 6. A lt was sheer madness. B. The madness was sheer. - I'm afraid the hotel was ancient, dirty and overpriced. 7. A You have a ready dinner. B. Your dinner is ready. With longer lists of adjectives of the same category before a noun we can use commas 8. A He had an alone sensation. B. He sensed he was alone. and put and before the last adjective, or we can simply list the adjectives: 9. A We're building an indoor pool. B. The pool we are building is indoor. - I found him a friendly, knowledgeable and dedicated guide. 10. A You have very alike children. B. Your children are very alike. - I found him a friendly knowledgeable dedicated guide. 11. A That was a silly comment. B. That comment was silly. 12. A She's a mere beginner. B. That beginner is mere. We don't use and before the last adjective when the adjectives are of different 13. A They are afraid people. B. Those people are afraid. categories: 14. A We have maximum security here. B. Here the security is maximum. - We enjoyed sitting in the fantastic soft grey and leather seats. 15. A He's my ill brother. B. My brother is ill. => We enjoyed sitting in the fantastic soft grey leather seats. III. lndicate the correct position for the adjective or phrase in brackets, as in the example. The word the adjective/phrase describes is underlined. PRACTICE 0. There was nothing/in the book. (original) I. Use the word in the box to form an adjective that fits in the numbered space in 1. Many of the portrait portraits are in the Prado Museum. (painted by El Creco) the sentence. The exercise begins with an example (0). 2. There was something about her behaviour. (inexplicable) 3. They gave an explanation which simply served to confuse the jury. (involved) 0. I have absolutely no interest in political debates. 4. I'm afraid six o'clock is the only appointment. (available) 1. Entry to the single currency zone is on meeting several financial criteria. 0. politics 1. depend 5. The state of affairs is unlikely to continue for much longer. (present) 2. Most public car parks now have special parking bays for the 6. I'm afraid the person is on holiday at the moment. (responsible for recruitment) 3. John F Kennedy enjoyed a rise to fame in the 1960s. 2. able 5. meteor 7. They've started having late night parties in the apartment. (opposite) 4. Our lives are ruled by bureaucrats who seem to be answerable to no one 4. face 8. Anyone would be deeply offended by that harrowing documentary. (sensitive) 5. It was more than funny, it was absolutely 5. hysteria 9. Don't worry about getting receipts, the amounts are very small. (concerned) 6. People claim the rise of popular culture has had a effect on national 6. destroy 10. Flower buds often turn black and rot away. (damaged by frost) identity. 7. disagree IV. Study the numbered options in italics in this text Ssome cases both options are correct. 7. There are few things more than people who shout at waiters. 8. Britain Underline the correct options. Note that in some cases both options are correct. 8. They say the love their pets more than their children. 9. point 9. I've made my mind up and any attempt to change it is 10. fertility Airport hell satisfaction ratings. Many (9) questioned 10. The soil in this valley is particularly 11. argue Results of a recent survey of intemational air passengers/passengers questioned felt that 11. As a teenager I went through a very phase. 12. fashion travellers have revealed (l) alarmed/alarming these airports, which are generally more 13 plenty 12. Unfortunately, a sense of moral duty seems to be becoming increasingly discrepancies in the levels of (2) comfort and modern than their equivalents in the West, 14 believe service provided/provided comfort and service usually offered (10) enhanced/ these days. 15 hope 13. Orange and lemon trees are in this part of Spain. 16 horizon at many leading airports around the world. A enhancirtg check-in facilities and a more 14. Two weeks in the Bahamas for less than a hundred dollars? That's ! 17.investigation (3) staggered/staggering 75 per cent of pleasant environment when compared to 15. There's no point carrying on, the situation is 18. effect (4) interviewed those/those intewiewed felt their competitors. 16. The compass will only work when laid on a surface. 19. laugh that airports were failing to provide a A (11) dicussed key factor/key factor 17. That documentary on drug smuggling was a fine example of journalism. 20. Holland (5) relaxed/relaxing and efficient discussed in the teport is the way in which 18. Dry cleaning is often the only way to deal with stubborn stains. environment. airports deal with flight delays. The better 19. Some of his pathetic excuses were downright Airports in Britain and the United States airports have found ways to cope with 20 .According to recent statistics the have Europe's highest per capita came in for particular criticism. Fewer than (12) bored/boring passengers, ranging from income. one in ten people were fully (6) satisfied/ television lounges to children's activity II. Look at these pairs of sentences. Tick () those which are grammatically correct and satisfying with the (7) provided sewice/service areas. (13) Delayed/Delaying passengers cross (X) those which are incorrect. In some cases both sentences are correct. provided at leading airports in these countries' seem to appreciate small details such as Researchers point to the enormous growth in comfortable seating and the availability of a 1. A. Cost is the chief factor. B. The cost factor is chief. passenger numbers in the last twenty years' a wide range of refreshments. (14) Affected 2. A. This is the principal argument. B. This argument is principal. (8) continued/continuing trend which has not passengers/ passengers affected were less 3. A. He had an ashamed feeling. B. He felt ashamed. been reflected in a conesponding growth in likely to complain if their children were 4. A. That's a ridiculous idea. B. That idea is ridiculous. Thẩm Tõm Vy, July 23, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS
4. airport facilities. By contrast, airports in the (15) amused /arnusing and they were able 8. On many questions my father and I have opinions opposite. growing economies of south-east Asia and the tofind inexpensive cafộs and bars. Pacific have received far higher 9. They've chosen a blue yellow colour scheme for their kitchen. V. Improve these sentences by rewriting them using compound participle adjectives to 10. The injured bird appeared to have a breaking wing. replace the underlined phrases. Use suitable forms of one word from each box to form the compound adjectives and make any changes necessary to grammar and word order. 11. The boat has an aluminium and glass-fibre unique hull. brilliant car digital home film fast rare rapid slow technology well 12. I'm afraid the city was noisy though overcrowded. colour drive know manufacture visit enhance expand go grow make move 13. A new form of licensing is the proposed by parliament solution. 0. Sao Paulo is a city which is getting bigger very quickly => Sao Paulo is a rapidly-expanding city. 14. No punishment is severe enough for the responsible person for these crimes. 1. Northumberland is a part of England which people don't go to very often. 2. They were soon engulfed by the water which was flowing very quickly. 15. We are an action group acting on behalf of parents who are lone. 3. In recent times changes which are caused by technical developments have had a profound impact on working practices. 16. lt was difficult because we had to choose between two alike alternatives. 4. The oak is a tree which doesn't get bigger very quickly. 5. Australian parrots have plumage which is a mixture of bright red, yellow and green. 17. Tall anyone will find these seats cripplingly uncomfortable. 6. The Midlands is Britain's main region that produces automobiles. 7. The Hubble space telescope has produced pictures which are improved by electronic means 18. Living in Scotland viewers may experience poor reception due to weather conditions. that have amazed the public. 8. There is a segment of the public that visits cinemas that will always want to see corny 19. Karen found her new job to be well-paid and challenged. adventure movies. 9. The new wing will be opened by a TV personality whom many people have heard of. 20. The movie is a moving fast account of events during the Gulf War. 10. The desserts which are produced by ourselves are the main feature of our restaurant. VI. All these sentences contain mistakes. Find the mistakes and rewrite the sentences correctly. In some cases you may need to add, remove or change words; in others, you may need to change the word order. 0 The house was draughty, and damp cold. => The house was draughty, damp and cold. 1. Sylvia had a warm, gentle but friendly personality. 2. They've just bought a little Persian beautiful cat. 3. That documentary about racism was truly horrified. 4. This was the taken route by the original explorers. 5. The wealthies seem to have all the power in our capitalist societies. 6. The book is bound to appeal to fascinated by crime readers. 7. We comforted the afraid children after their terrifying ordeal. Thẩm Tõm Vy, July 23, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS
5. ANSWER KEY I. 1 dependent 2 disabled 3 meteoric 4 faceless 5 hysterical 6 destructive 7 disagreeable 8 British 9 pointless 10 fertile 11 argumentative 12 unfashionable 13 plentiful 14 unbelievable 15 hopeless 16 horizontal 17 investigative 18 effective 19 laughable 20 Dutch II. 1 A BX 2A BX 3A X B 4A B 5A BX 6 A BX 7 AX B 8AX B 9A BX 10AX B 11 A B 12A BX 13AX B 14A BX 15AX B III. 1. Many of the portraits painted by El Greco are . 2. There was something inexplicable 3. They gave an involved explanation 4. the only appointment available. (or) the only available appointment. 5. The present state of affairs 6. the person responsible for recruitment is on holiday 7. in the apartment opposite. 8. Anyone sensitive would be 9. the amounts concerned are very small. 10. Flower buds damaged by frost often IV. 1 alarming 2 comfort and service provided 3 staggering 4 those interviewed 5 relaxed/relaxing 6 satisfied 7 service provided 8 continuing 9 passengers questioned 10 enhanced 11 key factor discussed 12 bored 13 Delayed 14 Affected passengers/ Passengers affected 15 amused V. 1 Northumberland is a rarelyvisited part of England. 2. They were soon engulfed by the fast-moving water. 3. In recent times technology-driven changes have had a profound impact on working practices. 4. The oak is a slow-growing tree. 5. Australian parrots have brilliantly-coloured plumage. 6. The Midlands is Britain's main carmanufacturing region. 7. The Hubble space telescope has produced digitally-enhanced pictures that have amazed the public. 8. There is a segment of the film-going public that will always want to see corny adventure movies. 9. The new wing will be opened by a wellknown TV personality. 10. The home-made desserts are the main feature of our restaurant. VI. 1. but => and 2. a little beautiful Persian cat => a beautiful little Persian cat 3. horrified => horrifying/horrific 4. the taken route => the route taken 5. wealthies => wealthy 6. to fascinated by crime readers => to readers fascinated by crime 7. afraid => frightened 8. opinion opposite => opposite opinions 9. blue yellow => blue and yellow 10. breaking => broken 11. aluminium and glass fibre unique hull => unique aluminium and glass fibre hull 12. though => and 13. the preposed by parliament solution => the solution proposed by parliament 14. respensible person => person responsible 15. parents who are lone => lone parents 16. two ali ke alternatives => two similar alternatives / two alternatives which were alike 17. Tall anyone => Anyone tall 18. living in Scotland viewers => Viewers living in Scotland 19. challenged => challenging 20. moving fast => fast-moving Thẩm Tõm Vy, July 23, 2019 GRAMMAR FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS