UNIT — iit CORRECT USE OF ADJECTIVES ‘An adjective is a word which qualifies a noun or a pronoun, Example: She is a good teacher. ‘adj. noun ‘An adjective can be used in two ways: (1) attributively (2) predicatively An adjective is used attributively if it is placed immediately before the noun it qualifies. Example: She is a good teacher. ‘adj. noun. An adjective is used predicatively if it is used after the verb. Example: Bimala is intelligent vad ‘An adjective has three forms: Positive, Comparative, Superlative. These are the three degrees of ‘comparison: Look at the following examples: ‘Superlative degree : Mohan is the best student in the class. Comparative degree: Mohan is better than any other student in the class. No other student in the class is as good as Mohan. Positive degree + The Positive Degree of an adjective is the adjective in its simple form. It is used to refer to the mere existence of a particular quality +The comparative degree of an adjective denotes a higher degree of the quality than the positive, ands used, when two things are compared. + The superiative degree denotes the highest degree of the quality Note 4: The usages "as ...... as" and "so...... a8" appear in, positive degree. Comparative degree has “adjective + er ... than’. Superlative degree has "the + adjective in the superlative form’. Note the use of ‘the’, before the adjective in the Superlative (superlative form). 2: There is no superlative degree if the comparison involves only two objects, persons, or places etc. Examples: (Of the two sisters she is the best. (wrong) Of the two sisters she is the better. (correct) When selection of one of the two persons or things (sets of things) of the same kind is meant, the comparative degree is preceded by ‘the’ and is followed by ‘of. Example: Let us look at some important rules in the use of adjectives: Rule 1: Most adjectives form their comparatives by the addition of-ror-er, and their superative by the addition of -st or -est (depending on the spelling) to the positive. Examples: Positive Comparative Superlative Great Greater Greatest Brave Braver Bravest Rule 2: Some. adjectives (usually having more than two syllables in the spelling) form their comparative by using the adverb more with the positive, and the superlative by using the adverts most with the positive. Examples: Positive Comparative ‘Superlative Beautiful. more beautiful most beautiful interesting more interesting most interesting Rule 3: (very important) When two qualities in the same person cr thing are compared, the comparative degree is formed by using more, instead of -r or -er with the positive Example: Reddy is more wise than intelligent. (This sentence means that Reddy is both wise and telligent. But his wisdom is greater than his teligence.) Rule 4: When two objects are compared with each other, the latter term of comparison must exclude the former by using ‘any other’. Examples: Goid is more precious than any other metal. (correct) Gold is more precious than any metal. (wrong) Rule 5: ‘There are some words which are used in the positive and cannot be used in the comparitive, or in the superlative. Examples: interior, exterior, ulterior, major, minor. © This is more interior than that. (wrong) © This is inferior to that. (right) Rule 6: ‘The following are used as comparative adjectives and are followed by to and not than: Examples: superior, senior, junior, inferior, prior. anterior, posterior,Rule 7: The adjectives - empty, excellent, circular, extreme, chief, entire, complete, perfect, final, last, unique, Universal, round, square, triangular, eternal etc. are not Used in the comparative or superlative degree. Rule 8: ‘Some adjectives can be used only in the positive and in the superlative. They are: Positive ‘Superlative top topmost northern northernmost southern southemmost easter easternmost westem westernmost Rule 9: The adjective “preferable” is used as a comparative. It is followed by to. Itis not used with more, Examples: This is more preferable than that. (wrong) This is preferable to that. (correct) Rule 10: ‘The comparative adjectives ending in “or"are followed by the preposition to. Inferior, superior, prior, anterior, posterior, senior, junior Examples, He is superior to me. (correct) He is superior than me. (incorrect) Rule 11: ‘Sometimes the words much, less, far, etc. are used before the comparatives to denote emphasis or excess. Example: : Ramakrishna is by far the ablest lecturer in the college. Rule 12: Two adjectives which refer to the same noun or pronoun joined by a conjunction must be in the same degree of comparison. Example: Gandhiji is the noblest and wisest of all national leaders, Rule 13: Certain adjectives, when preceded by ‘the’ become ‘nouns in plural and require a plural verb ifthey are used as subjects. These are : rich, poor, needy, aged, blind, dead, meek, wicked, etc. Examples: The ‘ich (rich people) usually hate the poor (poor people) Rule 4 ‘Some adjectives often confused A. FARTHER - FURTHER Farther denotes more distant in space, Example: Shesla lives at the fatier end otthis aiuel Further means additional; more Examples: There is nothing further to say about him. For further details please contact the director. |. Many, a great many, a good many All these take a plural noun and a plural verb after them. Examples: (1) Agreat many people died in the cyclone. (2) My sister has a good many friends. Use of many + a + noun (singular) + verb (singular) structure ‘Examples: Many a delegate is attending this seminar. (meaning: Many delegates are attending this seminar) MODIFIERS : FEW, LITTLE. MUCH, and MANY Few is used with plural nouns. Little is used with singular non-count nouns, Without articles, few, and litle usually have rather negative meanings. They often suggest ‘not as much/many as one would like’, or ‘not as much/many as expected’ or a similar idea With articles ‘few’ and litle a few, anda litle are ‘more positive in meaning. Their meaning is closer to'some’. They often suggest ideas like ‘betterthan nothing’ or ‘more than expected’, Examples: 1. There are few books on "Thermodynamics in the library, so you have to purchase them, 2. You don't need to go shopping. There are a {few eggs inthe fridge, 3. Ive got a little bread and cheese. itll be ‘enough for supper. Difference between fewer and less In theory, fewer (the comparative of few) is used before countable nouns, and less (the comparative Of tle) before uncountable words. Examples (i) There are fewer exploited workers than there used to be. (i) My friend eams lesser than a postman does. Note the following: ED Ce, Spe! few - fewer - fewest litle = lessflesser - least * fewer and less (lesser) are followed by than as they are the comparative forms. Note: 'Many’ like few’ is used before a count noun. Example: Many/few students. CN ‘Much, lke ‘less’ is used before a non-count or a material noun. Example: Much/less water. NCNE. MODIFIERS - TOO, VERY, ENOUGH Compare the meanings and patterns of too, very, and enough. 1. Very means to a high degree, but does not ‘suggest impossibilt Mary is very intelligent. 2. Too suggests impossibility or undesirable degree, too + adj +to+v She is too sick to come to class today ‘Note: tis better not to use "Too" with a positive adjective. Instead of “too” itis better to use ‘very’. 3, Enough suggests possibilty or sufficient degree. He is tall enough to play basketball NOTES; Be careful to put enough after the adjective. Be careful to put totv (infinitive) after enough c. In pattems 2 and 3 above, do not use any other structure word after the adjective or adverb except to. d._ Inthe above pattems adverbs can be used in the same position as adjectives. Example. Mary sings very well, . Enough can come before or after a noun to express sufficiency, . Examples: He had money enough to buy a new car. N OR He had enough money to buy a new car. N F. MODIFIERS - NEGATION There are some words that have negative ‘meanings even though they do not appear to be negative, for example : hardly, scarcely, rarely, ‘seldom, without, and only. Do not use another ‘negative word with these words. Examples: (He had scarcely enough money to purchase books. (i). They went to bed without dinner. Note: Scarcely and hardly are followed by when and not than. No sooner is followed by than. These expressions mean “as soon as”. Examples: 4, As soon as | reached the station the train left. 2. No sooner had | reached the station than the train left No sooner + had + Subject + Past participle + 3. No sooner did I reach the station the train left. No sooner + did + Subject + Present tense verb +... Similarly: Hardly/Scarcely + had + Sub + Past participle ....... when .... OR Scarcely/Hardly + did + Sub + Present tense verb when Rule 15: MODIFIERS : ‘SENSATION ‘These verbs of sensation are generally followed by adjectives" not by adverbs: feel, look, seem, appear, smell, taste and sound. (" These are also called predicate adjectives) ADJECTIVES AFTER VERBS OF He feels bad (correct) He feels badly (wrong) The soup smells delicious (correct) ‘The soup smelis deliciously (wrong) Rule 16: MODIFIERS - HYPHENATED OR COMPOUND ‘ADJECTIVES Nouns are sometimes found as part of hyphenated or compound adjectives (adjectives of more than one word joined by hyphens). These nouns are never plural. bought a four hundred year-old painting in Germany. HYPHENATED ADJ. N ‘Some more examples: () B.Com is a three-year degree.course. l) This is a ten-kilometre-tong distance. (ii) The professor has delivered a two-hour lecture today. Rule 17: MODIFIERS - CARDINAL AND ORDINAL NUMBERS There are two kinds of numbers, cardinal and ordinal. Examples: CARDINAL, ORDINAL, one first two second three third four fourth twenty-one twenty-first The following patterns are used to designate items in a series: (1) Ordinal numbers are used in this patter: THE + ORDINAL + NOUN ‘The first book of the series is about verbs. (2) Cardinal numbers are used in this pattem: NOUN + CARDINAL Book one of the series is about verbs. NOTES: i. Use the with ordinal numbers. ii. Do not use the with cardinal numbers. ili, Be careful to use the correct word order for each pattern. Rule 18: MODIFIERS : NOUN ADJECTIVES The first noun (N) in the following pattem is used as an adjective. All these are language students. NONNOTES: a. When nouns are used as adjectives, they do not have plural or possessive forms. b. Exceptions :The following nouns always end in-s but are singular in number when they are used as ames of courses or sciences : Physics, Mathematics etc. He is an Economics teacher. NON BUT The current economic situation is extremely uncertain, Note: Economic’ is an adjective here. ‘Economical’ means frugal, thrifty. Exercise -9 Correct the mistakes relating to the use of adjectives in the following semtences witere necessary. ; 4. fam more wiser than that student. My house is larger than you. The climate of Hyderabad is better than Madras. Many a student is attending the meeting today. He wants little sugar for tea. Pooja is my older sister. Itis much fine today. My friend is senior than me by 4 years. Death is preferable than disgrace. ). Kolkata is a worth-seeing city. |. My friends both sisters are doctors, . The two first chapters of this book are very important. . Suvamna is greater than any student inthe class. fs better thant amy drama in Sainskrit . His house is further from the station than yours. The later suggestion is better than the former. . These flowers smell sweetly. Little learning is a dangerous thing. ). Her birthday Is the most happiest even this year. |. Usually the rich people hate poor. Goand meet the concerned clerk in the university. . Honout is dear to me then life. . Little act would have saved the situation The tiger is the ferocious of all animals in the forest. 5. My knife is the sharpest of the two.10. 1" 42, 13, 4. 18. 18. 7. 18, 19. 20. Every teacher and every student... thei duty (2) {teacher and student are common genders] Hence answer: Every teacher and every student... his, ‘orher duty. Neither of the boys ..... have their records, *Nelther ofthe” is ahways followed by a singular verb and. ‘singular pronoun. Hence answer: Neither of the boys ..... has ..... his record availed of () The verb ‘avail’ always takes a “self” pronoun and preposition ‘of. Hence she availed herself of ‘one another (x) ‘one another” and ‘each other” are reciprocal pronouns “one another refers to three or more whereas ‘each other’ refers to two persons or things. Hence answer: Those two companies always help each ther (7) - “one another" (x) swer: each other; follows the same rule mentioned in the previous statement ‘enjoy during holidays (x) enjoy takes a refexive (self) pronoun as the object because itis a transitive verb, Dear students, enjoy yourselves ...... (¥) Committee is used as a plural noun here, since each one has adifferent opinion hence the pronoun following it also should be in plural The committee were divided in thelr .....(¥) Theteam, Its both (x) "team isa collection noun, ‘when the reference is to both’, every individual is taken separately. So, the correct sentence is the team... their both (v) ‘My opinion is the same as your (x) ‘My opinion is the same as yours (possessive case of the pronoun) only you and she (x) ‘You' is in objective case. Hence the second pronoun also must be in objective case (her) Refer to the rule stated in question (1). ‘Ans: We were told to let... you and her enter. hich (x) ‘who! is he right word to be used, because here the reference is to a person. His problems are the same as my (x) His problems the same as mine (“) (possessive case of) Exercise -9 more wiser (x) usage of dual comparatives is wrong ‘Answer: |am wiser than... (¥) . larger than you (x) ‘The comparison should be between two similar things ‘Answer: My house is larger than yours (7) (Yours -» Your house) a: 10. " 12. 13. 14, 18, 16. 7, 19. is better than Madras (x) ‘The comparison is between the climate of two places, Hence itis correct to say: The climate of Hyderabad is better than that of Madras. (“) ‘The given sentence is correct. Many a + Singular noun + ‘Singular verb is the correct structure. file sugar (») Little - Not at all alitie - some (Little's used for uncountable nouns) Allie sugar () Older (x) ‘Older is used only when we compare people belonging to different families, Pooja is my elder sister (v) much fine (x) very fine (v) "much’ is generally used in a negative sense, Senior than (x) ‘The comparative adjectives which end in ‘or’ are always followed by ‘to! My friend is senior to me by 4 years. (¥) Preferable than (x) Preferable is follos.2d by ‘to’ ‘Answer: Death is preferable to disgrace. Worth-seeing city (x) City worth-seeing (7) ‘The adjective “worth-seeing” qualifies the noun “city” Both sisters are doctors (x) Both of my fend’s sisters are doctors. (¥) The two first... () Answer: The first two chapters... (Y) Greater than any student (x) ‘Suvamna is to be excluded from the students with whom she is being compared. Hence the correct sentence is Suvama is greater than any other student. (v) better than any drama (x) The rule followed is the same as in the previous sentence. Further, if Shakuntala is the name of a drama or a woman is nat clear, in which case, becomes wrong comparison. Js further from (x) further is used to mean “additional farther is used to express distance. Hence the right sentence is, his house is farther...(v) Later suggestion (x) Later refers to time, while latter refers to positon. Hence later suggestion is erroneous jn this context The latter suggestion ......(7) ‘Smell sweetly (x) ‘Smell sweet (4) Little learning (x) Atle learning (¥) (Rule is the same as the rule mentioned in .5) the most happiest... (*) Dual superlatives should not be used. The right sentence is, “the happiest“20, a. 2. 23. 25. “The rich people hate poor (x) the rich hate the poor. the rich indicates > rich people: the poor indicates -> poor people Concerned clerk (x) The usage is wrong. It conveys the meaning worried clerk. ‘The appropriate answer clerk concerned... (¥) dear to me than....... (x) ‘dearer to me than (¥) Little act Cy Atle act A) (Refer to 5 for the rule) J. the ferocious of all animals ..... (x) ‘The correct structure is: the most ferocious of all animals “) When “of all" or “of any other” are used in the sentence, the agjectve is in its supertative the sharpest ofthe two (x) Rule: When selection of one of the two persons or things of the same kind is meant the comparative degree is, preceded by “the” and followed by ‘of. Exercise ~ 10 The given sentence is correct. “Only wants’ (x) Rule: An adverb must be placed as near as possible to the word it modifies. Here ‘only’ modifies rupees ten thousand. Worked hardly (x) “Hardly” conveys a negative meaning. Worked hardly -> did not work at al. Hence worked hard (v) hardly entered ..... han (x) "Hardly" is always followed by "when" hardly entered....... when. No sooner did 1 The expression No sooner did is” always followed by than. ‘The answer's: No sooner had I... than the train left. (v) Completely finish your homework before lunch. (x) finish your homework completely before lunch (*) ‘Advert should follow verb and when object is present, adverb should follow that. when the train left (x) He always is... (x) He is always ...-(¥) Rule: The adyerb should be placed after the verb in the sentence. ‘The given sentence is correct. Exercise -11 Measles have (x) ‘The names of diseases take singular verbs. Measles has (7) ‘Arabian Nights’ are (x) “Arabian Nights’ is the ttle of a book hence a singular verb should be used. 10, 10. Five miles are (x) When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity taken {as a whole, ittakes a singular verb, Five miles is (¥) ‘The cost of all essential commodities have (x) ule: The error of nroximity. The verb must agree with the clual subject of the sentence ‘Cost is the subject in the sentence (singular) Hence the verb I takes is also singular. ‘The cost of all essential commeatities has, ‘The construction of these buildings have taken (x) The subject of the sentence is “the construction’. I is singular. Hence it takes a singular verb. The construction of the buildings has taken .....(¥) ‘These are a bunch of keys (x) bunch of keys ~ collective noun, Hence it takes a singular verb This is a bunch of keys.......(¥) A pious man and good neighbour have died (x) Rule ‘When two nouns are joined by ‘and’ and they refer to the ‘same person or thing, the vetb is singular ‘pious man and good neighbour has died (7) Bread and mik are (x) “Bread and mik’ is treated as singular noun as they reflect a single idea, hence takes a singular verb, Bread and mik is (7) Sanjay as well as his brothers have gone home (x) Rule: When the subject of the sentence consists of two ‘nouns joined with “as well as", then the verb agrees with the first subject < Sanjay as well as his brothers has gone .....(¥) with his followers have escaped. Rule: When the subject of the sentence consists of two nouns joined with “with, the verb agrees with the first subject. with his followers has escaped. Exercise - 12 ‘Sugar sells in (x) Sugar sells at () ‘Congratulate upon (x) Congratulate on (¥) time with (x) time by (7) travel with a bus (x) travel by bus (7) ‘Among you and me (x) When two persons or things are referred to, we use between. Between you and me (7) i ‘among his two sons (x) between his two sons (¥) suffering with (x) suffering from (¥) working since five years (x) Since indicates a point of time. For indicates a period of time, Working for five years. (¥) {rom morning (x) ‘since morning (¥) above eight years (x) Qa