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Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/Parts of Speech/4.7 Adjectives 2.doc
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Adjectives: 2

Here is another story with no adjectives for you to make more interesting
by adding adjectives.

You can either use your own, or take some from the list that follows the story. There is
no need to use an adjective in every possible place – before every single noun

Craven spotted Sullivan as he stepped out of the bar. The description Craven had been given fitted
the man perfectly: suit, shirt, shoes, even the tie. It was Sullivan all right. Craven folded the
newspaper he had been pretending to read, opened his car door and set off after the man.

Crossing the road, Craven was surprised to see Sullivan turn into a supermarket. He might slip away
among the shoppers and trolleys and the rows of shelving, Craven realised, and quickened his pace. The
doors opened automatically to let him in, and he stood seconds later surrounded by housewives carrying
bags, steering pushchairs and dragging children after them. A moment of panic hit him before he
caught sight of Sullivan and relaxed again. Sullivan had picked up a basket and was busy filing it with
oranges, onions and beans. He moved further into the shop, reached into the cabinet and picked up a
chicken to weigh it thoughtfully in his hands. He won’t run far carrying that load, Craven decided with
relief, and he lifted a jar of mussels of the shelf. The he looked again, Sullivan had gone!

Craven’s shoes clattered over the floor as he darted to the door at the rear of the supermarket, went
through into the warehouse and on out into the yard. He raced up an alleyway to the street, and
glimpsed Sullivan filing his way through the traffic in the middle of the road, waving his arms at a taxi.

public saloon tiled

emergency freezer unwieldy
crowded identical spring
Danish tempting twisting
precise pin-striped nearside
offside elusive reluctant
plump immaculate knitted
bony detailed suede
plate-glass endless swirling
harassed wire utter
dense navel convenient


RN
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the learning centre

Learning Materials/Grammar & Punctuation/Parts of Speech/4.7 Adjectives 2.doc
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Now try writing your own stories or descriptions using plenty of

adjectives to add interest and make the details vivid. Choose
one or more of the following titles to write a paragraph or two
of story or description using at least some of the adjectives
suggested in the boxes below the titles.

(a) A cold day by the sea

numbing disappointed hardy threatening
biting scattered obstinate lonely
windswept limp piercing resentful
deserted sodden spoilt wintry

(b) A busy main road

thunderous green heavy impatient
throbbing red double-decker selfish
dangerous diesel removal solid
constant raucous patient squealing

(c) Mealtime
hungry baked delicious crisp
ravenous fried delicate pungent
uncomfortable boiled underdone delectable
nourishing roast overcooked skilful

(d) Work
demanding unreasonable ingenious irresponsible
responsible diligent tactful negligent
repetitive conscientious anticipative punctual
ambitious slapdash resourceful exacting
 Grammar & Punctuation/Parts of Speech/4.7 Adjectives 2.doc


Underline all the ADJECTIVES in the story below.

My Dad by Nora Ashton

Damp street, damp wind, channelled by
those lines of red brick, two-up-two
down, outside-lav homes. Grey people,
bowed by their heavy outside coats,
nodded to each other as they passed.
Yellow light fell from windows whose
curtains had not yet been drawn. One
of these two-up-two-down houses was
my home, my security.
School had finished over two hours before and I had, with great
eagerness, consumed my chips, fish fingers and peas. The radio
filled the empty spaces there were in the small, cramped room, with
its clutter of five children and two adults. The smell of tripe and
onions oozed from the scullery. My mum was preparing my dad’s
tea.
You should see my dad – silver-white head, arms freckled and
tatooed. Big Irish man. Irish in mind and face. Oh, and temper
too. But strong and safe like some old king who dealt out justice,
hard but fair. He would be on his way home now, home from Old
Trafford. Trafford Park, whose endless factories grunted and
groaned-out their finished wares. My dad was a crane driver. He
drove his crane for Metro Viks. To me, and I am sure to others, he
was important.
I grab my coat, shouting at the scullery door, “Going to meet Dad.”

PLEASE TURN OVER FOR THE ANSWERS

3
 Grammar & Punctuation/Parts of Speech/4.7 Adjectives 2.doc


My Dad by Nora Ashton

Damp street, damp wind, channelled by
those lines of red brick, two-up-two
down, outside-lav homes. Grey people,
bowed by their heavy outside coats,
nodded to each other as they passed.
Yellow light fell from windows whose
curtains had not yet been drawn. One
of these two-up-two-down houses was
my home, my security.

School had finished over two hours before and I had, with great
eagerness, consumed my chips, fish fingers and peas. The radio
filled the empty spaces there were in the small, cramped room, with
its clutter of five children and two adults. The smell of tripe and
onions oozed from the scullery. My mum was preparing my dad’s
tea.

You should see my dad – silver-white head, arms freckled and

tatooed. Big Irish man. Irish in mind and face. Oh, and temper
too. But strong and safe like some old king who dealt out justice,
hard but fair. He would be on his way home now, home from Old
Trafford. Trafford Park, whose endless factories grunted and
groaned-out their finished wares. My dad was a crane driver. He
drove his crane for Metro Viks. To me, and I am sure to others, he
was important.

I grab my coat, shouting at the scullery door, “Going to meet Dad.”