THE ADJECTIVE

STRUCTURAL CLASSIFICATION

ADJECTIVES

SIMPLE DERIVATIVE COMPOUND

new, fresh, green musical, messy, careless colour-blind well-

known

*TASK 71. Sort out the adjectives given in the box below into the three columns
according to their structure.
fresh wonderful intelligent fluent next
shy dark-blue snobbish top-secret
cloudless raven-black dark unique conservative
newly-wedded efficient proud simple
green confusing ready-made enjoyable
greedy bluish big worn-out
nasty tax-free nice clean

Simple Derivative Compound

Fresh, fluent, next, shy, Wonderful, intelligent, Dark-blue, top-secret,
dark, unique, proud, snobbish, cloudless, raven-black, newly-
simple, green, big, nasty conservative, efficient, wedded, ready-made,
nice, clean confusing, enjoyable, worn-out, tax-free
greedy, bluish

**TASK 72. Study the most typical adjective endings (suffixes) and supply 3
examples for each of the ones given in the table below.
Ending (suffix) Examples
-able changeable, understandable, available, enjoyable
-ible legible, invisible, collectible, forcible, defensible
-ic Heroic, iconic, chaotic, neurotic
-ish girlish, childish, foolish, greenish
-ive expensive, communicative, expensive
-ful Careful, faithful, hopeful, useful
-less careless, structureless, quetionless, traditionless
-ous dangerous, jealous, uranous, joyous
-y dirty, flirty, valley, twenty
-ant elegant, significant, antidepressant, errant
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-en wooden, awaken, fasten, taken
-al medical,illegal, crystal, magical, eternal

DEGREES OF COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

There are three degrees of comparison: POSITIVE, COMPARATIVE and
SUPERLATIVE.
The comparative degree is used to compare two things while the superlative
compares more than two, e.g.
This watch is cheaper/ more expensive than that one.
Which suitcase is the heaver of the two? = Какой/ Который из этих двух
чемоданов тяжелее?
This watch is the cheapest of the three. = Эти часы самые дешевые из
трех.
Which vase is the cheapest of them all? = Какая ваза самая дешовая из
всех?
(Which is the cheapest of the two? –- is common only for informal speech.)
The degrees can be formed in three ways:
1. SYNTHETICALLY by adding the inflexion –er, -est to monosyllabic and
some disyllabic adjectives, e.g.
sad - sadder - the saddest: slow - slower - the slowest
Disyllabic adjectives that form the degrees of comparison synthetically can be
grouped in the following categories:
 adjectives that end in –er; -le, -ow, -some, -y, e.g.
clever – cleverer – the cleverest
simple – simpler - the simplest
yellow – yellower – the yellowest
handsome – handsomer – the handsomest
friendly – friendlier –the friendliest
 adjectives that have the stress on the second syllable, e.g.
polite – politer – the politest
complete –completer – the completest
 some commonly used adjectives like, e.g.
common, cruel, wicked, horrid, quiet, stupid, pleasant
2. ANALYTICALLY by adding more, and the most to polisyllabic adjectives, e.g.
curious – more – curious – the most curious;
3. IRREGULAR FORMATION (traditional exceptions), e.g.
good- better - the best
bad - worse - the worst
far -father/further - the farthest/furthest
old - older/elder - the oldest/eldest
little - less - the least
near - nearer - the nearest/next
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many/much - more -the most
late - later - the latest/last

SPELLING RULES:
a) Adjectives ending in –y which is preceded by a consonant, change the –y into –
ier, -iest, e.g. crazy – crazier – the craziest;
b) The ending – y in adjectives which is preceded by a vowel, remain unchanged,
e.g. grey – greyer – the greyest;
c) Monosyllabic adjectives with a short vowel double their final consonant, e.g.big
– bigger – the biggest;
d) Monosyllabic adjectives that have two consonants at the end, remain unchanged,
e.g. thick – thicker – the thickest;
e) Adjectives with a mute –e at the end add only –r, and –st, e.g.
pale – paler – the palest.
NOTES:
1. In traditional grammar FARTHER and THE FARTHEST are used for
distance while FURTHER and THE FURTHEST are used for time.
He was hiding in the farthest corner of the park.
The secret agent was waiting for further instructions.
Here is a further example. (in the meaning of another)
2. LITTLE is not a full synonym of small. Little is used for age, while small for
size.
Little children shouldn’t watch much television.
The child is too small for this dress,
Remember a set expression – a little old lady/man.
The opposite of small is big,
This room is big and that one is small.
3. OLDER and THE OLDEST are used with reference to age or if there are only
two children in the family, while ELDER and THE ELDEST are used with the
reference to the sequence of brothers and sisters if there are more than two
children in the family, e.g.
Pete is my older brother and there are no more children in our family.
Pete is my elder brother and Jack is our eldest.
Grandpa is the oldest member of our family; he will be 88 in December.
Jane is the youngest, she is only 3.
4. THE NEAREST is used for distance while THE NEXT is used for order, e.g.
Whose turn is next? Where is the nearest bus stop?
5. THE LATEST is used for time while THE LAST is used for order, e.g.
Have you been listening in? What's the latest news?
The last news from the "Titanic" was received a few hours before it sank.
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6. The degrees of comparison of COMPOUND ADJECTIVES may be formed in
two ways:
a) by adding the words more and the most, e.g.
quick-wilted - more quick-witted - the most quick-witted;
b) by changing the first part of the adjective, e.g.
well-known - better-known - the best-known
Her daughter is the most kind-hearted child I have ever seen.
Shevchenko is the best-known poet of Ukraine.
10. AS USUAL # THAN USUAL # USUALLY, e.g.
Bertha woke up at five o’clock as usual.
On her birthday Bertha woke up later than usual.
Usually Bertha wakes up at five o’clock.

*TASK 73. Write the degrees of comparison of the adjectives given below.
1. polite 30. bad
2. happy
3. glad
4. grey
5. honourable
6. shy
7. accurate
8. wise
9. bright
10. far
11. good-looking
12. old
13. handsome
14. rainy
15. wicked
16. good
17. comfortable

18. sad
19. narrow
20. joyful
21. merry
22. jolly
23. much-travelled
24. kind
25. curious
26. simple
27. cheap
28. fine
29. courageous
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*TASK 74. Open the brackets and use the correct form of the adjective. Give answers
you think are right. Follow the example.
Example: Name the (rainy) country in the world. – In my opinion, Indonesia is the
rainiest country in the world.
1. Name a planet, which is (big) than the Earth.
2. Name a mammal, which is (small) than the rat.
3. Name a material, which is (expensive) than cotton.
4. Name an island, which is (large) than Ireland.
5. Name a singer who is (famous) than Madonna.
6. Name an insect, which is (dangerous) than a wasp.
7. Name a colour, which is (bright) than pink.
8. Name a language, which is (difficult) than English.
9. Name (small) country in the world.
10. Name a metal, which is (heavy) than silver.
11. Name the (fast) animal of all.
12. Name a comedian who is (fun) than Charlie Chaplin.
13. Name a (bad) disease than measles.
14. Name a (energetic) sport than golf.
15. Name a (hot) country than Ukraine.
16. Name an object, which is (useful) for writing than a pen.
17. Name a (good) paid job than a factory worker.
18.Name an (easy) subject than Physics.
19. Name a city, which is (crowded) than London.
20.Name an animal, which is (slow) than a tortoise.
21.Name a river, which is (long) than the Thames.
22. Name a king who had (few) wives than Henry VIII.
*TASK 75. Put the adjectives given in brackets into the correct form, adding any
necessary words.
Part 1
1. A: Why are you crying?
B: I've just read __________ (sad) book ever written.
2. A: Do you like crisps?
B: Yes, but I think chocolate is much __________ (tasty) crisps.
3. A: This must be__________ (hot) day of the year.
B: I agree. Let's go swimming.
4. A: Kate is a lot __________ (pretty) Anne.
B: Yes. She's __________ (pretty) girl I know.
5. A: Is this ladder __________ (long) the other one?
B: They look the same to me.
6. A: That was by far __________ (good) cake you've ever made.
B: I'm glad you enjoyed it.
7. A: Do you like this dress?
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B: Oh, yes. It's __________ (smart) dress I've ever seen.

8. A: Mount Everest is __________ (high) mountain in the world.
B: Everyone knows that!
9. A: Mr. Smith is __________ (old) Mr. Jones.
B: Well, he looks good for his age.
10. A: Did that coat cost a lot of money?
B: Yes, it was by far __________ (expensive) coat in the shop.
11. A: Thank you for your help.
B: That's okay. If you need any __________ (far) advice, come and see me.
Part 2
1. A: Did you enjoy the film?
B: Yes. It was __________ (funny) film I've ever seen.
2. A: James is very tall.
B: Yes. He's __________ (tall) boy in our class.
3. A: Was it a good party?
B: Yes. I left far __________ (late) I had intended to.
4. A: Did you like the black dress?
B: Yes, but it was far __________ (expensive) the blue one.
5. A: Why do you want to go to Spain?
B: Because it's much __________ (warm) England.
6. A: Do you enjoy your job?
B: Oh, yes. It's __________ (good) job I've ever had.
7. A: If you need any __________ (far) help, just ask me.
B: Thank you. That's very kind of you.
8. A: My teacher is very clever.
B: Yes, She's __________ (intelligent) woman I've ever met.
9. A: Dinosaurs were __________ (big) houses.
B: I know. They were enormous.
10. A: How much did you pay for that bag?
B: It was __________ (cheap) one I could find.
11. A: That exam was really difficult.
B: I agree. It was a lot __________ (difficult) I had expected,
12. A: Have you heard James playing the piano lately?
B: Yes, but he doesn't seem to be getting __________ (good).
Part 3
1. I like living in the country. It's a lot __________ (peaceful) than the city.
2. I felt very ill last week, but I'm slightly __________ (good) now.
3. I can't hear you. Could you speak a little __________ (loud), please?
4. Steven is __________ (tall) boy in the basketball team.
5. This computer is very old. I need something __________ (modern).
6. The new library is far __________ (close) to my house __________ the old one.
7. Jane's new haircut makes her look much __________ (attractive).
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8. This jacket was by far __________ (expensive) in the shop.

Part 4
Dear Anita,
I'm writing to tell you about the auction I went to last weekend. It was held in
__________ (large) house in the village and the items being sold were far __________
(beautiful) I had expected. I saw __________ (pretty) vase I've ever seen, but it was
also __________ (expensive) item there. I couldn't afford to buy it. I bid for some
chairs. They were far __________ (nice) mine, but unfortunately someone made a
__________ (good) offer than me and I couldn't afford to make a __________ (high)
bid. In the end, I bought __________ (small) item of all, although it was not
__________ (cheap) of all! It was a gold locket, which I'm going to give to my
__________ (old) daughter on her 18th birthday, I think it's __________ (lovely)
necklace I've ever seen and it was __________ (easy) to carry home than a set of
chairs.
I enjoyed the auction very much and hope to go to another one soon. Perhaps next
time you'll come with me.
Write soon and tell me all your news.
Love, Maggie
*TASK 77. Put the adjectives given in brackets into the correct form, adding any
necessary words.
Part 1
Yesterday was _________ (cold) day of the year. It had been snowing all night
and everything was white. The children woke up _____________ (early) usual. They
were _____________ (excited) because the snow was _____________ (deep) ever
before and they wanted to go outside and play. We dressed them in _____________
(warm) clothes we could find, and then they went out into the garden. We watched from
the window as they built _____________ (big) snowman I have ever seen. As the snow
was falling _____________ (hard) ever, the children soon came inside to warm up.
They were laughing as if they had heard _____________ (funny) joke ever told. They
said that they thought winter was _____________ (good) season of all.
Part 2
A: Well, Mr. Jones, we've interviewed the three most likely (likely) candidates. Who do
you think would be _____________ (good) person for the job?
B: I have to say, I thought Mrs. Shaw was _____________ (intelligent) of the three,
but Mr. Peters was a little _____________ (nice) her.
A: That's true, and we do need someone who can work with people. However, I thought
Miss Brown would be _____________ (popular) the others with our clients.
B: I also thought that she was by far _____________ (responsible) candidate.
A: Good. Thank you for your help, Mr. Jones. Choosing who to employ is
_____________ (difficult) part of my job. It's always _____________ (easy)
when I hear someone else's views.
B: I'm glad I could help.
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Part 3
Dear Leo,
I'm writing to tell you about my new house. It's _____________ (big) house I've ever
lived in, but also _____________ (expensive). Still, it's much _____________
(nice) than my last house. Although the garden is a little _____________ (small), the
rooms are much _____________ (spacious) and there is much _____________ (little)
noise. The area I live in now is_____________ (peaceful) place I've ever lived in. The
neighbours are _____________ (quiet) here than anywhere else, and they are (friendly)
people you will ever meet. There are lots of flowers here, so it's much _____________
(colourful) than my previous home, and there is a bus stop near my house, so it's
_____________ (convenient) than before because I don't have to take my car to work.
All in all, I can say that finding this house is _____________ (good) thing that's ever
happened to me! I hope you will visit me here soon.
Love,
Helen.
PATTERNS OF COMPARISON
1. Comparison of EQUALITY,
…as + positive degree + as …
The weather today is as cold as it was yesterday.
2. Comparison of INEQUALITY
…not as + positive degree + as… = …not so + positive degree + as…
The weather today is not as cold as it was yesterday. =
= The weather today is not so cold as it was yesterday.
3. Comparison of SUPERIORITY
…comparative degree + than …
London is bigger than Manchester.
There is less sugar in this glass than in that one.
…superlative degree + of …
London is the biggest city of Great Britain.
“Gone with the Wind” is the best book of American literature I’ve ever
read.
4. Comparison of INFERIORITY,
…less + positive degree + than …
In my opinion the books of this young author are less interesting than those
of his father’s.
The film I saw yesterday was less sad than the one we saw last week.
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5. Comparison of PARALLEL INCREASE OR DECREASE

… the + comparative degree … the + comparative degree …
The sooner, the better. = Чем скорее, тем лучше.
The more you know about this matter, the better. = Чем больше ты
знаешь об этом деле, тем лучше.
The earlier we set off, the sooner we'll arrive. = Чем раньше мы
отправимся, тем скорее мы доберемся.
NOTE: If sentences with comparison of parallel increase or decrease refer to future, the
main clause is used in the future tense while the subordinate clause is used in
the present tense, e.g.
The more words you learn now, the easier it will be for you to read English
books in the original next year.
The less information he has about the exam procedure, the more difficult it
will be for him to pass it.

**TASK 78. Make up sentences with comparison of parallel increase or decrease.

Follow the example.
Example: The children got noisy. The teacher became angry. = The noisier the children
got, the angrier the teacher became.
1. We worked hard. We earned lots of money.
2. I pushed the swing high. The little boy laughed loudly.
3. If you eat lots of chocolate, you'll get fat.
4. If a car is new, it is valuable.
5. It grew dark. I became scared.
6. The day became longer. The night got shorter.
7. A few days were left before the exam. Dave got excited.
8. Jane practised a lot. Her skating improved.
9. I had to queue in the bank for a long time. I was getting impatient.
10. The child cried very much. The mother became angry.
11. The road became dangerous. We drove slowly.
12. My rent became high. I had little money on food.
13. The plane rose high. It became difficult to breathe.

**TASK 79. Fill in the blanks using the right form of the adjective.
1. The noise got ____________ and ____________ (loud) until I couldn't bear it
any ____________ (long).
2. ____________ (hard) he works, the____________ (successful) he becomes.
3. It rained ____________ and ____________ (hard) until the river burst its banks.
4. ___________ (cold) it got, ____________ (many) things they had to put on to
keep warm.
5. _________ (fast) Jake ran, __________ (many) races he won.
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6. ____________ (high) the champion jumped, ____________ (loud) the crowd

cheered.
7. Cars are getting ____________ (cheap) as the years go by.
8. ____________ (young) you are, ____________ (easy) you find it to learn things.
9. ____________ (many) people are opening their own businesses these days.
10.____________ (old) the boy gets, ____________ (tall) he grows.
***TASK 83. Translate into English.
1. В этом году погода не такая теплая, как была в прошлом году. У нас на огороде
меньше овощей, чем обычно. Я надеюсь, в следующем году лето будет теплее
и не такое дождливое.
2. Что вы любите больше, апельсины или мандарины? – Ни то, ни другое. Из
цитрусовых я больше всего люблю лимоны. – Вы их едите с сахаром, да? –
Нет, я никогда не ем лимоны с сахаром. Чем они кислее, тем лучше.
3. Тебе понравилось выступление новых чемпионов мира по фигурному
катанию? – Да, они танцуют артистичнее прошлогодних чемпионов.
4. Новая работа Джона оставляет ему меньше свободного времени, чем его старая
работа. Он сейчас больше устает и меньше спит. Чем меньше он спит, тем
более раздражительным он становится.
5. Моя бабушка чувствует себя сейчас значительно лучше, чем на прошлой
неделе.
6. Харди более способный из этих двух мальчиков. У него лучше способности к
языкам, и он запоминает все гораздо быстрее Дина.
7. Какой кусочек торта тебе дать, больший или меньший? – Дай мне, пожалуйста,
меньший из этих двух.
8. Посмотри, эти туфли самые дорогие из всех, что мы сегодня видели. – Да, но
мне кажется, они хуже, чем те, что ты примеряла полчаса назад.
9. Из четырех платьев, что ты мне показала, красное мне понравилось меньше
всего. Я не советую тебе его покупать. Оно дороже, чем, голубое, но оно не
такое модное. Кроме того, оно короче, чем платья, которые ты обычно
носишь.
10. Эта книга интересней той, что ты мне дал на прошлой неделе. Я лег спать
вчера позже, чем обычно, потому что не мог оторваться от нее.
11.Кто из этих близнецов любит носить красные свитера? – Диана. Она на
полчаса старше своей сестры и любит, чтобы все замечали, что между ними
большая разница. У нее более светлые волосы и более темные глаза. Она
также больше похожа на отца, а Амелия больше похожа на мать.
12. У меня самый громкий голос среди всех моих друзей. Но сегодня у меня
болит горло, и я не могу разговаривать так громко, как обычно.
13. Чем скорее ты закончишь этот перевод, тем лучше. – Я с тобой согласен, но в
нем больше незнакомых слов, чем в том, что мы делали на прошлой неделе.
это самый трудный перевод из всех, что нам задавали в этом году.
14.Миссис Маунт всегда говорит, что она очень занята и крутится как белка в
колесе. Интересно, где она находит время, чтобы сплетничать о всех соседях?
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