Lam Tai Fai College

Secondary 2 English Language

Unit 5 Grammar
Using adjectives to report feelings and opinions (I) & (II)

Name: _______________________ ( ) Class: _________

PART A: Adjectives
We use adjectives to describe people, things and events. Read the following sentences and
circle the adjectives.

1. Jack was bored when having English lesson, that’s why he fell asleep in class.
2. Feliz was busy just now as she was handling some important things.
3. This book is absolutely interesting. Mannfred and Jerry couldn’t put it down while reading
it.

PART B: Sentence patterns using adjectives

We can use adjectives in sentences in different ways. By using different adjective patterns,
your writing will sound more interesting.

Method 1: It… that (G.B. p.87)

Pattern It is + (adjective) + that + (subject) + (verb)

Usage To describe how we ___________ about ___________

(1) It is great that I can go to my best friend David’s home after school today.

(2) It is important that we all contribute to the project.

Examples (3) It is disappointing that ______________________________ (Mum / forget) my

birthday last week.

(4) It is amazing that _______________________________________ (Hong Kong

citizens / concern) about the environment more nowadays.

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Method 2: to + verb

Start with subjects (G.B. p.87) Start with ‘It’ (G.B. p.92)

Things/People that you want to talk about

Pattern (Subject) + (verb to-be) + (adjective) + to + (verb) It + is/was + (adjective) + to + (verb) + (object)

Usage To emphasize the ________________ of a sentence To express how we ____________ about something

(1a) The exchange student from Paris is nice to talk to. (1b) It is nice to talk to the exchange student from Paris.

(2a) These grammar rules are easy to understand. (2b) It is easy to understand these grammar rules.

(3a) His new songs are __________________________________ (3b) It is __________________________________ (pleasant /

Examples (pleasant / listen to). listen to) his new songs.

(4a) Family violence is _____________________________ (4b) It is ____________________________ (difficult / solve) family

(difficult / solve). violence.

(5a) _______________________ is / are ____________________ (5b) It is _______________________ to _____________________

_____________________________________________________. _____________________________________________________.

More adjectives:
good, unsafe, impossible, unbelievable…

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Method 3: for and of? (G.B. p.92)
Read the following sentences and try to deduce when we use ‘for’ and ‘of’.
(Hint: Pay attention to the adjectives. What are they describing respectively?)

E.g. (1) It is very sweet of you to make a cake for his birthday.
E.g. (2) It is essential for you to proofread your work before handing it in.

For Of

It + is/was + (adjective) + for (noun) + It + is/was + (adjective) + of (noun) +

Pattern
to + (verb) + (object) to + (verb) + (object)

Usage The adjective describes the action. The adjective describes the noun.

(1) It is important for us to save the (4) It is thoughtful of you to bring two
animals by protecting the more face masks in case your friends
environment. need to change theirs.

Examples (2) It is difficult for Joey to finish the (5) It was rude of you to shout at your
marathon. mother this morning.

(3) It is wrong for the hare to make fun (6) It is generous of the lion to share
of the tortoise. his prey with the tiger.

Exercise – for / of?

1. It is polite for / of Mavis to greet the teachers and janitors whenever he seems them.
2. It is patient for / of Doris to teach his younger sister homework.
3. It is challenging for / of Zaina to finish 100 Maths problems in an hour.
4. My mother told me that it was impossible for / of me to come first in class.
5. Sean is a great singer. It is enjoyable for / of him to perform in front of the class.
6. It is generous for / of Chianna to donate money to charitable organisations every month.
7. It was wise for / of Brogan to wake up early to get to the interview venue.
8. It was brave for / of Ivan to apologise for sleeping on the floor during English lesson.
9. Miley doesn’t like speaking in front of the crowd. It was embarrassing for / of her to do a
speech in the morning assembly today.
END