ATTRIBUTIVE & PREDICATIVE

ADJECTIVES

Classification According to
their Function
Adjectives
An adjective is a word like 'clever', 'beautiful', 'green', 'hungry' or 'English', which is
used to describe people, things, events etc. Adjectives are used to describe nouns
and pronouns. In English, adjectives do not change their forms to agree with nouns
in number or gender. However, some adjectives are normally only used to describe
something which is either masculine or feminine.
For example: you can say that a woman is beautiful, but you would call a man
handsome, not beautiful.

Adjectives which describe religion or nationality begin with a capital letter,

whether they refer to people or objects:

She is an American student.

They go to a Catholic school.
I love Japanese food.
ATTRIBUTIVE & PREDICATIVE ADJECTIVES
ATTRIBUTIVE PREDICATIVE
• THEY ARE USED BEFOARE THE • THEY ARE USED AFTER A VERB
NOUN THEY DESCRIBE. SUCH AS: BE, BECOME, GROW,
EXAMPLES: LOOK, SEEM.
 MORE EXAMPLES IN CONTEXT:
ATTRIBUTIVE PREDICATIVE
I like short stories.
Paolo is an efficient worker.
My girlfriend likes writing long and
romantic letters.
He works long, hard hours.
She had a dishonest, bad tempered and
stupid husband.
I saw a black cat on my name day.
I watched a sad movie the day before
yesterday.
I bought a large suitcase for my trip.
Little Red Riding Hood crossed the wood.
That old dog was a champion.
The fat, heavy cat walks along the wall.
ADJECTIVES THAN CAN BE USED ONLY IN ONE POSITION
 MORE EXAMPLES OF ATTRIBUTIVE-ONLY ADJECTIVES

A medical doctor Adjectives that identify the reference of the noun itself. They
An atomic physicist tell us (in part) what the noun means.
A reserve officer

The future king

The present monarch
The former chairperson Adjectives that qualify the time reference of the noun.
The previous occupant

A southern gentleman
Adjectives that qualify the geographical reference of
A rural mail carrier
the
The urban crisis
noun.
A total stranger
A mere child
Sheer fraud Adjectives that intensify or emphasize the head noun.
Utter nonsense
 The sole survivor
The only nominee Adjectives that show the uniqueness of the head noun.
A single individual

very
particular
Adjectives
Adjectives that
that show
show the
the reference
reference of
of
The same man I was seeking the
the head
head noun
noun has
has already
already been
been
self-same
determined.
determined.
Exact

main
prime Adjectives
Adjectives that
that show
show us
us the
the importance
importance or
or rank
rank of
of
Their principal faults the
the head
head noun.
noun.
chief

lawful
rightful
The heir Adjectives
Adjectives that
that show
show the
the head
head noun
noun is
is recognized
recognized
legal
by
by law
law or
or custom.
custom.
true
ADJECTIVES USED IN PREDICATIVE POSITION ONLY
1. Adjectives that begin with an a- prefix:
- The boy is asleep.  The asleep boy.
- The boat is adrift.  The adrift boat.

2. Health adjectives:
- Larry feels faint.
- He is not well.

3. Adjectives that must be followed by prepositional phrases or infinitives:

- He is bound for China.
- Debbie seems inclined to agree.

4. Adjectives that include words expressing feelings, for example: ashamed,

content, glad, upset. I was pleased to see my friends again.
SOME ADJECTIVES OCCUR IN POSTNOMINAL POSITION
ARE CALLED: POST POSITIVE ADJECTIVES
A postpositive adjective or postnominal adjective is an adjective that is placed after
the noun or pronoun that it modifies, as in noun phrases such as attorney general,
queen regnant, or all matters financial.

1. Adjectives in phrases of measurement:

- He is six feet tall.
- The ruler is twelve inches long.

2. Adjectives in certain fixed expression ( mostly derived from French):

- attorney general
- president elect
- heir apparent
- notary public
mission accomplished
- God Almighty
- court martial
- the princess royal
- the governor general
3. Adjectives following indefinite pronouns, where the adjectives are derived
from a reduced relative clause:
- Let’s do something (that is) more interesting.
- I can’t think of anything (that is) exciting to do.

Also when two or more adjectives modify a noun, they can occur after a noun:
- The mailman, weary and wet, trudged alone in the rain.
- A woman, old and gaunt, stood at the door.
Attributive vs. Predicative Adjectives

1. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

The EXPENSIVE-LOOKING shoes did not cost much money.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

2. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

The chair is BROWN.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

3. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

The FANCY dress was covered in pearls.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

4. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

The kitten felt FRAGILE.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective
5. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.
The LONELY boy wished for a friend.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

6. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

Because he had few friends, the boy was LONELY.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

7. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

He seems TIRED today.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

8. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

The TIRED children went straight to bed.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective
9. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.
You look MARVELOUS, darling.
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective

10. Decide whether the adjective in all caps is attributive or predicative.

I don't know what you're making, but it smells DELICIOUS!
___ attributive adjective
___ predicative adjective
WEBOGRAPHY

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/adjectiv/attribut.htm

https://www.insegnanti-inglese.com/grammar-1/adjectives.html

https://www.lexico.com/grammar/attributive-and-predicative-adjectives

https://www.helpteaching.com/tests/724571/attributive-vs-predicative-adjectives