Belajar Grammar Bahasa Inggris Tentang Adjective

Introduction to adjective

  A.   Look at this example

These excellent apartments are in a quiet residental area.

An adjective modifies a noun. The adjective here express physical qualities (quiet) or an opinion (excellent), or they classify something (residental, so not industrial).

  B.    An adjective always has has same form. There are no endings for number or gender.

An old man            an old woman                  old people

          But some adjective can have comparative/superlative endings.

          My wife is older than I am.

Most adjective have no special form. But there are some endings used to form adjective from other word, e.g. residental, beautiful, cloudy.

  C.   We can two or more adjective together.

A beautiful white sandy beach

We can putan adverb of degree (e.g. very) in front of most adjective.

a very large apartment

a really beautiful beach

  D.   Some adjective can follow as or than.

Let me know as soon as possible.

I went to to bed later than usual.

  E.    We can sometimes use an adjective immediately after a conjunction.

Pick the fruit when ripe. (when it is ripe)

If possible, please send a photo. (if it is possible)

  F.    In literary English you may see example like this.

Uncertain, the woman hesitated.

The weather, bright and sunny, had brought everyone out of doors.

(OXFORD LEANER’S GRAMMAR/John Eastwood/2008/Oxford University Press/Unit:115/Page: 230-231)

Adjective (position : 1 )

  A.   Many adjective can be put either before the noun they describe, or following lnking verb such as appear, be, become, feel, get, and seem :

1.    The hot sun beat on us all day or The sun was hot

2.    The high price surprised him or The price seemed high

  B.    Some adjective are seldom or never used before the noun they describe. The include :

Some ‘a-‘ adjective : afraid, alight, alike, alive, alone, ashamed, asleep, awake, aware	The house was alone in the field. (but not) The alone horse...
Some adjective when they describe health and fellings : content, fine, glad, ill (notice that ‘sick’ can be used before a noun), poorly, sorry, (un)sure, upset, (un)well. (however, these word can sometimes be used between an adverb an a noun e.g. ‘a terminaly ill patient’)	My son felt unwell. (but not My unwell son

Some of these ‘a-‘ adjective have related adjective that can be used either before a noun or after linking verb. Compare :

·         The animal was alive and  A living animal (or The animal was living)

Other  pairs like this include : afraid-frightened, alike-similar, asleep-sleeping.  Notice that (un)happy can be used in boyh positions :

·         He’s an unhappy man and The man felt unhappy

  C.   Some classifying and emphasising adjective are seldom or never used after a linking verb. For example, we can talk about ‘a nuclear explossion’, but we can’t say ‘The explossion was nuclear’. Other adjective like this include :

Classifying adjective : atomic, cubic, digital, medical, phonetic ; chief, entire, initial, main, only, whole ; eventual, occasional, nothern (etc.) maximum, minimum, underlying	·      The main problem has now been solved ·      I spent my entire saving on the project
Emphasising adjective : absolute, complete, mere, utter	·         I felt an absolute idiot when Ifound that I hadn’t got any money

  D.   Some adjective can be used immediately after noun. These include :

1.    Some –ible and –able adjective such as available, imaginable, possible, suitable. However, we use these adjective immediately after a noun only when the noun follow words such as first, last, next, only, and superlative adjective, or when a prepositioal phrase follows the adjective :

a.    It’s the only treatment suitable. (or...the only suitable treatment)

b.    It is an offer available to club members only

2.    Concerned, involved, opposite, present, responsible. These word have different meanings when they are used before a noun and immediately after it. Compare :

a.    I was asked for my present address (=my address now) and

b.    All the people present (=who were there) approved of the decision

c.    The party was excellent, and I’d like to thank all the people concerned (=involved) and

d.    Cars drive too faast past the school and concerned (=worried) teachers have complained to the police

(Advanced Grammar in Use/Martin Hewings/1999/Cambridge University Press/Unit:82/Page:163)

Gradable and ungradable adjectives (Position : 2)

A.   Gradable adjectives can be used with adverbs such as very or extremely to say that a thing or person has more or less of a particular quality. Ungradable adjectives themselves imply 'to a large degree' and are seldom used with these adverbs. Instead, we can use adverbs such as absolutely or totally.

Adverbs	extremely, deeply, fairly, hugely, immensely, pretty (informal), rather, really, reasonably, slightly, very	+	angry, big, busy, comfortable, common, happy, important, quiet, rich, strong, young	Gradable adjectives
Adverbs	absolutely, completely, entirely, pretty, really, simply,totally, utterly	+	amazed, awful, dreadful, furious, huge, impossible, invaluable, terrible, wonderful, useless	Ungradable adjectives

• Our teacher gave us a completely impossible problem to solve.

•  She was extremely rich.

Notice that not all the adverbs given can go with all the adjectives given. Really and pretty can be used with both gradable and ungradable adjectives.

B.    More on the position of adjectives

When we use more than one adjective before a noun, there is often a preferred order for these adjectives. However, this order is not fixed: opinion+size/physical quality/shape/age + colour +participle adjectives + origin + material +type + purpose + noun.

an old plastic container                 (= age + material + noun)

a hard red ball                             (= quality + colour + noun)

a frightening Korean mask             (= opinion + origin + noun)

a round biscuit tin               (= shape + purpose (for holding biscuits) + noun)

a small broken plate            (= size + participle adjective + noun)

a useful digital alarm clock   (= opinion + type + purpose + noun)

To help you to learn this order, it can be useful to remember that gradable adjectives (describing opinion, size, quality, shape, and age) usually precede ungradable adjectives (participle adjective and adjectives describing origin, material, type and purpose).

C.  When two gradable adjectives come before the noun, we can put either a comma or and between them. Compare:

• an attractive, big garden       and       • an attractive and big garden

Two colour adjectives have and between them:

• Sweden's yellow and blue flag {not ...yellow, blue flag)

Two ungradable adjectives have and between them if they are from the same class, but and is not used if they are from different classes. Compare:

• financial and political conditions      and       • improving financial conditions

D.   Study the word order when a to-infinitive or prepositional phrase follows an adjective:

• It's a difficult word to say.                  • It's an identical car to mine.

• It's a word (that is) difficult to say.      • It's a car (that is) identical to mine.

• It's a difficult to say word.                  • It's an identical to mine car.

(Advanced Grammar in Use/Martin Hewings/1999/Cambridge University Press/Unit:83/Page:166)

Adjective and Adverbs 1 (quick/quickly)

  A.   Study this example:

1.    Our vacation was too short – the time went quickly.

2.    The driver of the car was seriously injured in the accident

Quickly and seriously are adverbs. Many adverbs are made from an adjective in the accident + -ly :

Adjective:     quick            serious                   careful                    quiet                      heavy

Adverbs  :     quickly                   seriously       carefuly        quietly                             heavily

Not all wordsending in –ly are adverb. Some adjective end in –ly too. For example : Friendly, lively, elderly, lonely, silly, lovely.

  B.    An adjective tells us more about a noun. We use adjectives before nouns anf after a few verbs (especially be):

1.    Tom is a careful driver

2.    Be quiet, please!

3.    We didn’nt go out because of the heavy rain

An adverb tell uss more about a verb. An adverbs tells us inwhat way someone does something or in what way something happens:

1.    Tom drove carefully about the narrow road. (not drove careful)

2.    Speak quietly, please! (not speak quiet)

3.    We didn’t go out because it was raining heavily. (not raining heavy)

Compare : She speaks perfect English.          (adjective + noun)

               She speaks English perfectly.        (verb + object +adverbs)

  C.   We also use adverbs before adjective and other adverbs. For example:

Reasonably cheap           (adverb+adjective)

Terribly sorry                  (adverb+adjective)

Incredibly quickly            (adverb+adjective)

1.    It’s reasonably cheap restaurant and the food is extremly good

2.    Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to push you.

3.    Maria learns languages incredibly quickly.

You can use an adverbs before a past participle :

1.    The meeting was badly organized.

2.    The driver of the car was seriously injured in the accident.

(Grammar in Use/Raymond Murphy and Roann Altman/1989/Cambridge University Press/Unit: 92/Page:184)

Adjective and Adverb 2 (good/well, fast/hard/late, hardly)

  A.   Good/well  Good is an adjective. The adverb is well:

1.    Your English is very good.              You speak English well.

2.    Susan is a good pianist.                 She plays the piano well.

We often use well with past participles (dressed/known, etc.):

  Well dressed (not good dressed)                well known          well educated

But well is also an adjective with the meaning “in good health”:

1.    “How are you today?”          “I’am very well, thanks.” (not I’m very good)

  B.    Fast/hard/late     these words are both adjectives and adverbs:

Adjectives                                           Adverbs

Jack is very fast runner                      Jack can run very fast.

Ann is a hard worker.                        Ann works hard. (not works hardly)

The train was late.                                       I got up late this morning.

The adverb lately = recently:

1.    Have you seen Tom lately today?

  C.   Hardly has a completely different meaning from hard:

Hardly= almost not. Study these examples:

1.    George asked Carol to marry him. She was surprised because they had only known each other for two days. She said:”We can’t get married now! We hardly know each other.” (=we know each other very litle;we almost don’t know each other)

2.    Why was Tom so unfriendly ar the party last night? He hardly spoke to me (=he spoke to me very little)

          We often use hardly with can/could:

1.    Your writing is terrible. I can hardly read it. (=I can read it but only with a lot of difficult)

2.    My leg was hurting me. I could hardly walk.

We also use hardly with any/anyone/anything/anywhere:

1.    “How much money do you have?”    “Hardly any.” (=almost none;very little)

2.    The exam results were very bad. Hardly anyone passed. (=almost no one passed;very few people passed)

3.    She ate hardly anything because she didn’t feel hungry. (=she ate almost nothing;she ate very little)

Note that you can say:

1.    She ate hardly anything.       or     She hardly ate anything.

2.    We have hardly any food.       or     We hardly have any food.

3.    We’ve done hardly any work   or     We’ve hardly done any work.

Hardly ever=almost never:

I’am nearly always at home in the evening. I hardly ever go out.

(Grammar in Use/Raymond Murphy and Roann Altman/1989/Cambridge University Press/Unit: 92/Page:186)

Comparison of adjective

A.   Regular comparison

Short adjective usually have a comparative form in –er and a superlative form in –est.

1.    It’s warmer in here than outside.

2.    This is the oldest building in the town.

long adjective form the comparative and superlative with more and most.

1.    Skiing is more difficult than it looks.

2.    She’s the most irriating person I know.

B.    One-syllable adjectives

Most one-syllable adjective take –er/-est

Our new flat is nicer (not Our new flat is more nice)

Some take either –er/-est or more/most.

I feel safer/more safe on the cycle path.

Such adjective include: clear, fair, free, keen, proud, rude, safe, sure, true.

We use more/most (and not-er/-est) with real, right, wrong and with adjective in –ed, e.g. bored, pleased.

1.    The story seemed more real in the film.

2.    Those most pleased to go were the kids.

C.   Two-syllable adjectives

Many of these take more/most.

Our new place is more central.

These adjectives take more/most:

-      Ending –ful, e.g. careful, hopeful

-      Ending –less, e.g. helpless, useless

-      Ending –ing/-ed, e.g. boring, annoyed

-      Some others, e.g. afraid, central, certain, complex, correct, exact, famous, foolish, frequent, modern, normal, recent.

Some two-syllable adjectives take either –er/est or more/most.

Use the simplest/most simple method.

They include: able, clever, common, cruel, feeble, gentle, narrow, pleasant, polite, quiet, simple, stupid, tired.

We use –er/-est with most two-syllable adjective ending in y (e.g. angry, funny, happy), although more/most is also possible.

Life would be easier if I had a job

D.   Three-syllable adjectives

Adjectives of three or more syllables take more/most.

Your health is the most important thing.

(OXFORD LEANER’S GRAMMAR/John Eastwood/2008/Oxford University Press/Unit:131/Page: 262-263)