5. Adjective and Adverbs

Adjectives

• normally placed before noun

• 2 ways of forming comparative/superlative

  • analytic comparison (more/most → adjectives of more than two syllables)

  • synthetic comparison (-er/-est → adjectived of one syllable)

  • two syllable adjectives: either type (ending in unstressed syllable -y, -ow, -le synthetic more common)

  • use of prefix -un does not change type even if more syllables

  • participles as adjectives take analytic comparison

  • Rare adjectives: analytic

• normally no nominalisation possible → use of “one” necessary

• But adjectives which denote a class od people can be nominalised → to make generalisations

• Adjectives referring to nationality

  • normally nominalisation

  • with Britain, England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, France, Soain inly adjective followed by “person”/”people” possible

• Sometimes adjectives also postmodifiers

  • sometimes: attributive position: permanent feature; postpositive implies temporariness

  • Semantic differences with some words

• some adjectives referring to abstract concepts (superantural) can be used as nouns

• Nominalisations od colours when referring to groups of people

Order of adjectives    

size→age→shape→colour→origin→material→noun

Adverbs

Position

Exceptions

• adjectives ending in -ic → adverb: -ally (ecxept public)

• adjectives ending in -ly: paraphrases, e.g. in a cowardly manner/way (if adjective of frequency stays the same)