2. Adjectives/adverbs
Adjectives - word order: When there are two or more adjectives before a noun there
are some complicated "rules" for the order in which they should appear. These are the
most important:
1. opinion adjectives come before fact adjectives
2. fact adjectives appear as follows: size - age - colour - origin - material
Here are some examples:
a silly old man (an old silly man )
a beautiful blue butterfly (a blue beautiful butterfly )
an interesting historical film (a historical interesting film)
a huge metal box (a metal huge box )
a new red dress (a red new dress )
little Russian dolls (Russian little dolls )
You will need to consult a good reference grammar for full details on the order of
adjectives, and how they should be punctuated.
Do a quiz on this grammar topic.
Adjectives: -ed or -ing? English contains numerous -ed or -ing adjective pairs derived
from verbs. To avoid mixing these up, remember that the -edadjectives are used to
describe how you feel, and the -ing adjectives are used for what it is that makes you
feel that way. Here are some examples:
I feel tired. - Working in the garden all day is very tiring.
I am bored. - This grammar lesson is boring.
She was disappointed. - Her math test score was disappointing.
I'm interested in Ancient Egypt. - I think Ancient Egypt is interesting.
He was shocked. - He found your behaviour shocking.
I'm very confused by this film. - This film is very confusing.
Do a quiz on this grammar topic.
Adjective or adverb? In English most (but not all) adverbs have a different form
(spelling) than their corresponding adjective. It is important, therefore, that you know
whether you need an adjective or an adverb in the sentences you want to say or write.
Generally, adjectives are used to describe nouns and adverbs are used with verbs to
say how things are done. In the following examples, the adjectives are red and
the adverbs are blue:
He's a beautiful singer. - He sings beautifully.
She's a very quick runner. - She can run very quickly.
He's a careless writer. - He writes carelessly.
She's a good worker. - She works well.
Adverbs are also used to give extra information about adjectives (or other adverbs), as
in the following examples:
3. I am extremely happy in my new job.
She's in hospital with a seriously injured neck.
It's incredibly easy to make a mistake when knitting.
The girl climbed dangerously high up the tree.
Because of the thick fog I drove extremely carefully.
After certain verbs (e.g. be, become, seem, look, taste, smell, etc.) the adjective, not the
adverb, is used:
She doesn't seem happy today.
Don't be stupid!
This meat tastes bad.
Those flowers smell strange.
My friend Paola. She is so outgoing and generous. I mean, she is always doing things for other
people. She´s not selfish at all. And she is totally reliable. If she says she´ll help you with
something, she does you can always count on her.
I really admire a my father he is incredibly generous and down-to-earth so he always gives me
good advice. Also he is completely honest with me, I can trust what he says.
4. ADVERBS BEBORE ADJETICES AND ADVEBS
ALWAYS
Adverbs of time (always, never, usually, Often, sometimes, etc) vandespués the subject and
before the verb, except in sentences with the verb 'to be'.
Examples
My friends always put your other boots into inaccessible places
My mother always treats me like a child
5. My family always taking it easy on Sundays
Tom is always playing video games
AT LEAST
6. Examples
You probably have at least one picture that you never get tired of seeing.
The General Court shall include at least one judge per Member State.
There is nothing better than when a family can eat at least one meal together
