The Adjective - Types of adjectives, Position of adjectives, Comparison of

adjectives, Adjective patterns

The Adjective

Adjectives describe the qualities of people, things, places etc.

I. Types of adjectives:

1. Adjective proper: good, blue, alive.

Noun converted into an adjective because placed before another noun: (a five-) room
(house), (a ten-) year (old boy).

Verb in the 3rd form, used as an adjective: (a) worried (man),

(his) bored (air), (her) confused (mind).

Compound adjective: good-looking, long-lasting, open-minded, well-dressed.

-Ing form of verb used as an adjective: (an) amusing (fellow), (the) governing (authorities).

2. You can emphasize your feelings about something that you mention by using emphasizing
adjectives:

pure bliss… a raving lunatic…

a complete idiot… the very thing…

absolute rubbish… …at the very beginning/end of …

in utter despair… in entire agreement with…

a total failure… outright best-seller…

a perfect success… a positive delight to…

a crashing bore… true/genuine pleasure to…

3. Attributive and predicative adjectives:

Most adjectives can be used both attributively (in front of the noun) and predicatively (after the
verb BE, SEEM, LOOK etc).

e.g. She has read an interesting story. The story is interesting.

But there are some adjectives that can be used only in one way.
 Attributive adjectives: Predicative adjectives:
atomic afraid
east/west/south/north alive
eastern/wetern/southern/… alone
indoor/outdoor apart
maximum aware
nationwide glad
occasional ill
supplementary likely
woolen ready
etc. safe
  sorry
  sure
  unable
  etc.

II. Position of adjectives:

1. before a noun: young woman.

2. after the verb BE, BECOME, SEEM, STAY:

Your ideas are interesting.

Books are becoming expensive.

She looks happy.

The weather wills stay dry.

3. with some verbs after the object: My sister keeps her room tidy.

4. the+adj.=Romanian noun in the plural: the young- tinerii

the rich=bogatii

the English=englezii

5. after a noun (certain phrases): the people present/knight errant/Court Martial/Poet Laureate
etc.

Order of adjectives placed before a noun:

determiner opinion size shape age color origin material purpose/ noun
type

at/the/two nice big round old blue French glass fruit bowl

III. Comparison of adjectives:

   Positive: Comparative: Superlative:
-er,-est Peter is tall. Peter is taller than Peter is the tallest in
-one syllable adj.   Jack. the group.
-two syllable adj. Pam is lucky. Pam is lukier than Pam is the luckiest
-ending in –y   Lori. girl I know.
more,the most This is difficult. This is more/less This is the most/
less,the least   difficult than I least difficult thing
-long adj. thought. to be done.

N.B. When comparing two items the COMPARATIVE is used:

e.g. Sam is twenty, while Jimmy is 13.

Sam is the older of the two.

Some long adjectives can be take either –er, -est or more, the most:

able common noble simple

clever narrow simple unkind

gentle handsome pleasant polite

e.g. commoner/more common, the commonest/the most common.

Irregular forms:

good-better-best bad-worse-worst little-less-least

far-farther-farthest ill-worse-worst much-more-most

further-furthest old-elder-eldest many-more-most

To show that a quality changes, use –er and –est/more and more/less and less: We are
luckier and luckier.

She is better and better.

They speak more and more fluently.

He is less and less stubborn.

IV. Adjective patterns:

Some adjectives are followed by certain prepositions.

 preposition: examples of adjectives:
about angry,annoyed,anxious,certain,confideny,excited,happy,pleased,
right,sorry,upset,nervous.
at amazed,angry,annoyed,bad,excellent,good,hopeless,lucky,skilled,
skilful,surprised,useless.
by amused,bored,impressed,shocked,surpised.
for famous,late,ready,sorry,responsible,suitable.
from absent,different,safe,tired.
in interested,involved.
on keen,reliant.
of afraid,ashamed,aware,capable,certain,confident,critical,envious,
fond,full,guilty,incapable,jealous,kind,nice,proud,scared,short,
stupid,sure,suspicious,terrified,tired,typical.
to accustomed,engaged,generous,inferior,kind,married,polite,
possible,rude,superior,similar.
towards friendly,patronizing.
with angry,annoyed,bored,busy,content,crowded,delighted,disappointed,
familiar,friendy,furiuos,happy,occupied,pleased,satisfied.

The ADJECTIVE

An Adjective is a word used to qualify a Noun or Pronoun or Noun-equivalent, for example, great,
conscientious, beautiful, high, much, many, righteous, etc.

The Use of Adjectives

1. An adjective used before a word (noun, etc.) is called an 'attributive use'

(a) Milton was a great poet.
(b) She is an intelligent girl.

2. An adjective used just after a word (noun, etc.) is called a 'predicative use'
(a) We were asleep that time.
(b) The princess was very beautiful.
(c) I found ten students absent from the class.
(d) They made me happy and contented.
(e) Is your father awake?

Kinds of Adjectives

1. Descriptive Adjectives: Adjectives of quality show the kind or quality of a person or thing. For example -
(a) India is a vast country.
(b) Harish Chandra was a truthful man.
(c) Kabir Dar was a great poet.
(d) The brave boy did not leave the burning deck.
(e) John is an industrious student.

2. Proper Adjectives: Adjectives formed from proper nouns are called proper adjectives. For example -
(a) The English people are my loyal to their duties.
(b) The Japanese people are great patriots.
(c) Most of the Indian people are fatalists.
(d) The Chinese language is very difficult.
(e) Some of the American people are my suspicious.
An American plane, a Chinese pilgrim, the Roman empire, the French army, the Russian culture, etc.

3. Numeral Adjectives: Adjectives of Numbers (Numeral Adjectives) show how many persons or things
are meant, or, in what order a person or thing stands. For example -
(a) There are seventeen hundred students in our college.
(b) Few Indians hate their culture.
(c) How many players were awarded for their best performance?
(d) No teachers were present in the meeting.
(e) The cat drank up all the milk in the pot.

Kinds of Numeral Adjectives

1. Definite Numeral Adjectives: These Adjective denote an exact number. They are of two kinds: -
(a) Cardinals: three, five, one, ten, six, eight, seventeen, thirty four, twenty seven, twenty five, etc.
(b) Ordinals: first, second, third, fifth, sixth, eighth, etc.

2. Indefinite Numeral Adjectives: These adjectives denote indefinite number without an exact number.

Pay Attention - A Roman Numeral take the same form in cardinal and ordinal numbers, I, V, X, L, XC, C,
etc. For example: -

1. Many men come; many men go.

2. All the boys of our college were shouting slogans with much zeal and happiness.
3. A few people took part in the procession.
4. Have you eaten any food?
5. They had no houses to live in.

All, no, many, few, some, any, certain, several, sundry, etc.

3. Distributive Numeral Adjectives: These adjectives refer to each one of a number. For example: -

1. Each student must take his turn.

2. Every boy, girl, man, and woman was enjoying the fine weather in the rainy season.
3. Neither side was safe.
4. Gandhiji wanted every Indian to do his duty honestly & efficiently.
5. Either book will solve my purpose.

4. Adjectives of Quantity: These adjectives denote (show) the quantity of a thing. Some adjectives many
be used as of quantity or number, according to their use. For example: -

Pay Attention - We have already studied Demonstrative Adjectives, Interrogative Adjectives, Distributive
Adjectives along with the pronoun. Study the following in this context: -

1. These grapes are very sweet.

2. Those mangoes in the basket are not worth eating.
3. What kind of man are you?
4. Whose car has been stolen from the park?
5. Which animal has tusks?

5. Emphasizing Adjectives: The adjectives which are used to emphasize the statement are called
emphasing adjectives. For example: -

1. I saw all this with my own eyes.

2. This is the very man who was disturbing the meeting.
3. This is the very toy my grandson wants to buy.
4. Mind your own business.
5. I am my own master.
6. Exclamatory Adjectives: The word 'what' is sometimes used as an exclamatory adjective. For example:
-

1. What a boy you are!

2. What folly!
3. What a lucky girl she is!
4. What an idea!
5. What a game!

Formation of Adjectives

A. Many Adjectives are formed from Nouns

Noun Adjective
Man Manly
Girl Girlish
Boy Boyish
Friend Friendly
Mother Motherly
Care Careful, Careless
Silk Silken
Gold Golden
Difficulty Difficult
Honesty Honest
Trouble Troublesome
Courage Courageous
Bravery Brave
Glory Glorious
Storm Stormy
Father Fatherly
Laugh Laughable
Dirt Dirty
Craze Crazy
Cream Creamy

B. Many Adjectives are formed from Verbs

Verb Adjective
Sustain Sustainable
Think Thinking (intelligent)
Tickle Ticklish
Tire Tireless
Talk Talkative
Cease Ceaseless
Move Moveable
Throw Throwaway
Work Workable
Watch Watchful
Understand Understandable
Forget Forgetful
Relate Related
Go Gait
Giggle Giggly
Arrogate Arrogant
Breathe Breathy
Breeze Breezy
 Beautify Beautiful
Fantasize Fantastic

C. Many Adjectives are formed from Other Adjectives

Adjective Adjective
Red Reddish
White Whitish
Tragic Tragical
Three Threefold
Black Blackish
Sick Sickly
Whole Wholesome
Green Greenish

Comparison of Adjectives

Positive Comparative Superlative

(Denoting the mere existence of (Denoting a higher degree of (Denoting the highest
some quality of what we speak the quality than the positive) degree of the quality)
about) (Two things or two persons or (More than two things or
two sets of anything) sets of things, persons)

1. By adding 'er' to form the Comparative and 'est' to form the Superlative.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Great Greater Greatest
Clever Cleverer Cleverest
Kind Kinder Kindest
Young Younger Youngest
Short Shorter Shortest
Tall Taller Tallest
Sweet Sweeter Sweetest
Deep Deeper Deepest
Old Older Oldest
Small Smaller Smallest

2. By adding 'r' to form the Comparative and 'st' to form the Superlative when the Positive ends in 'e'.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Brave Braver Bravest
Fine Finer Finest
Noble Nobler Noblest
Wise Wiser Wisest
Able Abler Ablest
Large Larger Largest

3. By changing 'y' into 'i' before adding 'er' and 'est' when the Positive ends in 'y' preceded by a
consonant.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Happy Happier Happiest
Healthy Healthier Healthiest
Early Earlier Earliest
Costly Costlier Costliest
Heavy Heavier Heaviest
4. When the positive is a word of one syllable and ends in a single consonant, preceded by a short vowel,
this consonant is doubled before adding 'er' and 'est'.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Sad Sadder Saddest
Thin Thinner Thinnest
Fat Fatter Fattest
Hot Hotter Hottest
Big Bigger Biggest

5. Adjective of more than two syllables form the Comparative and Superlative by putting 'more' and 'most'
before the Positive.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
Industrious more industrious most industrious
Careful more careful most careful
Courageous more courageous most courageous
Magnificent more magnificent most magnificent

6. Some adjectives take either 'er' and 'est' or 'more' and 'most'.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Polite Politer Politest
Polite more polite most polite
Common Commoner Commonest
Common more common most common
Gentle Gentler Gentlest
Gentle more gentle most gentle
Handsome Handsomer Handsomest
Handsome more handsome most handsome
Pleasant Pleasanter Pleasantest
Pleasant more pleasant most pleasant

7. Some adjectives are compared irregularly, that is, their Comparative and Superlative are not formed
from the Positive.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Little Less (Lesser) Least
Much More Most
Many More Most
Fore Former Foremost, First
Fore Further Furthest
Late Later, Latter Latest, Last

Rule 1 - Most of the adjectives are attributively used. For example -

1. Sardar Patel was a noble man.

2. The sky is overcast with thick clouds.
3. They are good and righteous boys.
4. You are my best friend.
5. The bomb blast caused heavy damage.

Rule 2 - Adjectives are predictively used -

A. When an adjective is subjective complement. For example -

1. India is richest in thorium.
2. She is beautiful and intelligent.
3. The dog went mad.
4. Most of the rivers run dry in summer.
5. The news came true but your guess went wrong.

B. When an adjective is objective complement. For example -

1. The child keeps its clothes dirty.

2. The student made the teacher angry.
3. I know her beautiful and wise.
4. She found her book lost. (Participle Complement)
5. The officer keeps his office neat and clean.

Clarification -

1. The washer man keeps dirty clothes.

2. The boy keeps his clothes dirty.

The first sentence shows that the washer man has clothes, which are already dirty. But the second
sentence shows that the boy makes his cloths dirty.

Some more examples -

1. Electricity keeps our houses cool in summer.

2. We elected Krishna Chairman (Noun Complement)
3. They think you great.
4. I judged Sita honest and sincere.

C. Such adjectives - well, asleep, awake, ill. For example -

1. She has been ill for the last two days.

2. Are you well this time?
3. I found the children asleep in the classroom.
4. Most of the devotees are awake during 'Nav Ratri'.
5. Keep the patient awake for, at least, half an hour.

D. When more than two adjectives qualify the same noun or noun-equivalent. For example -

1. God loves all things - seen and unseen, rich and poor, great and small, visible and invisible.
2. Mahatma Gandhi was a man - noble, honest, great, sincere and brave.

Rule 3 - The adjectives 'worth-seeing', worth-nothing, nobody, noone, something, anything, everything',
are predicatively used. For example -

1. There must be something wrong with you.

2. The Taj Mahal is a building worth seeing.
3. The story you told me was worth hearing.
4. The scenery is worth-watching.
5. We found everything good, attractive and beautiful at the Bhavan. (Vashnav Devi)

Rule 4 - Adjectives qualify nouns, pronouns, or noun-equivalent only; the use of adverbs in place of
adjectives is incorrect. For example -

Clarification -

1. My friend acted nobler than I. (Incorrect)

2. My friend is nobler than I am. (Correct)
In the first sentence, 'nobler' modifies the verb 'acted', while the 'nobler' is adjective. The sentence is
incorrect. In the second sentence, 'the nobler' qualifies 'my friend' (a noun), the sentence is correct.

1. My friend acted more nobly than I. (Correct)

2. He was so coward that he left his village. ('So' is an adverb, 'coward' is a noun, so the sentence is
Incorrect)
3. He was so cowardly (adjective) that he left his village. (Correct)

Rule 5 - The adjective is correctly used with a verb when some quality of the subject rather than of the
action of the verb, is to be expressed. For example -

1. You look very smart.

2. I feel thirsty and hungry.
3. The mangoes look fresh but taste sour.
4. The flowers in the vases smell sweet.
5. The teacher looks angry.

Study the following sentences -

1. The officer spoke to the clerk angrily. (Adverb)

2. The officer looked angry. (Adjective)
3. The man looks cold. (Adjective)
4. The students began to look coldly upon their teacher. (Adverb)
5. We feel warmly on the subject. (Adverb)
6. We feel warm. (Adjective)

Pay Attention - In the sentences 1, 4, 5, the adverbs 'angrily, coldly, warmly' modify the verbs 'spoke,
look, feel' respectively as the action of the verb in these sentences is clear; while in the sentences 2, 3, 6,
the adjectives 'angry, cold, warm', are related to the noun / pronoun rather than to the verbs.

Rule 6 - When there is no comparison, the adjective is used only in the positive degree. For example -

1. Nehruji was a great leader of our country.

2. We were eager to know the result.
3. If we are not aspirant, we can learn nothing.
4. They are more famous leaders. (Incorrect)
5. They are famous leaders. (Correct)
6. How much money do you spend a day?

Rule 7 - A comparative degree is used when two objectives, two persons or two sets are compared with
each other. For example -

1. Gandhiji was greater than Sardar Patel.

2. Renuka is more beautiful than her sister.
3. The streets of Mumbai are wider than those of Calcutta.
4. Your house is better and more attractive than mine.
5. Girls are more diligent than boys.

Rule 8 - When an object or a person is compared with other objects or persons, 'than' must be followed
by 'any other' or 'most other' as the sentence requires. For example -

1. Subhash Chandra Bose was greater than most other leaders of our country. (He was one of the
greatest leaders.)
2. Gandhiji was greater than any other leaders of our country. (He was the greatest leader.)
3. She is more beautiful than any other girl (girls) of our college.

4. John Keats was not greater than any other poet (poets) of England.
5. Iron is more useful than any other metal.
6. The Taj Mahal is more beautiful than all other monuments.
Rule 9 - When two qualities of the same person or thing are compared, the comparative 'er' is not used.
For example -

1. Ramesh is braver and wise. (Incorrect)

2. Ramesh is more brave than wise. (Correct)
3. She is more courageous than beautiful. (Correct)
4. My friend is more wise than studious.
5. Gold is more costly than useful.
6. Iron is not more cheap than useful.

Rule 10 - 'Interior, exterior, major, minor, former, latter, upper, inner, outer', are in the comparative
degree, but they are used as a positive degree. They are not followed by 'than'. For example -

1. The boy received a minor injury.

2. I have almost finished the major portion of my work.
3. The upper story of my building needs renovation.
4. The outer wall of my house is to be whitewashed.
5. The inner rooms of your house remain neat & clean.
6. The exterior features of a few buildings look grand and attractive.

Rule 11 - The adjectives, 'superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior', take 'to' instead of
'than'. For example -

1. Mohan is superior to me.

2. Gandhiji died prior to Nehruji.
3. She was junior to her husband in the office.
4. She is senior to all of us.
5. All the teachers in our college are junior to me.

Rule 12 - To emphasize the statement in the sentence, the adjective preceded by 'the' is predicatively
used. For example -

1. We must pray to God, the Almighty.

2. Harish Chandra, the truthful, sold his wife and son for his truthfulness.
3. Porus, the great, fought for India bravely.
4. Alexander, the great, could understand the meaning of 'life' at the time of his death.

In some phrases, adjectives are predicatively used, as - Time immemorial, point-blank, words-sublime, an
heir-apparent, etc.

Rule 13 - Some adjectives do not take comparative or superlative degrees because their meaning is
already superlative. These are 'round, perfect, unique, chief, complete, extreme, external, ideal, entire,
empty, universal, square, full, impossible', etc. For example -

1. It is impossible to reach the sun.

2. He is the chief officer in the department.
3. The glass is full of milk.
4. The bucket is empty, please fill it.
5. It was a unique miracle that took place in the temple.

Pay Attention -

1. To the fullest and the best of my knowledge, every entry in the bill is correct.
2. We should make the fullest and the best utilization of time.
3. This is the most perfect specimen I have ever seen.

Rule 14 - Comparison of three or more persons / things is expressed by the superlative degree with 'the /
in / of'. It is never followed by 'than'. For example -
1. The Taj Mahal is the most beautiful building in the world.
2. Kalidas is the greatest poet of India.
3. Of all students, Ramesh is the most intelligent.
4. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
5. Of her three daughters, the youngest is very intelligent and wise.

Rule 15 - By not using 'than', comparison is also expressed by 'as-as, so-as, in comparison to'. For
example -

1. He is as rich as his friend.

2. No other dramatist was so great as Shakespear.
3. Your son is not so dull as you think.
4. Your expression is clear and meaningful in comparison to your father's.
5. Very few leaders were as honest as Lal Bahdur Shastri was.

Rule 16 - Double comparatives and superlatives should not be used. For example -

1a. You are the most cleverest boy of the class. (Incorrect)
1b. You are the cleverest boy of the class. (Correct)
2a. We can enjoy our life in a village more rather than in a city. (Incorrect)
2b. We can enjoy our life in a village rather than in a city. (Correct)
3a. Your car is more costlier than mine. (Incorrect)
3b. Your car is costlier than mine. (Correct)
4a. You are later rather than any other students of yours class. (Incorrect)
4b. You are later than any other student of your class. (Correct)

Rule 17 - 'Prefer' (verb) and 'Preferable' (adjective) have the force of comparative and are followed by 'to';
no other comparative word is used with these two words. For example -

1a. I prefer studying more than playing. (Incorrect)

1b. I prefer studying to playing. (Correct)
2. Milk is preferable to any other drink.
3. Some children prefer tea to milk.
4. The stories regarding moral teachings are preferable.

Rule 18 - 'None other' is followed by 'than' in emphatic sentences. For example -

1. The new arrival was none other than the Prime Minister.
2. The thing is none other than milk the child needs.
3. The thief was none other than your neighbour.
4. The boy was none other than John who was disturbing the class.

Rule 19 - An adjective in the superlative degree normally takes 'the' before it. In some expressions, the
superlative is followed by a clause in the perfect tense. For example –

This is the best example I have ever heard.

2. Mumbai is the best seaport of India.
3. It was the worst accident I have ever seen.
4. The novel 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy is the best novel I have ever read.
5. You are the kindest man I have ever met.

Rule 20 - In comparing two things or classes of things, the comparative is used. For example -

1. Of her two children, the younger is more intelligent.

2. Which is the cheaper of the two?
3. Of Mumbai and New Delhi, the former is bigger.
4. She is more conning than her mother.
5. Of iron and copper, the former is more useful.
Rule 21 - 'Older' and 'oldest' are used for persons or things while 'elder' and 'eldest' are confined to the
members of the same family. 'Older' is followed by 'than', while 'elder' is followed by 'to'. For example -

1. Suresh is the oldest student of the college.

2. She is older than her colleague.
3. Gita is elder to her brother.
4. Of her three sisters, Rita is the eldest one.
5. My sister was elder to me.
6. My grand father was the oldest member of the family.

Rule 22 - 'Few' (fewer-fewest) is numeral adjective. It is used for countable nouns only with articles, this
word has different meanings. For example -

(i) 'Few' is negative and equivalent to hardly any.

(ii) A few (some).
(iii) The few (not many, but whoever or whichever there is, it is followed by an adjective clause).

1. Few women keep secret.

2. There were not fewer than one thousand employees who took part in the procession.
3. A few students attended the meeting.
4. The few students who had come to college left for home as it was raining.
5. Few Indians hate their culture.
6. I am happy as I have a few friends.
7. My friends Rakesh has few friends and so he is not very happy.

Rule 23 - 'Little' (less / lesser / least) is an adjective of quantity. It is used for uncountable nouns only.
With 'articles, this word has different meanings.

Pay Attention -

1. 'Little' - 'not much'

2. 'A little' - 'some'
3. The little - 'the small amount' whatever it is followed by an adjective clause.

For example -

1. A little care would have prevented the accident.

2. The poor man lost the little he had.
3. I had a little difficulty in finding your house.
4. There is little hope of his recovery. (almost no hope)
5. No less than ten quintals of wheat was distributed to the poor.

Rule 24 - 'Many' (more / most) is a countable noun and is used in the plural. The phrase 'many a' is used
in the singular. For example -

1. Many a boy was playing under the people tree.

2. I have been here many a time.
3. Most of the leaders sacrificed their all for the freedom of the country. (Pronoun)
4. How many of them were absent from the meeting? (Pronoun)
5. Many people were arrested in connection milk agitation.

Rule 25 - 'Much' (more / most) is an uncountable noun and is used in the singular. For example -

1. There is not much food in the house.

2. Did you have much difficulty in finding my house?
3. How much time do you devote to your studies?
4. You have wasted much time so far?
5. Much has been said about 'life' but 'little' has been known to us. (as nouns)
Rule 26 - 'Less' in itself is a comparative degree. It is used as an adjective, noun adverb and preposition.
It shows 'quantity, amount & degree'. 'Lesser' means 'not so great as other' and is attributively used only.
For example -

1. I have less money than you. (Adjective)

2. Eat less, drink less, and sleep more. (Adverb)
3. Tom is less clever than his brother. (Adverb)
4. I won't sell it for less than ten rupees. (Noun)
5. I take less butter and fewer eggs for my breakfast. (Adjective)
6. Choose the lesser evil.

Rule 27 - 'Some, any, all, enough, half, sufficient, no, more, most, a lot of, plenty of' are adjectives of
quantity and number. These are used in the singular and in the plural. For example -

1. Some boys came to me and requested me to teach them.

2. He did not give me any food.
3. Would you give me some milk?
4. Gandhiji brought enough changes in our country.
5. I saw a lot of persons going towards parliament.
6. A lot of wheat has been imported this year.
7. There are plenty of problems in our country.
8. You have plenty of time for the preparations for the exam.
9. There is enough food for all the guests.
10. Most of the wheat was imported in the past.
11. Most of the boys avoid studying hard.

Rule 28 - 'Some' is used in the affirmative, it (some) is used in the interrogative sentences when the
answer is positive. 'Any' is used in the negative and interrogative sentences and is never preceded by any
adverb of negation (not, never, etc.). For example -

Rule 29 - 'Farther' (adjective & adverb) means 'more distant' or 'advanced' and is used in this sense.
'Further' (adverb & adjective) means 'beyond' or 'additional' and should be used in this sense. For
example -

1. You always speak of farther places. (Wrong, farther is not used as an adjective in the positive degree.
Say, distant places)
2. Calcutta is farther than Delhi from Pantnagar.
3. He made no further comments.
4. We can't proceed any farther without a rest.
5. We must collect further news.
6. The leader, after a pause, said further.

Rule 30 - When more than one adjective qualify the same thing or person, the same degree of the
adjectives is used. For example -

1a. She is the most beautiful and wise girl of the college. (Correct)
1b. She is the most beautiful and wisest girl of the college.
2. He is stronger and cleverer than his brother.
3. Gandhiji was the boldest and most truthful man of his time.
4. This is one of the best and most powerful machines that have ever been.
5. The roads that lead to New Delhi is widest and safest.

Rule 31 - Later and latest (adjective, adverb) refer to time, latter and last (adjective / adverb) refer to
position. For example -

1. Of rice, wheat and gram, the last (gram) is very nutritious.

2. The Tempest is the last play of Shakespeare.
3. Always read the latest magazine.
4. Of Rama and Shyama, the latter is my friend.
5. Rama came to college later than Mohan.
6. Boys and girls run after the latest fashion.

Rule 32 - 'Nearer-nearest' refer to distance while 'next' refers to position. For example -

1. When will the next general election take place?

2. What comes next, no body knows?
3. Mumbai is the sea-post nearest to Europe.
4. She is my nearest relative.
5. Our college is nearer than the post office, from my residence.

Rule 33 - An adjective preceded by the definite article 'the' becomes a substitute noun and is used in the
plural. For example -

1. The virtuous prosper, while the wicked suffer.

2. It is the world where the rich hate the poor.
3. The cautious are not always cowards.
4. He is a lover of the beautiful. (Beauty in general)
5. The future is known to us. (It denotes abstract quality)

Rule 34 - A proper adjective is used as a noun also. Then, it is used in the singular and plural. For
example -

1. We Indians have patience in any field of life and the result is that we sometimes have to pay a big price
for it.
2. The Europeans are very punctual and careful in their day-to-day life.
American - Americans
Italian - Italians
Russian - Russians
3. Are you an English?
4. She was a Russian.

Rule 35 - Some adjectives are used as nouns and so they are always in the plural, as -

Mortal - Mortals
Juniors, seniors, ravages, minors, majors, elders, nobles, inferiors, liquids, totals, secrets, etc. For
example -

1. The minors should be treated with love and affection.

2. The thief made off with the valuables from the officer's house.
3. We should give due respect to our elders.
4. Some ladies hardly keep secrets.
5. It is the savages who disturb our civilization.

Rule 36 - Some adjectives in phrases are used as nouns, these are - in future, in general, in short, in
secret, before long, etc. For example -

1. No body knows what will happen in future.

2. Please give your statement in black and white.
3. He told me his problems in short.

4. Some people are in the habit of keeping anything in secret.

5. I have experienced my life through thick and thin.
6. It is known to us.
7. Past is past, so don't repent for it.

Rule 37 - The adjectives qualifying as noun should be used in order and an article should be placed
before the first adjective only. For example -
1a. A dirty, ugly and old woman is sitting there. (Incorrect)
1b. An old, ugly and dirty woman is sitting there. (Correct)
2a. This is a cheap, well-printed English book. (Incorrect)
2b. This is an English well-printed cheap book. (Correct)
3a. We should give much importance to a courageous, wise and old man. (Incorrect)
3b. We should give much importance to an old, wise and courageous man. (Correct)

Rule 38 - The phrases 'the whole, both the, the first two, all the', should be expressed carefully, otherwise
they give absurd meanings. For example -

1. Your father visited the college both the days.

2. All the students were enjoying themselves in the garden.
3. The first two chapters of the novel are very interesting.
4. The lion ate the whole deer.
5. Both the boys were against me. (Both is not used in the negative)

1a. Both of them did not accompany me to the theatre. (Incorrect)

1b. Neither of them accompanied me to the theatre. (Correct)

Rule 39 - 'Whole' is used after a noun also. Then 'whole' and 'both, first', all are used without articles.
Study the sentences 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 -

1. The cock was roasted whole.

2. He swallowed the plume whole.
3. I waited for her a whole half an hour.
4. These children play all day long.
5. Both Rama and Shyama are very clever.
6. First I took my bath, then, my breakfast.
7. I did not see him the whole evening.

Rule 40 - When some word or phrases are joined to the adjective to explain its meaning, the adjective is
placed after its noun. For example -

1. The students, irregular in the class, will be penalized.

2. The boy, more punctual than any other boy of the college, will be awarded during the annual function.
3. I would like to consult the doctors concerned with the case.
4. A young man, taller than any other of his fellows, came forward and helped the people wounded in the
accident.
5. I met my friend, eager to know my problems.

Rule 41 - The plural forms 'these' and 'those' are often used with the singular nouns 'kind' and 'sort'. For
example -

1. Those kind of mangoes do not taste sweets.

2. These sort of things often trouble us.
3. Mangoes of that kind do not taste sweet.
4. Things of this sort often trouble us.

Rule 42 - The use of 'this' and 'that' with a noun is in the singular, the use of 'these' and 'those' is in the
plural. For example -

1. Those houses belong to a businessman.

2. This boy is gentle but that boy is naughty.
3. We should never accompany the people of that sort. (Correct)
4. I am very fond of flowers of this kind.

Rule 43 - The word 'oral' means 'not written' and the word 'verbal' means 'in words'. For example -
1. The boy failed in both oral and written test.
2. Please send a verbal message to your father.
3. There are only a few verbal differences between the two statements.

4. The policeman took a verbal statement from the criminal.

5. An oral exam was held in the class.

Rule 44 - The participles, which are verbal adjectives, are used as nouns. For example -

1. I have been fed-up with your doings.

2. My friend came to my house with all his belongings.
3. Let bygones, be bygones.
4. Do you have cuttings from the newspapers?
5. Killings must stop.

Rule 45 - In expressing a comparison, if two nouns refer to the same person or thing, the article is used
before the first noun only. For example -

1. He was a better leader than man.

2. She is a greater lady than wife.
3. The student is a better thinker than orator.
4. Shakespeare was a greater dramatist than poet.
5. He is a better scientist than teacher.

Rule 46 - If two nouns refer to different persons or things, the article must be used with each noun. For
example -

1. He was a better writer than a philosopher.

2. She is a better doctor than a lecturer.

Exercise No. 11

Correct the following sentences: -

1. None but brave deserves the praise.

2. Lucknow is the farthest than Sitapur from Barielly.
3. We do not consume fewer than ten kgs of sugar in a month.
4. No less than twenty students failed in a class of fifth.
5. Of his four sons, the younger is very wise.
6. The chiefest guest was Duncan in the function arranged by Macbeth, which was over ambitions.
7. The four first chapters of the book you are reading are boring.
8. Sweet is the uses of adversity. (the 'verb' agrees with its subject, i.e., the uses of)
9. The villages of India are not more prosperous than England.
10. Emperor Akbar was greater than any emperor of India during the Mogul period.
11. Every man, woman and children were trying to escape the devastating earthquake.
12. Neither available books in the library are worth-reading.
13. Would you give me any help, please?
14. Both of them were not present in the meeting.
15. Have you visited some historical buildings?
16. We never associated with those sorts of boys.
17. The Taj Mahal is the finest and attractive monument in the world, which was built by Shah Jahan.
18. People must not throw stones who lives in glass house.
19. Whom do you consider is the best player of your college?
20. Rama and his dog who came into my office was turned out.
21. I have hardly seen such man who is so self-centered.
22. Of the leaders sitting on the dais, who is your father?
23. It is the most unique example, which you have given.
24. Vimla looks nicely in her new saree. She looks nice at the new saree of her neighbour. (Mark the use
of nice/nicely in the sentence and correct them).
25. The apples in the basket look freshly and beautifully but they taste sourly.