UNIT 3: ADJECTIVES

1. Position and function of adjectives

- Comes before noun and describes the noun in different ways, eg: a tall boy, an angry man,
a beautiful flower
Ex: We are seeking……………individuals to participate in those outdoor activities
A. Interest B. interested C. interestingly
- When modifying indefinite pronouns as Something, anything, nothing…, adjectives come
after the pronoun they modify
Ex: We need to think of something special in order to attract customers
- Comes after “be”
Ex: The company‘s profit were………………enough to attract potential investor
A. Impressive B. impression C. impress
- Comes after linking verbs
These verbs are used in the same position as “be”
Verbs: get; become; remain; seem; look; sound; stay
Ex: Workers will become accustomed to operating the machine.
- Used as an object complement after such verbs as “make; keep; find”
Ex: His speech made the audience encouraged
I find music impressive

2. Commonly used adjective suffixes

-able Capable employee

-ible Eligible participants
-ic Economic growth
-ed Detailed information
-ing Interesting film
-less Hopeless project
-ful Successful candidate
-ent Current position
-ous Various benefits
-ial Potential customers
-ory Compulsory registration
-ish Selfish person
-ly Timely manner
-ate moderate
-ive Competitive price

3. Confusable adjectives
- Adjectives that look like adverbs
Note that some adjectives are formed by adding-ly to nouns and some adverbs are formed by
adding –ly to adjectives

Daily timely weekly orderly

Monthly costly quarterly lively
Yearly lonely friendly elderly
Lovely deadly silly

- Adjectives confusable in meanings

Appreciable Industrial
Appreciative Industrious
Beneficent Memorable
Beneficial Memorial
Classic Momentary
 classical Momentous
Continual Responsible
Continuous Responsive
Considerable Sensitive
Considerate Sensible
Economic Respectful
Economical Respective
Healthy Successive
Healthful Successful
Ex:
1. Job seekers spend…………..time writing their résumé’s and cover letter.
A. Consider C. considerate
B. Considerable D. consideration

2. We are…………..of your doing business with us.

A. Appreciable C. appreciate
B. Appreciate D. appreciating

4. Adjectives of quantity
- Adjectives of quantity come before nouns and show their quantity and number. Nouns are divided
into countable nouns, so adjectives of quantity are also divided into (1) those used only with countable
nouns, (2) those used only with uncountable nouns, and (3) those used with both (1) and (2).
One Two, three…
Each + singular noun Both
every A few + plural noun
Modifying countable nouns Few
Several
Many

A little/ little
Modifying uncountable nouns Much
A great deal/ a large amount of
Not any/ no
Some/ any
A lot of / lots of + countable/uncountable noun
Modifying both
Plenty of
Most
All

- Uncountable nouns commonly used in TOEIC

Clothing funding housing seating
Luggage baggage merchandise equipment
Furniture information advice permission
Research cash money change
Work evidence

Exercise:
Directions: Mark the choice that best complete the sentences

1. This ticket remains…………..for three months

A. Effective C. effect
B. Effectively D. effectual
2. The nuclear power plant will not become…………..until all the safety equipment has been
thoroughly tested.
 A. Operate C. operation
B. Operational D. Operative
3. The warranty doesn’t cover damage caused by …………..maintenance
A. Improper C. improperly
B. Property D. properly
4. Surprisingly, the General Manager’s…………..occupation was serving in the military.
A. Former C. formerly
B. Formal D. formality
5. We are pleased to recommend Elizabeth because she is………….and diligent
A. Reliable C. reliant
B. Reliably D. rely
6. Supervisors should take notice of the ………….merits of each employee.
A. Respective C. respectful
B. Respectable D. respect
7. If the directions are strictly …………., you won’t have any trouble operating the machine
A. Follow C. follows
B. Following D. followed
8. Electronic emissions are………….of causing damage to the health of young children and older
adults
A. Liable C. potential
B. Capable D. possible
9. The ………….of the book depends on when the editing process is complete
A. Complete C. completed
B. Completely D. completion
10. Did you know that in Western culture it can be considered ………….to stare at somebody?
A. Assertive C. silly
B. Rude D. funny
11. I still think that giving a presentation in front of many strangers is ………….
A. Energetic C. scary
B. Tepid D. famous
12. It was not ………….to wear a T-shirt and jeans to the boss’s retirement party.
A. Restful C. exciting
B. Appropriate D. friendly
13. If we don’t meet those deadlines, we’re going to be in ………….trouble.
A. Heavy C. large
B. Big D. great
14. Helen’s typing, shorthand and filing skills are simply ………….
A. Amazing C. novel
B. Outraged D. encouraging
15. My sales figures this quarter are much ………….than they’ve been for a long time.
A. Grander C. higher
B. Upper D. larger
16. I hope the company has enough money to pay for these ………….renovations
A. Needy C. likely
B. Late D. costly
17. All staff members are………….for the accuracy of their time cards
A. Account C. accountable
B. Accountant D. accountability
18. Everybody who works here has his/her ………….parking space in the garage
A. Own C. owe
B. Owner D. owing
19. Some people say the ………….power in this company lies with the boss’s brother.
A. Reality C. really
B. Realism D. real
 20. We are all glad that the new CEO is a very ………….leader.
A. Progressive C. progression
B. Progress D. progressive
21. It is so nice that your assistant is such a ………….person
A. Friend C. friendly
B. Friendliness D. friendship
22. The new line of cleaning products is still in the ………….stage of development
A. Experimenter C. experimentation
B. Experiment D. experimental
23. The loyalty she has from her staff is ………….of what a good manager she is
A. Indicate C. indicator
B. Indicative D. indication
24. Before you go abroad, make sure you have a ………….passport
A. Validity B. validation C. validate D. valid

Vocabulary
A. Frequently used ADJ in TOEIC

1. Additional thêm, bổ sung add (v); addition (n)

Additional funds
2. Limited hạn chế limit (v); limitation (n)
Limited numbers
3. Defective có lỗi defect (n)
Defective merchandise
4. Promising đầy hứa hẹn promise (v/n)
Promising candidates
5. Convenient thuận tiện convenience (n)
Convenient access
6. Available có sẵn availability (n)
Available resource
7. Valuable quý giá, quan trọng value (n)
A valuable member
8. Close sâu sát, kĩ lưỡng closely (adv)
Close examination
9. Likely có khả năng
Likely to succeed
10. Authorized được chấp thuận, ủy quyền authorize (v)
Authorized representatives Authority (n)
11. Impressive ấn tượng, hoành tráng impressed (adj)
Impressive product
12. Favorable thuận lợi favorite (a)
Favorable terms
13. Reliable đáng tin cậy reliant (adj)
Reliable investor

B. Exercises
1. Employees are the most (valuable/upcoming) asset in our company
2. We guarantee a full refund for any (prior/defective) items.
3. There is a need to hire (additional/ comprehensive) programmers to finish the project on time.
4. Ms Weiss is one of the most (promising/similar) members in the marketing team.
5. Technological advances are (likely/positive) to help improve staff productivity
6. To better serve our customers, we run more than 100 (authorized/ specific) services centre
7. Shuttle services to the airport will be (sincere/ available) starting from next Monday.
8. Because of its (convenient/ temporary) location, the hotel attracts a lot of business travelers
9. To run the assembly line more effectively, (close/ accessible) supervision is recommended
10. Items on sales are (limited/ necessary), so you should take quick action.