Grammar-Quizzes › Noun Phrases › Modifiers to Nouns › Adjectives
Adjectives
Summary of Practices
Adj / Modifier Diagnostic: identify specific English grammar points that need review:
This is a grammar diagnostic page with study links.
Quiz 1: beginning–intermediate
Quiz 2: intermediate–advanced
An Adjective: recognize how it can function in a clause
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – Recognize
Practice 2 – Identify
Red leaves are falling. (attributive)
We saw something red. (post-position!)
The leaves are red. (predicative)
Fall turns the leaves red. (predicative)
Adjective Suffixes: make adjectives from other word forms
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Adj from Verbs– able, -ant, -ive, -ing, -ed
Similar but Different– tasty vs. tasteful
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – read and edit
Also see Word Forms.
It was a spectacle.
It was spectacular.
It was a spectacular sky.
It was an awesome / awful sight.
It was an historic / historical night.
Adjective Order: arrange modifiers into natural sounding word order
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Descriptive Groups – opinion, appearance, age, etc.
Adjectives for "Appearance" – variations
Modifiers of Description vs. Purpose
Modifiers with Unbreakable Words
Modifiers as Predicate Complements
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – read and edit
I drew a pretty, little, purple-and-pink paisley pussycat.
Negative Word Forms: express absence, doubt, denial, prohibition and more (negative word forms)
Beginning – Advanced ESL, native speakers
Negativity Expressed in Noun Phrases
Similar but Different Negatives
Practice 1 – identify the word form (MC)
Practice 2 – contrast word forms (MC)
No one / Not anyone has parked illegally.
His inability / disability was clear to us.
He was unsatisfied / dissatisfied.
Do not park there! We do not park there.
He would park there, wouldn't he?
We asked him not to park there.
I doubt that he *never / ever helps.
He is neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
His no nonsense approach to life is refreshing. (expression)
Be + Adj Complement: express qualities and characteristics
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Specifying vs. Ascriptive "be"
Practice 1 – complete paragraph
Practice 2 – identify verb
Practice 3 – edit paragraph
He is tired.
He seems tired.
He appears tired.
(No action involved.)
Resultative Adjectives: indicate the resulting state of an action taken (verbal and/or object complement)
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Resulting States – post-modifiers to object nouns
Verbs that Accept Resultative Modifiers
Want/Find (desire vs. encounter)
Have/ Get/ Make (service)
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – read and edit
Larry washed the car clean.
Larry wiped the car dry.
Larry pushed the door open.
She made / got her car clean. (self labor)
She wanted / had / got her car cleaned. (service)
She wants her car clean. (preferred state)
She found her car clean. (unexpected state)
Modifiers to Adj: express how much or to what degree
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Number-Noun & Adverb Modifiers
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
Practice 3 – multiple choice
Related pages: Adverbs of Manner, Adverbs of Degree
The basketball player is nine feet tall. (plural)
He can place a ball in a basket ball hoop ten feet high.
He sleeps in a bed that is nine and a half feet long.
He is extremely tall.
Number-Noun Modifiers: combine a number and noun to form a modifier
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
The ladder had five steps.
It was a five-step ladder.
There are a million uses for WD-40. (spelled out)
Noun Modifiers: modify a noun with a noun
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Its a chair for an office.
It's an office chair. (singular)
It is a sports car. (a rare plural modifier)
Adverbs for Degree: express intensity (how much?)
(Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
He talks excessively. (verb)
He talks extremely fast. (Adv)
He is rather talkative. (Adj)
He literally doesn't stop talking. (adv. degree)
He translated the text literally. (adv. manner)
Adjective w/ Prep: modify the modifier
Int–Advanced ESL
Jason is anxious about his future.
He would like to be independent of his parents.
He is good at many things.
He is optimistic about his future.
Participles as Modifiers 1: contrast the receiver with the source of the experience
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
The act was entertaining. (present participle)
We were entertained. (past participle)
It was an entertaining act.
The highly entertained audience sat silently.
Participles as Modifiers 2: contrast an on-going process with a completed state
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Ongoing -ing/ Completed -ed Adj.
Practice – complete the sentence
a roasting chicken — still cooking!
a roasted chicken — done!
A recently spotted owl was making a nest. (seen)
A spotted owl nests in spring. (natural appearance)
A sleeping dog should not be awakened. (ongoing)
A sleeping bag is required for camping. (function)
Word Forms: noun, verb, adjective, adverb (Which form came first?)
Beginning – Advanced ESL, native speakers
Practice 1 – identify the word form (MC)
Practice 2 – correct the word form
Practice 3 – edit sentences
The singer had imagination.
He imagined.
His writing was imaginative.
He used words imaginatively.
The singer sang about social revolution.
He revolted.
*His writing was revolting.
*He used words revoltingly.
Adjective Clauses ⇒ See Relative Clauses.