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形容词的组成 Forming adjectives

Typical adjective endings 形容词的结尾形式：

Some adjectives can be identified by their endings. Typical adjective endings include:

一些单词，通过结尾可以判断是形容词。比如下面这些结尾：

1. -able/-ible understandable, capable, readable, incredible
2. -al mathematical, functional, influential, chemical
3. -ful beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful
4. -ic artistic, manic, rustic, terrific
5. -ive submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive
6. -less sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless
7. -ous gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous

 

Sometimes when adding these endings changes have to be made. Here are some rules for forming adjectives and their exceptions:

Add	Exceptions	Word	Adjective
-al	If ending with an ‘e‘, drop it	Nature Function	Natural Functional
-y	If ending with an ‘e‘, drop it	Ice Oil	Icy Oily
-ful	If ending with a ‘y‘, replace with an ‘i‘	Beauty Peace	Beautiful Peaceful
-ous/-ious	If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it	Mystery Danger	Mysterious Dangerous
-ic	If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it	History Rust	Historic Rustic

 

Forming adjectives from nouns and verbs

Adjectives can be formed from different words. They can be formed from nouns:

Noun	Adjective
accident	accidental
danger	dangerous
length	long
star	starry
wind	windy

From verbs:

Verb	Adjective
enjoy	enjoyable
help	helpful
obey	obedient
play	playful
talk	talkative

Or even from other adjectives:

Adjective	Adjective
comic	comical
correct	corrective
elder	elderly
red	reddish
sick	sickly

Examples of forming adjectives

 

1. Our house color is a kind of yellow. → We live in a yellowish house.
2. He often acts like a child. → He often acts in a childish way.
3. The event was a big success. → We enjoyed a successful event.
4. We enjoyed the sound of the drum’s rhythm. → We enjoyed the drum’s rhythmic sound.
5. She adopted a dog without a home. → She adopted a homeless dog.
6. Look out, that plant is poison. → Look out for that poisonous plant.
7. It looks like it will rain today. → It looks like we’ll have rainy weather today.
8. She always acts with courtesy. → She always behaves in a courteous manner.
9. Her hair is pretty. → She has the prettiest hair.
10. We go for a walk each day. → We go for a daily walk.

 

Forming adjectives exercises

1. Choose the adjective from each of the following groups of words:

1. inventive, invent, invented
2. curiosity, curious, curiousive
3. proliferate, prolific, proud

Answers: A – inventive B – curious C – prolific

 

2. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

1. smell
2. chill
3. width

Answers: A – smelly B – chilly C – wide

 

3. Form adjectives from the following verbs:

1. interested
2. amazed
3. annoyed

Answers: A – interesting B – amazing C – annoying

4. Form adjectives from the following verbs. Some words may be formed into more than one adjective:

1. escape
2. improve
3. damage

Answers: A – escaped, escaping B – improved, improving C – damaged, damaging

 

5. Form longer adjectives from the following adjectives. Some words may be formed into more than one adjective:

1. funny
2. incorrect
3. blue

Answers: A – funnier, funniest B – incorrectly C – bluest, bluer, blueish

 

6. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

1. magic
2. fool
3. lady

Answers: A – magical B – foolish C – ladylike

 

7. Form two adjectives from each of the following nouns:

1. life
2. power
3. friend

Answers: A – lifelike, lifeless B – powerful, powerless C – friendly, friendless

 

8. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

1. cost
2. war
3. month

Answers: A – costly B – warlike C – monthly

 

9. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

1. poison
2. courtesy
3. mystery

Answers: A – poisonous B – courteous C – mysterious

 

10. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

1. athlete
2. photograph
3. science

Answers: A – athletic B – photographic C – scientific

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