Adjectives

Adverbs

Questions

Grammatical function

Irregular adverb formation

Some intransitive verbs followed by a predicative adjective

Examples of predicative adjectives

Examples of nominalised adjectives

A reminder:

'Nominalised' adjectives

Formation of comparatives

1. Adjectives with one syllable or two syllables ending in -y usually form their comparative by adding the suffix -er to the adjective stem. 

eg prettier, smaller, taller (-y >> -ier)

2. Adjectives ending in -ful or -ing and those with more than two syllables, and adverbs which end in -ly form the comparative by using the word more in front.

eg more damaging, more harmful

3. The preposition than is used to precede the thing that is being compared.

eg John is more interested than Peter.

Formation of superlatives

1. Adjectives with one syllable or two syllables ending in -y usually form their comparative by adding the suffix -est to the adjective stem. 

eg prettiest, smallest, tallest (-y >> -ier)

2. Adjectives ending in -ful or -ing and those with more than two syllables, and adverbs which end in -ly form the comparative by using the word most in front.

eg most damaging, most harmful

3. The use of the definite article the is particularly common with the suprlative form, emphasizing the top or extreme quality of something.

eg He is really the smartest student (in the class).

Expressing age

Ö He is 17 years old.

We can also just say the number when it refers to years:

Ö He is only 17.

But not:

û He is only 17 years.

Do not use the verb have in English to express age, but we can use age as a passive verb.

û He has 17 years old.

Ö The thief was aged about 17.

With reference to people, to age means to grow or look older:

Ö He has aged a lot since I we last met.

With comparatives we can also use the adjective young:

Ö He is two years younger than me.

But not:

û He is 17 years young.

Premodifying intensifiers - such / so

Often a relative that clause is used in conjunction with 'such'  or 'so'.

1. Before a full noun phrase we use 'such',  with or without an article or adjective. 

a) She was such a smart girl that she impressed all the teachers.

2. Before an adjective complement or adverb use 'so'.

b) She was so smart that she impressed all the teachers.
c) She answered so smartly that she impressed all the teachers. 

3. The use of the indefinite article a is common with 'such', emphasizing the  extreme quality of something.

eg such a smart student, such a difficult exam

Uses of 'ever'

1. The basic meaning of ever is "at any time", and it is used in questions or negative statements. It is often used with the present perfect with this meaning, and with imaginary statements about the future.

Ö Have you ever been to Beijing?
Ö I don't think he has ever been to Beijing.
Ö Nobody ever goes to see him.
Ö I hardly ever go to the cinema.
Ö I don't want to ever do another science exam.

But not in assertive statements:

û I have been there ever.

2. Before 'since':

Ö They got married for convenience and have lived together ever since.

3. In affirmative clauses with superlatives or expressions like 'the only', or 'the first',  ever is used (especially followed by the 'to + infinitive' verb) to emphasize the uniqueness of something or someone:

Ö Neil Armstrong was the first man ever to walk on the moon.
Ö This is the best book I've ever read.

Premodifying intensifiers (2) - quite

The intensifier 'quite' can be used before an adjective or before a full noun phrase. However, when 'quite' is used to modify an adjective it can have different meanings depending on whether the adjective is gradable or not. For example, 'interesting' is gradable, something can be 'very interesting' or 'more interesting'. The adjective 'dead' is not gradable - something is either 'dead' or not. There are no degrees of 'deadness'.  However, we can use 'quite' to modify both gradable and non-gradable adjectives, but the the meaning is different in each case.

1. Before a gradable adjective:

a) The film is quite good. (= good but could be better)
Similar examples: quite tasty, quite easy, quite funny

2.  Before a non-gradable adjective:  

b) The film is quite amazing. (= truly and completely amazing)
Similar examples: quite perfect, quite wonderful, quite recovered

3. Before a full noun phrase we use 'quite',  with or without an article or adjective. 

c) This is quite a difficult exercise.
d) He is quite a player. (= a good player)

The use of the indefinite article a is common following 'quite' when gradable adjectives are used:
eg quite a smart student, quite an easy exam

When non-gradable adjectives are used, 'quite' is usually put before the adjective:
eg a quite splendid film, a quite terrible performance

4. Before a verb 'quite' can also be used, and the meaning similarly depends on whether it is gradable or not:

e) I quite liked the film (= it was quite good)
f) I haven't quite finished (= not completely)

Place adverbials: somewhere / anywhere

The difference between 'anywhere' and 'somewhere' is the same as the difference between 'any' and 'some' (see Lesson 7: Pronouns & Quantifiers) for more details. 

Use 'anywhere' in questions, negatives and comparatives using than.

a) I want to go somewhere hot for my holiday.
b) Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly.
c) I don't want to go anywhere too expensive.
d) The food here is cheaper than anywhere else.

Actual, actually

'Actual / actually' mean real, really or in fact, and these words are used to add information, to make it more exact and often to correct or clarify a misunderstanding. 

a) I thought he was about 50,  but his actual age is 58.
b) I thought he was about 50,  but actually he is 58.
c) Would you like a steak? Well, actually I'm a vegetarian.
d) How extraordinary! The England team actually beat Brazil!

** Note that speakers of some European languages often mistakenly think that  'actually' and 'actual' are the same as actuellment (aktuell). These words are usually translated as something like 'now' or 'at present'.