Adjectives (Lower Form)

Prahlad Jani - The Foodless Man

Prahlad Jani is a strange man. He does not eat. He is not fasting. He is neither bulimic nor anorexic. He is called the "foodless man". He says he has not eaten for the last 68 years. How then has he survived? 400 confused doctors at a hospital in Ahmedabad are said to have observed him closely for teh days to see if what he claims is true. They had close-circuit cameras to watch him day and nights. The 76-year-old Prahlad is like other Hindu holy men in some respects. He puts on red robes, gold beard, white moustache and long, grey hair that is tied up in a pony-tail. Apparently, he is an ideal candidate for the X-files.

(NST - Thursday, November 27, 2003)

**Note the words in bold. These words are called adjectives. See how they describe and make the passage more interesting.

Adjectives

• Adjectives are words that describe nouns.
• Adjectives usually answer the question "What type/kind of...?"

          Example 1: Prahlad Jani is a strange man.

          --- What type of man is Prahlad? A strange man.

         Example 2: That is a new book.

         --- What type of book is that? A new book.

• Adjectives describe colour.

         Examples: He puts on red robes, gold chains...

                          She likes the red lipstick.

                          Mother bought some green vegetables

• Adjectives describe size.

         Examples: He has a white beard, white moustache and long, grey hair...

                          Grandmother has tiny feet.

                          Malik read a short passage.

• Adjectives describe quality.

        Examples: Apparently, he is an ideal candidate for the X-files.

                         That hotel has excellent service.

Prefixes

You can form negative adjectives by adding prefixes such as dis-, in-, or im- before the adjectives.

Examples: I had an unpleasant experience at the dentist's.

                 It is almost impossible to open a crocodile's mouth once it is shut.

Comparative Adjectives

• Comparative adjectives are used to compare two nouns or pronouns. You must add -er and than to the adjective when comparing two objects.

          Examples: This box is lighter than that one.

                           Her hair is thicker than Aneeza's.

                          She walks slower than all of us.

• For two-syllable adjectives ending with '-y', change the 'y' to '-i' and add -er.

         Examples: happy - happier

                           lovely - lovelier

• For some adjectives with two or more syllables, use more followed by the adjectives and than.

         Examples: modern - more modern than

                           comfortable - more comfortable than

• Superlative adjectives are used to compare at least three nouns or pronouns. You must add -est to the adjectives and the before it.

          Examples: He is the tallest boy in the basketball team.

                           Cik Salena is the prettiest girl in the beauty contest. 

• Some adjectives are irregular.

          Examples: good - better - best

                           bad - worse - worst