Formation of adjectives

Adjectives are formed from other words. We usually make adjectives by putting suffixes. Suffixes are letters added after a word. Sometimes we have to make some spelling changes to the word before adding the suffix.

You can form adjectives in the following ways.

By adding the suffix –ful

Harm -> harmful
Bliss -> blissful
Hope -> hopeful
Mercy -> merciful (If the word ends in ‘y’ replace the ‘y’ with ‘i’ and then add –ful.)

By adding the suffix –less

Harm – harmless
Mercy -> merciless (If the word ends in ‘y’ replace the ‘y’ with ‘i’ and then add –less.)

By adding the suffix –able

Break -> breakable
Compare -> comparable (If the word ends in ‘e’ drop the ‘e’ and then add –able.)
Work -> workable
Depend -> dependable
Vary -> variable (If the word ends in ‘y’ replace the ‘y’ with ‘i’ and then add –able.)

By adding the suffix –y

Cloud -> cloudy
Haste – hasty (If the word ends in ‘e’, drop the ‘e’ and then add ‘y’.)
Sun – sunny
Fun – funny (Sometimes you have to double the last letter before adding ‘y’.)
Gloom – gloomy
Anger – angry
Hunger – Hungry

By adding the suffix –ous

Courage -> courageous
Advantage -> advantageous
Danger -> dangerous
Space -> spacious (If the word ends in ‘e’ drop the ‘e’ and then add ‘–ious’.)