Formation of adjectives
July 23rd, 2015 in English Learning
We can make adjectives from other words. For example, the word ‘use’ is a verb. When we add the suffix ‘ful’ to the verb ‘use’, we get the adjective useful.
Most adjectives are made from verbs and nouns.
In some cases, we will have to make some spelling changes before adding the suffix.
You can form adjectives in the following ways:
By adding the suffix ‘ful’
Examples are given below
Use – useful
Harm – harmful
Mercy – merciful (As you can see, if the word ends in –y, we replace the –y with –i and then add –ful.)
By adding the suffix –less
Examples are given below
Harm – harmless
Mercy – merciless
Use – Useless
Hope – hopeless
By adding the suffix –able
Examples are given below
Break – breakable
Compare – comparable (As you can see, if the word ends in –e, we drop the –e and then add –able.)
Prevent – preventable
Honor – honorable
By adding the suffix –y
Examples are given below
Cloud – cloudy
Haste – hasty (If the word ends in –e, we drop the –e and then add –y.)
Sun – sunny
Fun – funny (In some cases we have to double the last letter before adding –y.)
Anger – angry
By adding the suffix –ous
Examples are given below
Danger – dangerous
Space – spacious (If the word ends in –e, drop the –e and then add –ious.)
Glory – glorious (If the word ends in –y, replace the –y with –i and then add –ous.)