- Grammar and Structure
- » List of Common Adjectives
List of Common Adjectives
| Examples of Common Adjectives | Explanation |
|---|---|
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That exciting Web site made me research the topic further The team is excited by the project. |
Many adjectives are formed by adding -ing or -ed to a verb. These adjectives are participles. |
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Common participles used as adjectives
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How participles work as adjectives Example
* usually a person is “–ed” by something that is “–ing”: I was excited by that exciting Web site. NOT: I was exciting by that excited Web site. |
| Isaac is a talented man. | Adjectives can be placed before a noun. |
|
Isaac is talented. The monitor looks old. The Web site looks good. |
Adjectives can be placed after certain verbs, such as: be, look, smell, feel, taste, sound, get, become. |
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The expensive, small, blue PDA is mine. I want to buy that well-designed, state of the art, silver, Japanese cellphone. |
Adjective word order: Opinion + size + age + colour + origin + material + purpose + noun |
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The PDA is fast and efficient. That fast, efficient device is a PDA. |
Use “and” before the last adjective when more than one adjective comes after a verb. Do not use “and” before the last adjective when more than one adjective comes before a noun. |
| I use that well-designed, state of the art, digital camera. | Use commas to separate long lists of adjectives. |
| That new silver cellphone belongs to Peter. |
Do not use a comma between an adjective and the noun it describes. It is not necessary to use commas with short common adjectives. |