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Descriptive Grammar handout 5
A
DJECTIVES
1. Syntactic functions of adjectives
both attributive and predicative, e.g.: a hungry man ~ the man is hungry.
a] attributive – premodifies the noun, i.e. appears between the determiner and the head of the
noun phrase, e.g.: the beautiful painting
attributive only, e.g. an utter fool ~ *the fool is utter.
intensifying adjectives: emphasizers (e.g. a real hero) and amplifiers (e.g. a complete
fool
).
limiter adjectives, e.g. the main reason, the only occasion.
related do adverbials, e.g. my former friend (= formerly my friend)
denominal adjectives, e.g. criminal law
Ordering of adjectives in the attributive position
b] predicative – can be subject or object complement, e.g.: Your daughter is happy.
He made his wife happy
.
predicative only, e.g. *an afraid boy ~ the boy is afraid
most common are those referring to health or lack of health, e.g. faint, ill, well, unwell.
afraid, conscious, fond, etc.
ex 72, pp. 42-43
c] postpositive – follow the item they modify, e.g.: I want to try on something larger.
d] head of a noun phrase, e.g.: The wise look to the wiser for help.
The Dutch are admired by their neighbours.
The (very) best is yet to come.
ex 69, p. 41
e] verbless clause, e.g. Nervous, the man opened the letter.
Enthusiastic, they make good students.
ex 70, pp. 41-42
f] exclamatory adjective sentence, e.g. How wonderful!
2. Semantic sub-classification of adjectives
a] stative / dynamic
*He’s being tall.
He’s being careful.
*Be tall.
Be careful
.
b] gradable / non-gradable
tall – taller – tallest
very tall
extremely tall
quite tall
________ ________ ________ ________ NOUN
I II III IV
precentral central postcentral prehead
a fantstic big pink plastic box
