2015-08-21
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little finger ― just a small finger little finger ― the last finger of a hand
fast actions fast train
foreign manners foreign languages
musical voice musical instrument
dramatic scene dramatic performance
Adjectives are also distinguished as gradable and non-gradable. Most adjectives are gradable. That means that they can be modified by adverbs of degree and themselves change for degrees of comparison. Non-gradable adjectives admit no comparison on account of their meaning.
All dynamic adjectives are gradable. Most stative adjectives are gradable too. Non-gradable adjectives are participle adjectives and adjectives describing origin, material, type and purpose: perfect, unique, full, empty, square, round, wooden, upper.
The Position of Adjectives
When we use more than one adjective before a noun, there is often a preferred order for these adjectives. However, this order is not fixed: opinion + size/physical quality/shape/age + colour + participle adjectives + origin + material + type + purpose + noun.
an old plastic container (= age + material + noun)
a hard red ball (= quality + colour + noun)
a frightening Korean mask (= opinion + origin +noun)
a round biscuit tin (= shape + purpose (for holding biscuits) + noun)
a small broken plate (= size + participle adjective + noun)
a useful digital alarm clock (= opinion + type + purpose + noun)
Note that there are a few adjectives which go before or after nouns and they change in meaning according to their position:
This elect body meets once a year (specially chosen).
The president elect takes over in May (who has been elected).
George was late for the meeting (didn’t come in time).
The late George Brown was an outstanding musician (who is dead now).
Present employees number 3.000 (who work at present).
The employees present should vote on this (who participate in the meeting).
