Nouns that behave like adjectives

Names of materials substances etc (leather nylon plastic) [> 2.10.5 6.20.1] resemble adjectives So do some nouns indicating use or purpose e g kitchen chairs Examples of such nouns are

It's a cotton dress (= it s cotton/made of cotton)

I t ' s a summer dress (= a dress to be worn in summer) Words like cotton or summer behave like adjectives in this one way they do not have comparative or superlative forms they cannot be modified by very etc They remain essentially nouns often modifying a second noun [> 2.10] Most of these noun modifiers can be used without change But note wooden and woollen

It’s a wooden spoon /It’s made of wood

It’ s a woollen dress /It’s made of wool Here wooden and woollen are adjectives not nouns Some other names for materials have adjectival forms gold golden lead leaden silk silken silky stone stony but the adjectival form generally has a

Types of adjectives and their uses

metaphorical meaning ('like ') So, for example, a gold watch is a 'watch made of gold', but agolden sunset is a sunset which is 'like gold' Compare a silvery voice leaden steps silky (or silken) hair (a) stony silence

Present and past participles used as adjectives

Most present participles can be used as adjectives e g breaking glass frightening stories [> 2.7, 6.2, 6.3.1,16.38 16.39.3] Many past participles of verbs can be used as adjectives e g a broken window (= a window which has been broken), a frozen lake (= a lake which is frozen), a locked door (= a door which is locked), etc Regular past participles follow the normal pronunciation rules [> 9.14.1] However, note that some adjectives ending in -ed are not past participles, and here the ending is normally pronounced /id/, as in an aged parent a crooked path a learned professor a naked man a ragged urchin a wicked witch

6.15 Adjectival participles ending in '-ed' and '-ing' [> App 10]
Common pairs of -ed/-ing adjectives are amazed/amazing annoyed
annoying bored boring excited exciting interested interesting
pleased pleasing tired/tiring Similar pairs delighted/delightful
impressed/impressive upset/upsetting

Adjectives ending in -ed often combine with personal subjects and those ending in -ing often combine with impersonal ones [> 16.32.1]

This story excites me -- / am excited by it -- It is exciting Most -ing adjectives can also be applied to people Compare

Gloria was quite enchanting to be with

(i e That was the effect she had on other people)

Gloria was quite enchanted

(i e That was the effect someone or something had on her) A few -ed adjectives can be applied to things

The old tin mine was quite exhausted (= used up)