Objectives

2. Objectives • Identify limiting, descriptive, possessive, proper, and demonstrative adjectives in sentences. • Use the articles a, an, and the correctly. • Hyphenate compound adjectives when appropriate. continued PP 12-1a

3. Objectives continued • Use the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees of adjectives correctly. • Identify nouns modified by adjectives, adjective phrases, and adjective clauses. • Determine the correct usage of commonly misused adjectives. PP 12-1b

4. Adjective An adjective is a word that modifies (describes) a noun or a pronoun. Several adjectives often appear in one sentence. More than one adjective may describe the same noun or pronoun. PP 12-2a

5. Adjective continued An adjective answers these questions: What kind? green, old, round, strong Which one? this, that, these, those How many? two, few, 300, two-thirds, all, some Whose? hers, Maria’s, companies’ PP 12-2b

6. Limiting Adjectives Indicate how many. May be numbers or words. We must wait six weeks for the new chairs. Lisa charges a $200 consulting fee. PP 12-3

7. Descriptive Adjectives Before Nouns Answer the question What kind? Usually precede nouns or follow linking verbs. Are placed as closely as possible to the noun or pronoun they modify. We request sealed bids for the workstation estimates. Back disorders may result from poor posture. PP 12-4

8. Descriptive Adjectives After Linking Verbs Modify nouns or pronouns used as subjects. Act as complements (predicate adjectives). Proper office lighting is important. The noise in this office seems excessive. PP 12-5

9. Possessive Adjectives Possessive pronouns such as my, her, his, your, its, our function as adjectives. Modify a noun or a pronoun. Answer the question whose? You should use a keyboard that meets your needs. He liked his chair at work so much that he bought one for his home office. Richard’s degree is in marketing. PP 12-6

10. Proper Adjectives Proper adjectives are proper nouns or words derived from proper nouns that function as adjectives. They answer the question which? Capitalize most proper adjectives as you would proper nouns. We selected the Italian desk lamps. Do not capitalize proper adjectives when they lose their connections with the proper nouns from which they were derived. Shelly recommends a light blue venetian blind. PP 12-7

11. Demonstrative Adjectives The four demonstrative adjectives that modify nouns are this, that, these, those. These adjectives answer the question which one? or which ones? Use this or that with singular nouns. Use these and those with plural nouns. PP 12-8a

12. Demonstrative Adjectives continued Examples— We recommend this computer monitor for employees with vision problems. We will have difficulty complying with that safety regulation. Many of these injuries are unnecessary. Are you sure those keyboards reduce wrist discomfort? PP 12-8b

13. Guidelines for Using A or An The initial sound (not the first letter) of the word that follows an article determines whether you will use a or an. Use a before words beginning with a consonant sound. a chair a desk a telephone Use a before words beginning with the long sound of u. a university a union a uniform PP 12-9a

14. Guidelines for Using A or An continued Use an before words beginning with the vowel sounds a, e, i, o, and the short sound of u. an asset an outcome an unfortunate accident an estimate Use an before words beginning with silent h. an honest sales staff an hour ago an honor PP 12-9b

15. The Article The Use with singular or plural nouns. Place before any other adjective when two or more adjectives precede a noun. Take short rest breaks throughout the day. The indoor air quality of the building is excellent. The most well-known category of CTD is carpal tunnel syndrome. PP 12-10

16. Compound Adjectives—Hyphenated Before and After Nouns Some compound adjective combinations use hyphens when appearing before or after nouns or in other locations in a sentence. This work-related injury could have been prevented. This office was described to me as fast-paced. PP 12-11

17. Compound Adjectives—Hyphenated Only Before Nouns Some compound adjective combinations use a hyphen when appearing before a noun. This well-known furniture company is the one we selected. When these combinations appear in other locations in a sentence, they do not require hyphens. We selected this furniture company because it is well known. PP 12-12

18. Common Compound Adjectives Do not use a hyphen when an adjective plus a noun combination is widely recognized as a concept or institution. Our real estate agent recommended moving to a new location. Most of our positions require more than a high school education. To avoid wrist injury, learn the keystroke combinations for your word processing program. PP 12-13

19. Nouns with Numbers Use a hyphen to connect a number (words or figures) and a noun to form a compound adjective before a noun. A 4-foot workstationA 15-pound object Do not use a hyphen when the expression consisting of a number and noun follows the noun. A workstation that is 4 feet An object that is 15 pounds PP 12-14

20. Numerical Compound Adjectives Use hyphens in the numbers between 21 and 99 when the numbers are written as words. Eighty-two out of one hundred adults will suffer back problems at some point in their lives. Our note to the bank is for $35,533 (Thirty-five thousand five hundred thirty-three dollars). PP 12-15

21. Series of Compound Adjectives Use a hyphen in a series of compound adjectives even though the base noun does not follow each adjective. Are you able to lift 15-, 20-, or 30-pound objects? We had an opportunity to choose 4-, 6-, or 8-foot workstations. PP 12-16

22. “Self” Words Use a hyphen when self is connected to another word to form a compound adjective. self-confidence self-reliant self-fulfilling self-worth PP 12-17

23. Positive Degree Use the positive degree as the base form of the adjective to describe one person, place, thing, quality, idea, or one group of things. bright color tall building quiet printer high bid This turquoise fabric is a bright color. Franklin Office Furniture submitted a high bid on the computer chairs. PP 12-18

24. Comparative Degree Use the comparative degree to compare two people, places, ideas, qualities, or things. brighter color taller building quieter printer higher bid This turquoise fabric is a brighter color than the gray fabric. Franklin Office Furniture submitted a higher bid on the computer chairs than Rincon Furniture. PP 12-19

25. Superlative Degree Use the superlative degree to compare more than two persons, places, or things. brightest color tallest building quietest printer highest bid This turquoise fabric is the brightest color of all the fabric samples. Franklin Office Furniture submitted the highest bid of all the vendors. PP 12-20

26. Guidelines for One-Syllable Adjectives Add erto the positive form for its comparative degree. cool + er = cooler tall + er = taller old + er = older safe + er = safer high + er = higher clean + er = cleaner PP 12-21a

27. Guidelines for One-Syllable Adjectives Add est to the positive form for its superlative degree. cool + est = coolest tall + est = tallest old + est = oldest safe + est = safest high + est = highest clean + est = cleanest PP 12-21b

28. Guidelines for Two-Syllable Adjectives Positive Comparative Superlative narrow narrower or more narrow narrowest or most narrow quieter or more quiet quietest or most quiet quiet simpler simple simplest Add er or add more or less to the positive form for its comparative degree. Add est or add most or least to the positive form for its superlative degree. PP 12-22

29. Guidelines for Three-Syllable Adjectives Add the words more or less before the positive form for its comparative degree. Add the words most or least before the positive form for its superlative degree. PP 12-23a

30. Guidelines for Three-Syllable Adjectives attractive more attractive most attractive essential more essential most essential Positive Comparative Superlative efficient less efficient least efficient complicated less complicated least complicated continued PP 12-23b

31. Words Ending in y friendly friendlier friendliest busy busier busiest Positive Comparative Superlative heavy heavier heaviest happy happier happiest Change the y to i and add er or est to form the comparative and superlative degrees. PP 12-24

32. Special Forms good better best bad worse worst Positive Comparative Superlative little less, lesser littlest, least many much more more most most Some irregular adjectives change forms in their comparative and superlative forms. PP 12-25

33. Absolute Adjectives Expresses the highest degree. straight circular horizontal complete supreme ideal correct unanimous instantaneous dead perfect unique empty single vertical PP 12-26

34. Adjective Clauses Use who, whose, which, and that to connect to the noun or pronoun that is modified. Place an adjective clause immediately after the noun that is described. Use commas to set aside the clause when it does not add to the meaning of the sentence (nonrestrictive clause) and do not use commas when the clause is necessary to the meaning of the sentence (restrictive). PP 12-27a

35. Adjective Clauses continued Example of nonrestrictive clause The firm’s main office, which is in South Carolina, compiled statistics on workplace injuries. Examples of restrictive clauses Workers who must repeat the same motion throughout the day are most likely to develop RSIs. Several Websites that I discovered provide excellent information about ergonomics. PP 12-27b

36. Adjective Phrases Function as modifiers of nouns or pronouns and may be infinitive phrases, participial phrases, or prepositional phrases. To avoid pain in my wrists, I wear a wrist support. Having no break from working on the computer, I noticed that my eyes were dry. The wireless mouse from Computer Town was highly recommended. PP 12-28

37. Fewer/Less Use fewer with plural nouns that can be counted. Use less with singular nouns that refer to degree or amount or to things that cannot be counted. Using computer function keys causes fewer hand injuries. Simple ergonomic changes cost less money to implement than you might imagine. Treehorn Books had fewer complaints after lowering the bookshelves. PP 12-29

38. Farther/Further Use farther to refer to physical distance. Usefurther to mean additional. The printer is farther from my workstation than I like. The new office supply store is farther from our office than we expected. Poor indoor air quality causes further problems to people with asthma. Jane will provide further information about the workstation at the next meeting. PP 12-30

39. Latter/Later/Last/Latest Use latter to refer to the second of two persons, places, or things mentioned. Use later to refer to time. Use last to refer to whatever follows everything else in a series. Use latest to refer to time (as in most recent). PP 12-31a

40. Latter/Later/Last/Latest continued Examples The latter plan for the reception area is more comfortable for visitors than the others that were submitted. The latest set of statistics about work-related injuries just arrived. We ordered new computer keyboards last year. The later time for the planning meeting was not suitable for me. PP 12-31b

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