Some adjectives are formed from nouns. Others are formed from verbs. Some are formed from words in Latin, Greek or other languages. There is no simple rule for adding suffixes, but there are some common patterns.
NOUN
Adding a suffix onto a noun form is one way of forming an adjective. A suffix is a part added to the end of a word to mark the word form. We often use an adjective after a BE verb or a stative verb. .
BE + ADJECTIVE
MODIFIER TO A NOUN
The sky was a spectacle. (a very beautiful thing to see) The sky was filled with colors. The sunset was red. We felt awe. (a feeling of inspiration and respect)
It was a spectacular sky. It was a colorful sky. It was a reddish sky. It was an awesome sight.
-AL relating to -ARY relating to quality or place -FUL full of -IC having the nature of; caused by -ICAL having the nature of -ISH origin, nature -LESS without -LIKE like -LY like -OUS quality, nature -Y like
accident accidental custom customary beauty beautiful athlete athletic magic magical fool foolish power powerless like lifelike friend friendly poison poisonous rain rainy
brute brutal moment momentary wonder wonderful base basic logic logical child childish friend friendless lady ladylike cost costly danger dangerous fun funny
region regional caution cautionary awe awful history historic history historical self selfish worth worthless war warlike month monthly nerve nervous dirt dirty
universe universal honor honorary skill skillful photograph photographic practice practical sheep sheepish use useless child childlike day daily mystery mysterious mess messy
person personal diet dietary success successful science scientific statistic statistical pink pinkish home homeless bird birdlike order orderly victory victorious dirt dirty
Adjectivalization in linguistics, the forming of words from other categories , nouns and verbs, by suffixation. (CaGEL 1706) Pop-Q "historic / historical"
Adjective Forms 2
Forming adjectives from verb word forms
Forming adjectives from noun word forms
VERB WORD FORM ADJECTIVE WORD FORM
Adding a suffix onto a verb form is another way of forming an adjective. A suffix is a part added to the end of a word to mark the word form. We often use an adjective after a BE verb or a stative verb. .
BE + ADJECTIVE MODIFIER TO A NOUN
VERB
They create ideas. She is expecting a baby. They don't permit smoking here. They urge us to come immediately. Today's news interests me.
They are creative. She is an expectant mother. Smoking is permissible. allowed The matter is urgent. The news is interesting. I am interested.
They have creative minds. We congratulated the expectant mother. Smoking is a permissible activity. They called us about an urgent matter. We have interesting news. I am an interested reader.
agree agreeable access accessible please pleasant excel excellent attract attractive amuse amusing amuse amused freeze frozen
expand expandable force forcible rely reliant dependdependent create creative excite exciting excite excited lighten lightened
laugh laughable sense sensible ignore ignorant confide confident select selective confuse confusing confuse confused darken darkened
pass passable flex flexible resist resistant urge urgent posses possessive relax relaxing relax relaxed widen widened
remark remarkable permit permissible vacate vacant differ different prevent preventive surprise surprising surprise surprised shorten shortened
Adjectives
Similar but Different
It was an awesome movie. having a great quality, inspiring It was an awful movie. having a terrible quality We have two dependent children. needing someone for care We have two dependable children. having a nature of completing promises The laughing child was playing. having a good nature The laughable car was powered with tequila. impossible to be serious about She has light hair. a natural quality She has lightened hair. an unnatural/changed quality He is a loving son. having a quality of giving love He is a lovable son. having a nature of attracting love He is selective a boo ut what he eats. having a quality of being choosy, picky They are selling selected items. particular, carefully chosen Select people can live there. a small number, exclusive, wealthy He is a sensible person. reasonable [sensibilis] He is a sensitive person. easily irritated or hurt [L. sensitivus]
It was childish behavior (behaviour). having immature behavior, negative It was childlike behavior. qualities like a child, positive We are confident about winning. sure [L.confidere] The message is confidential. private [L. confidenti] It is a crisp day, today. cool and dry It is a crispy cracker. thin and crunchy (makes a pleasant sound ) We had a fun time at the movies. amusing We saw a funny movie. causing laughter The general made a tactical advance. military move [L. tacticus] He is a tactful politician. having skills handling situations [L. tactus]
tact (n.) skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations
LAUGH
CRISP
LIGHT
FUN
LOVE
TACT
SELECT
TASTE
Your food is tasty. having a good taste You are a tasteful dresser. having good judgment for fashion He is a worthy competitor. He is a worthless competitor.
SENSE
WORTH
There is no particular way to know whether a word will use the -ic or the -ical ending. The suffix ic comes from French -ique, or Greek -ikos. and means having the nature of , or causing something.
The -ical form is often added to a word that already has a final -ic. For example,. historic (of history) andhistorical (related to something that is historic). Such adjectives often have a different or an additional meaning from the more basic -ic form.
academic, algebraic, arithmetic, artistic, athletic, catholic, domestic, dramatic, egoistic, emphatic, biological, chemical, critical, cynical, grammatical, fanatical, illogical, logical, mathematical, energetic, fantastic, geometric, strategic, linguistic, majestic, neurotic, pathetic, pedagogic, phonetic, mechanical, medical, musical, pedagogical, physical, radical, surgical tactical, topical public, semantic, syntactic, systematic, tragic He buys classic cars.
traditional, old style artistic comedy of the science of economics
His comical verse entertained audiences. His economical car was unsound. This is a/an historical moment.
unable to control your behaviour or emotions cheap
An electric motor powered the car. a particular machine That was a/an historic moment. recorded in past history The hysteric / hysterical woman was out of control. The little girl played with a magic wand. He was a medic in the military. He wrote in a poetic speech.
intern or doctor of a mysterious source
general, mass
The movie was hysterical. very funny, causing uncontrollable laughter It was a magical experience. He did medical research.
mysterious, wonderful, exciting related to medicine having the form of poetry
wise