Forming Adjectives

Typical adjective endings

Some adjectives can be identified by their endings. Typical adjective endings include:

1. -able/-ible understandable, capable, readable, incredible
2. -al mathematical, functional, influential, chemical
3. -ful beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful
4. -ic artistic, manic, rustic, terrific
5. -ive submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive
6. -less sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless
7. -ous gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous

Sometimes when adding these endings changes have to be made. Here are some rules for forming adjectives and their exceptions:

Add	Exceptions	Word	Adjective
-al	If ending with an ‘e‘, drop it	Nature Function	Natural Functional
-y	If ending with an ‘e‘, drop it	Ice Oil	Icy Oily
-ful	If ending with a ‘y‘, replace with an ‘i‘	Beauty Peace	Beautiful Peaceful
-ous/-ious	If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it	Mystery Danger	Mysterious Dangerous
-ic	If ending with a ‘y‘, drop it	History Rust	Historic Rustic

Forming adjectives from nouns and verbs

Adjectives can be formed from different words. They can be formed from nouns:

Noun	Adjective
accident	accidental
danger	dangerous
length	long
star	starry
wind	windy

From verbs:

Verb	Adjective
enjoy	enjoyable
help	helpful
obey	obedient
play	playful
talk	talkative

Or even from other adjectives:

Adjective	Adjective
comic	comical
correct	corrective
elder	elderly
red	reddish
sick	sickly

Examples of forming adjectives

Forming adjectives exercises

1. Choose the adjective from each of the following groups of words: 

Answers: A – inventive B – curious C – prolific

2. Form adjectives from the following nouns: 

Answers: A – smelly B – chilly C – wide

3. Form adjectives from the following verbs:

Answers: A – interesting B – amazing C – annoying 

4. Form adjectives from the following verbs. Some words may be formed into more than one adjective:

Answers: A – escaped, escaping B – improved, improving C – damaged, damaging 

5. Form longer adjectives from the following adjectives. Some words may be formed into more than one adjective:

Answers: A – funnier, funniest B – incorrectly C – bluest, bluer, blueish 

6. Form adjectives from the following nouns:

Answers: A – magical B – foolish C – ladylike 

7. Form two adjectives from each of the following nouns:

Answers: A – lifelike, lifeless B – powerful, powerless C – friendly, friendless

8. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

Answers: A – costly B – warlike C – monthly 

9. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns: 

Answers: A – poisonous B – courteous C – mysterious 

10. Form adjectives from each of the following nouns:

Answers: A – athletic B – photographic C – scientific