Adjective

Rules

1. Adjectives are invariable:
They do not change their form depending on the gender or number of the noun.

A hot potato

Some hot potatoes

2. To emphasise or strengthen the meaning of an adjective use 'very' or 'really':

A very hot potato

Some really hot potatoes. Position of adjectives a) Usually in front of a noun: A beautiful girl. b) After verbs like "to be", "to seem" , "to look", "to taste": Examples The girl is beautiful You look tired This meat tastes funny. c) After the noun: in some fixed expressions: Examples The Princess Royal The President elect a court martial d) After the noun with the adjectives involved, present, concerned: Examples I want to see the people involved/concerned (= the people who have something to do with the matter) Here is a list of the people present (= the people who were in the building or at the meeting) Be careful! When these adjectives are used before the noun they have a different meaning: An involved discussion = detailed, complex A concerned father = worried, anxious The present situation = current, happening now Function of Adjectives Adjectives can: Describe feelings or qualities: Examples He is a lonely man They are honest people Give nationality or origin: Examples Pierre is French This clock is German Our house is Victorian Tell more about a thing's characteristics: Examples A wooden table. The knife is sharp. Tell us about age: Examples He's young man My coat is very old Tell us about size and measurement: Examples John tall man. This is a very long film. Tell us about colour: Examples Paul wore a red shirt. The sunset was crimson and gold. Tell us about material/what something is made of: Examples It was a wooden table She wore a cotton dress Tell us about shape: Examples A rectangular box A square envelope Express a judgement or a value: Examples A fantastic film Grammar is boring.     Order of Adjectives Rules Where a number of adjectives are used together, the order depends on the function of the adjective. The usual order is: Value/opinion, Size, Age/Temperature, Shape, Colour, Origin, Material Value/opinion delicious, lovely, charming Size small, huge, tiny Age/Temperature old, hot, young Shape round, square, rectangular Colour red, blonde, black Origin Swedish, Victorian, Chinese Material plastic, wooden, silver Examples: a lovely old red post-box some small round plastic tables some charming small silver ornaments   for more info adjective