Conservative, a Republican, a Democrat, a noble, a private, a Catholic, a
Christian)
There were a few deads missing from the briefing.
He is a relative of mine.
In the distance we saw a native’s hut.
b) nationalities
(a Russian, an American, a German, a Greek)
Two Americans entered the room.
c) names of languages
(Russian, Norwegian, English)
Her Spanish is very poor.
He speaks excellent English.
2) Some wholly substantivized adjectives are used only in the plural form.
a) substantivized adjectives denoting studies and examinations. They have either the singular or plural agreement depending on whether they denote one notion or a collection of notions (classics, finals)
Finals were approaching.
b) substantivized adjectives denoting collection of things, substances and foods.
(goods, sweets, vegetables, chemicals, movables, necessaries, valuables, eatables, greens, drinkables, the Commons)
c) substantivized adjectives which are the names of the parts of the body are used with the definite article and with a plural verb.
the whites (of the eyes)
the vitals
Partially substantivized adjectives
They fall into two main grammatical subgroups:
The subgroup PLURALIA TANTUM. They denote:
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(the blind, the dead, the deaf, the jobless, the old, the poor, the injured)
If separate individuals are meant, some noun must be added:
A rich man, a sick person)
The wounded were evacuated.
Some past participles have one form for Singular and Plural.
The accused was (were) released on bail.
The undersigned’s testimony was taken in account.
!With a few words such as unemployed and dead we can put a number in
front of them .
3 million unemployed
! If you mention two opposite groups you can omit “the”
rich and poor, young and old
Some nations in -sh/ -ch:
The English – two Englishmen/women, three Swiss, etc.
The British are very proud of their sense of humour.
| country | adjective | person | nation |
| Britain | British | a Briton/Britisher | the British |
| England | English | an Englishman | the English |
| France | French | a Frenchman | the French |
| Holland | Dutch | a Dutchman | the Dutch |
| Ireland | Irish | an Irishman | the Irish |
| Spain | Spanish | a Spaniard | the Spanish |
| Wales | Welsh | a Welshman | the Welsh |
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Nationality words ending in –ese and –s can also be used like this ( the Japanese, the Lebanese, the Chinese, the Vietnamese, the Swiss). When we refer to one person we use the indefinite article.
| country | adjective | person | nation |
| China | Chinese | a Chinese | the Chinese |
| Portugal | Portuguese | a Portuguese | the Portuguese |
| Japan | Japanese | a Japanese | the Japanese |
| Vietnam | Vietnamese | a Vietnamese | the Vietnamese |
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The subgroup SINGULARIA TANTUM.
Some substantivized adjectives have only the singular form. They denote:
a) generalized or abstract notions. They are used with the definite article and have singular agreement.
(the useful, the beautiful, the agreeable, the unreal)
The fabulous is always interesting.
These substantivized adjectives are usually used in philosophical writing.
! There are, however, certain exceptions. Substantivized adjectives denoting
abstract notions may sometimes be used in the plural. Then no article is used.
There are many variables and unknowns. (переменных и неизвестных
величин)
b) languages
Substantivized adjectives denoting languages are used without a dterminer,
but are often modifed by a pronoun. They also have singular agreement.
He speaks excellent English.
c)names of colours.
When used in general sense they are treated as uncountables; when denoting
shades of colour, they are treated as countable (may be used with a-article and
in the plural):
Blue suits you best.
The sky was a pale blue.
The women were dressed in reds and blues.
Clothing of particular colour can be referred to simply by using the colour
adjective.
The men wore grey.
lady in red
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Substantivized adjectives in set expressions and prepositional phrases.
(in the main, in short, in general, all of a sudden)
He answered in the affirmative (in the negative)
To get the better of smth., a change for the better
It is all for the best.
He was at his best.
Are you tired? –Not in the least.
Participial adjectives
Participles can be used as adjectives to describe people and things.
-ing adjectives
- One group of “-ing” adjectives describes the effect that something has on your feelings and ideas, or on the feelings and ideas of people in general.
(surprising, annoying, boring, interesting, shocking)
He lives in a charming house just outside the town.
She always has a warm welcoming smile.
- These adjectives are normally qualitative adjectives. They have comparatives, superlatives and can be used with a submodifier.
A very convincing example
Much more convincing
The most boring books
- They can be used in attributive or predicative position.
- Some “-ing” adjectives have a similar meaning to the usual meaning of the related verb.
- “-ing” adjectives are used to describe a process or state that continues over a period of time.
increasing labour
Britain is an ageing society.
These adjectives are classifying adjectives. They can’t be used with “very” and “rather”. They can be identified by adverbs which describe the speed with which the process happens.
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- “-ing” adjectives can be used attributively as adjectives to indicate what someone or something is doing.
A walking figure
-Ed adjectives
Most “-ed” adjectives are past participles of a verb:
a disappointed man
Noun + “-ed” :
a bearded man
Some “-ed” adjectives are not closely related to any other words:
sophisticated electronic devices
a beloved child
Adjectiveswith the form as irregular past participles:
a broken bone
The past participles of some phrasal verbs can be used as adjectives:
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the built-up urban man of the city
Most “-ed” adjectives have passive meaning:
a frightened person
A bored student complained to his teacher.
Qualitative “-ed” adjectives refer the person’s mental or emotional reaction:
a worried old man
“-Ed” adjectives describe the expression, voice or manner of the person affected:
blue frightened eyes
Some “-ed” adjectives have a similar meaning to the related verb, and some do not:
alarmed, confused - determined, mixed
Many “-ed” adjectives can be submodified with an adverb of degree:
pleasantly furnished rooms
a well-known novelist
Sometimes “-ed” adjectives can not be used without an adverb:
well-equipped army
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Some “-ed” adjectives have active meaning ( fallen, vanished, retired, grown –up, escaped, faded)
an escaped prisoner, vanished civilizations, fallen rocks
“-Ed” adjectives can be used attributively and as a complement of a link verb:
pleased, tired, etc.
Degrees of Comparison
Gradable adjectives may be used in three types of comparison:
A: a higher degree
B: the same degree
C: a lower degree.
A Higher Degree
1.The comparative degree is used when one thing or set of things is compared with another thing or set.
2. When one thing or set of things is compared with two or more other things or sets the superlative degree is used.
The Volga is longer than the Dnieper.
The Volga is the longest river in Europe.
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