Adjective Position





1. Many adjectives can be placed before the noun they describe.

Examples:

• The
hot Sun beat down on us all day.

• This product does not deserve this
high price.

• He asked me my
present address.

• This
beautiful girl was ill for a month.

• No
two people are alike.

• The
sick man was treated in the special ward.

• The
sleeping children were peaceful in their beds.

But there are few adjectives which can be used in front of the noun.

Examples:

• He was alone when I met him.
This is a correct version.
We can not say….
I met the alone man.
This sentence is wrong one.

• My daughter did not go to school because she felt unwell.
This is a correct version.
We can not say…
My unwell daughter did not go to school.
This sentence is wrong one.

• He is afraid of dogs.
This is a correct version.
We can not say…
Afraid he is of dogs.
This is a wrong sentence.

Alike, alight, alive, fine, glad, ill, poorly, alone, ashamed, awake, aware and unwell are few of the adjectives which can not be used before the nouns.

Few of these adjectives have related adjectives which can be used in place of these adjectives either before or after the nouns.

Examples:

• He has written about the animal which is
alive.
• He has written about an
living animal….( The animal was living).

• He is an
unhappy man.
• The man felt
unhappy.

Other pairs of adjectives of this character are:

Afraid….frightened
Alike…..similar
Asleep…sleeping

2. Many adjectives can be placed after the noun they describe.

Few adjectives can be used immediately after a noun.

Available, imaginable, possible and suitable are few of the adjectives which can be used just before a noun.

However we use these adjectives just after the nouns only when the noun follows words such as first, last, next, only and superlative adjectives.

Examples:

• It is the only treatment
suitable.
• It is an offer
available only to the club members.
• It is the only solution
imaginable to overcome this problem.
• It is the only
possible route that we could take.

3. Few adjectives take different meanings when they change their position between after or before the noun.

Concerned, opposite, present, concerned, responsible and involved are few of such adjectives.

Examples:

• I was asked for my
present address. (My address now)
• All the people
present approved of the decision. (Who were there)

• The party was excellent. I want to thank the people
concerned. (Involved)
• Cars drive too past the school and
concerned teachers complained to the police. (Worried)

Go to the section on Adverb Clause of Time to continue



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