Structure: Adjectives

Why should we understand how adjectives work?

It's not really mandatory or essential to understand structure or grammar to learn English. However, by understanding some basic concepts about how a new language works, you can reach your goal on your own merits. You'll know how to use new vocabulary with confidence.

How to Identify Adjectives?

It is possible to learn to identify and use adjectives in English by following certain patterns. Here is a basic guide to help you use adjectives correctly.

Adjectives in English Come After a Noun

Adjectives in English usually come after the noun (something or someone).

Bad person Person bad A* nice car A car nice The* good doctor The doctor good "A/An" and "The" are technically considered adjectives because of their position, as they provide details about the car or the doctor.

In these examples, we observe that the adjectives are positioned after what they describe. Note that these examples do not represent complete sentences; they simply provide additional information about the subject or the person or thing being discussed.

Adjectives in a Sentence

Adjectives usually come after the verb "To Be" to create complete ideas. Notice how the incorrect examples in the previous point can be correct if you follow the advice to use "To Be" as a bridge in a sentence.

The doctor good. The doctor is good. My car nice. My car is nice. That person bad. That person is bad.

"To Be" functions as a connection or bridge between the doctor, the car, or the person and our opinion about them.

Subject / To Be / Complement

In English, a sentence has three elements that must always be present.

Subject

The subject is the person or thing we use first in a complete sentence. We can choose to use the actual name (noun) or we can use a substitute (pronoun). The subject is not negotiable. Without a subject, complete ideas (sentences) do not exist.

To Be

Yes, there is more than one verb that can be used to create complete sentences, for now, I am only using "To Be" as a bridge or connection between the subject and the complement.

Remember to use the appropriate version (singular or plural) depending on the number in the subject.

Complements with Adjectives

The complement can be found at the end of a sentenc, we call it complement because it gives us complementary information about the subject.

Magy is a good teacher. Pam is a great designer.

Of course, you can just say:

Magy is good. Pam is great.

Just make sure to use these three elements to communicate a complete idea in English.

In the next lesson, we will work with the 50 most popular adjectives or descriptions in the English language. See you next time!