Adjectivul

1. Forma adjectivului

Adjectivele sunt invariabile. Ele nu isi schimba forma in functie de gen sau numar.
Ex.: A hot potato, some hot potatoes.

Pentru a sublinia sau accentua sensul unui adjectiv se pot folosi very, really
Ex.: A very hot potato, some really hot potatoes.

2. Pozitia adjectivului

• De obicei adjectivul se aseaza in fata substantivului determinat
  Ex.: A good movie.
• Dupa verbe auxiliare ca to be, to become, to seem, to look, to taste, to appear, to feel, to keep, to make, to smell, to sound, to turn, etc:
  Ex.: The movie is good.
     You seem upset.
     This cheese tastes different.
• Dupa substantiv in expresii fixe:
  Ex.: the Princess Royal, the President elect, the court martial
• Cateva adjective, ca de exemplu chief, main, poor (=unfortunate) stau numai in fata substantivului determinat
  Ex.: This is the main purpose of the meeting.
     That poor woman was living in a garage.
• Altele pot sta numai dupa un verb auxiliar: asleep, upset, awake, afraid, alike, alive, alone, annoyed, ill, well, sorry
  Ex.: He's asleep.
     I'm alone.
• Unele adjective isi schimba sensul in functie de pozitia pe care o ocupa. Adjectivele involved, present, concerned au sens diferit daca sunt plasate in fata substantivului sau dupa acesta.
  Ex.: These are the people involved / concerned. (the people who have something to do with the matter)
     They had an involved discussion on the matter. (detailed, complex)
     I am a concerned mother. (worried, anxious)
     The list of the students present is outside, on the door. (students who were there)
     The present status of the matter requires urgent attention. (current)

Functiile adjectivului

Adjectivul ne spune mai multe despre calitatile substantivul determinat. Adjectivele pot exprima:

• Sentimente sau calitati:
  Ex.: They make an original couple.
     She is a single mother.
• Nationalitatea sau originea
  Ex.: Ricardo is Spanish. His mother is Argentinean and his father is Canadian.
     I bought him a Swiss watch for Christmas.
• Diferite caracteristici ale unui obiect
  Ex.: The table is long.
     The steel tray was a gift.
• Varsta:
  Ex.: My hat is too old. I will buy another one.
     He is still very young, almost a boy.
• Dimensiuni, marime si masuri
  Ex.: 'Gone with the Wind' is a very long film.
     That boy is too tall.
• Culoarea:
  Ex.: I have a red jacket to go with my new white skirt.
• Materie / material:
  Ex.: He wore a cotton shirt.
     It was a silver tray, not a steel tray.
• Forma
  Ex.: A rectangular envelope.
     A round table.
• Judecati, pareri sau opinii
  Ex.: Grammar is fascinating.
     The show was entertaining.

4. Ordinea adjectivelor

Atunci cand se folosesc doua sau mai multe adjective pentru a descrie acelasi substantiv, ordinea lor depinde de functiile acestora. Exista mai multe variante, dar cea mai obisnuita ordine este: Value/opinion, Size, Age/Temperature, Shape, Colour, Origin, Material

Exemple:
   a green round plastic bucket
   an elegant little French clock
   a small round wooden table

5. Gradele de comparatie ale adjectivelor

5.1. Formarea comparativului si superlativului

Exista trei grade de comparatie ale adjectivelor: pozitiv (inalt), comparativ (mai inalt), superlativ (cel mai inalt). In limba engleza, comparativul si superlativul se formeaza astfel:

Exemple:
   a. A cat is fast, a tiger is faster but a cheetah is the fastest.
   b. A car is heavy, a truck is heavier, but a train is the heaviest.
   c. A park bench is comfortable, a restaurant chair is more comfortable, but a sofa is the most comfortable.

5.2. Forme neregulate

Urmatoarele adjective au forme de comparativ si superlativ total neregulate:

5. Comparatia adjectivelor

• the + superlative
  Ex.: This is the oldest theater in London.
• comparative + than - pentru a compara diferentele dintre doua obiecte, evenimente sau fiinte:
  Ex.: He makes fewer mistakes than you do.
     Thailand is sunnier than Norway.
     Albert is more intelligent than Arthur.
• as + adjective + as - constructie folosita pentru a compara oameni, locuri, fiinte, evenimete sau obiecte, intre care nu exista diferente:
  Ex.: Peter is 24 years old. John is 24 years old. Peter is as old as John.
     Ramona is as happy as Raphael.
     A tiger is as dangerous as a lion.
• not as + adjective + as - putem arata diferentele dintre doua substantive folosind contructia not so/as as:
  Ex.: Mont Blanc is not as high as Mount Everest.
     Norway is not as sunny as Thailand