Vocabulary

Entry test
^ Choose the correct answer.
1 Some think that cats are as/more intelligent than humans.
2 This is the lovelier / loveliest dress I've ever seen!
3 It was the worse / worst film I've seen all year.
4 Email is a much / lot more efficient than sending a fax.
5 Don't you think the last hotel was slightly less/more least modern than
this one?
Now look at ^ on pages 152-154. /5

Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.

6 She was grateful... the help we had given her.
A of B with C to D for
7 The bath is full... water!
A with B of C up D from
8 I will not be responsible ... . what happens.
A of B at C for D by
9 I didn't know he was married ... Barbara.
A with B to C of D in
10 They're very proud their daughter's success.
A for Bon C of D with
Now look at ^ on pages 155-156. /5

1
 Choose the correct answer.
11 Keith bought Emma a pair of black leather/leather black gloves.
12 A Japanese new / new Japanese car factory will be opened in the north.
13 She was wearing a red lovely / lovely red dress.
14 He's just bought a posh German sports / German posh sports car.
15 They live in an old beautiful / a beautiful old house..
Now look at ^ on page 157. /5

Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.

16 As chairperson, she's th e person on the committee.
A strongest B most strong C biggest D most powerful
17 Are yo u ... enough to lift that box?
A large B strong C great D big
18 The boys are getting - they need new clothes.
A greater B higher C taller D stronger
19 She's s o ... that she finds it hard to say no.
A thin B fragile C weak D slender
20 I think it's perfectly to want to be with friends on holiday.
A strange B foreign C odd D natural
Now look at ( J ) on pages 158-163. /5

Q Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.

21 She's s o ........... .-minded! She's aIways forgetting her keys.
A loose B absent C distant D weak
22 She wears glasses because she's -sighted.
A little B low C short D close
23 He's very ...-going and gets on with everyone.
A happy B open C friendly D easy
24 She was such a (n ) -hearted person - always willing to help!
A kind B open C friendly D nice
25 Mr Simms is a . ........... -known local artist.
A highly B well C generally D very
Now look at ^ on pages 164-165. IS

TOTAL SCORE /25

Grammar
Comparative and staperlatSw® adjectives

Use • Other two-syllable adjectives do not take -er or -est.

We use more/the most before the adjective instead:
• We use comparative adjectives to compare one
person, thing, place, etc. with another person, Adjective Comparative Superlative
thing, place, etc. careless more careless the most careless
° We use superlative adjectives to compare one handsome more handsome the most handsome
person, thing, place, etc. with a whole group of
people, things, places, etc. » With some two-syllable adjectives, both -erl-est
and m ore/the most are possible:
Form
Adjective Comparative Superlative
«T o form the comparative, we add -er to the
friendly friendlier/more the friendliest/the
adjective. We often use the word than after the
friendly most friendly
adjective:
Bill is taller (tha n John). simple simpler/more the simplest/the
simple most simple
° To form the superlative, we add the before the
adjective and -est to the adjective. We often use
Adjectives ending in -e
phrases beginning with o f or in after superlative
For adjectives ending in -e, we add -r to form the
adjectives:
comparative and -st to form the superlative.
Jan e is the y o u n gest o f the three sisters.
Bill is the tallest boy in the class. Adjective Comparative Superlative
• In some cases, we can omit the before close closer the closest
superlative adjectives: safe safer the safest
H er biggest fea r is being left alone.
Adjectives ending in one vowel + one
One-syllable adjectives
con son ant
For most one-syllable adjectives, we add -er
to form the comparative and -est to form the ° For adjectives that end in one vowel + one
superlative: consonant, we double the consonant before
adding -er or -est:
Adjective Comparative Superlative
Adjective Comparative Superlative
cheap cheaper the cheapest
big bigger the biggest
fast faster the fastest
fat fatter the fattest
young younger the youngest
« Be careful: if there are two vowels before the
Two-syllable adjectives
consonant, we do not double the consonant:
« Some two-syllable adjectives form the
comparative and superlative with -er and -est. Adjective Comparative Superlative
cheap cheaper the cheapest
Adjective Comparative Superlative
great greater the greatest
busy busier the busiest
narrow narrower the narrowest

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 C O M P A RA T IV E A N D SU PERLA TIV E A D JE C T IV E S

-y older/elder, oldest/eldest
For adjectives that end in -y, we change the -y to
-i before adding -er/-est: • Old has two comparative and superlative forms:
older/oldest and elder/eldest. We use elder/eldest
Adjective Comparative Superlative for family members:
angry angrier the angriest D avid’s elder son is studying law at Harvard.
busy busier the busiest « We cannot use than with elder.
H e is elder than me. X
H e is older than me. S
To form the comparative and superlative of
adjectives with three or more syllables, we use Determiners
more/the most:
• Note the comparative and superlative forms of
Adjective Comparative Superlative the determiners below:
expensive more expensive the most expensive
Determiner Comparative Superlative
intelligent more intelligent the most intelligent
many more the most
-ed, -ing, -ful -less much more the most
Adjectives that end in -ed, -ing, -ful and -less do
not take -er or -est. We use more/the most instead: little less the least

Adjective Comparative Superlative ‘How much did you spend?’ ‘More than you did!’
boring more boring the most boring We know little about his parents and less about
his younger brother.
careless more careless the most careless
forgetful more forgetful the most forgetful
less (than), the least
worried more worried the most worried
We can use less + adjective (+ than) and the
least + adjective (+ of/in/etc.) to make negative
These adjectives are irregular: comparisons:
This film was less successful (than original).
Adjective Comparative Superlative It was the least successful o f all his films.
bad worse the worst
far farther/further the farthest/ far/much/a lot + comparative
furthest We use far, much or a lot before a comparative
good better the best adjective for emphasis. There is little difference
in meaning, although fa r is often stronger:
old older/elder the oldest/eldest
Bill is far/much/a lot richer than Tom.

farther/further, farthest/furthest the + comparative, the + comparative

• F ar has two comparative and superlative forms: The structure the + comparative, the +
farther/farthest and further/furthest. We use comparative can be used to show that things
them to talk about distances: change or vary together:
Chris swam to the farther end o f the lake. The older I get, the more forgetful I become.
Jennie sat at the further end o f the room.
« Further can also mean ‘more’ or ‘extra’. We For more comparative structures, see ^
cannot use farther in the same way:
For further information, please write to the
above address. (= more information)

153
 CO M PA RA TIVE AND SU P E R LA T IV E A D JE C T IV E S

Q Complete the sentences. Use the comparative or superlative form of the

adjectives in the box. Add any other words necessary.
bad careful comfortable difficult far friendly good
happy hot intelligent lucky old (x2) simple suitable
0 This exercise is too easy. Can we try a (n ) .. XCWT&.. fL'lf&SWl’t'... one?
1 She comes top in all the exams - she must b e girl in the class.
2 The temperature in July reaches forty-four degrees; it’s month o f the year.
3 You made too many mistakes, which is why you failed. You should b e ...............in
the future.
4 This pen’s not very good - I’d like a (n ) one, please.
5 My wedding day w as day of my life.
6 Lying down in bed i s .............. sitting on a hard chair.
7 Our youngest son doesn’t want to be a teacher, unlike h is brother.
8 Now, before we continue, are there a ny questions?
9 I have a ( n ) headache today than I did yesterday.
10 The rules o f this game are too complicated - can we play som ething ?
11 She’s person I know. She’s always winning prizes in lotteries!
12 Don’t worry, my dog won’t bite you. He’s m uch...............you think - he loves people!
13 I wouldn’t wear jeans if I were you - a suit would b e for the occasion.
14 That castle i s building in our town; it’s more than 500 years old.

Q Complete the text. Use the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in
brackets. Add any other words necessary.

Canada v. the USA Monday, 17 October

I've just got back from a tour of the USA and Canada. I used to think they were very
similar countries but I now realise they are very different. I think Canadians are
(0).m<?.*re..p<?J!te. (polite) and (1) (gentle) their southern neighbours. They are
generally (2) (modest) in their behaviour than the Americans who tend to be a
b it (3) (loud).
I used to think the USA was a (4)............(nice) place to live than Canada but I have
changed my mind. Even though the USA is a (5) (rich) nation than Canada,
the standard of living appears to be (6) (good) in Canada. The World Health
Organization ranks Canada (7) (high) the USA for its health service and Canadians
have a (8) (long) life expectancy than their American friends. However, things are
much (9) (cheap) in the USA.
The USA is one of (1°)...............(violent) countries in the world and I f e lt (11)................ (safe)
on the streets of Toronto than in New York. The USA has a much (12>...............(bad) crime
rate than Canada. I had a (13) (pleasant) time in Canada. The people genuinely
C \
seemed to be (14> (happy) and (1S)................ (relaxed). All in all, I think Canada is The best
one o f (16) (beautiful) countries in the world to visit and probably one of things in
(17) (good) to live in, too. life are free.
\ J

154
 Adjeetiwes foboMebl ptraposOtooDHs•
o

The following are some common adjective + preposition combinations:

r Adjectives + Preposition
angry, annoyed, anxious, certain, confident, excited, happy, nervous, pleased, right, sorry, upset about
amazed, angry, annoyed, bad, excellent, good, hopeless, lucky, skilful, skilled, surprised, useless at
I ’m surprised for his behaviour. X
I ’m surprised at his behaviour. S
amazed, amused, bored, impressed, shocked, surprised by
famous, late, ready, responsible, sorry, suitable for
absent, different, safe from
disappointed, interested, involved in
I ’m interested for -buying a new computer. X
I ’m interested in buying a new computer. /
keen, reliant on
afraid, ashamed, aware, capable, certain, confident, critical, envious, fond, full, guilty, incapable, of
jealous, kind, nice, proud, scared, short, stupid, sure, suspicious, terrified, tired, typical
I’m proud for my son. X
I’m proud of my son. /
I’m tired from my job. X
I’m tired of my job. ■/
accustomed, engaged, friendly, generous, inferior, kind, married, polite, rude, superior, similar to
friendly, patronising towards
angry, annoyed, bored, busy, careful, content, crowded, delighted, disappointed, familiar, with
friendly, furious, happy, occupied, pleased, satisfied

° Some adjectives can be followed by more than one

A re th o se c lo th e s r e cully
•angry about = angry because of a situation or action
^SwitaJbte -for a. \ob interview?
angry at/with sb = angry because of sb
■tired from = physically tired as a result of an activity
- ^ST
tired o f = bored or irritated by sth
■friendly to/towards = behaving in a friendly way
friendly with = friends with sb
■sorry fo r = feeling pity or sympathy for
sorry about = feeling unhappy or ashamed about

155
 ADJECTIVES FOLLOWED BY PREPOSITIONS

LS

Q Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D.

0 I’m sorry the mess - I’ve just finished making dinner.
A about'; B for C with D at
1 Jackie was furious...............Gary for being late again.
A of B for C with D on
2 Don’t ask me to play - I’m useless computer games!
A in B at C in D on
3 This new washing machine is completely different the other one.
A of B with C on D from
4 I’m afraid I’m not very k een cabbage.
A towards B in C on D at
5 I’m tired listening to your excuses!
A at B with C on D of

Q Complete the sentences. Use the adjectives in the box and the correct
prepositions.
absent amused ashamed crowded different engaged excited famous
good guilty interested involved proud right shocked typical
0 The jury found him .gwij+y. .p;f murder.
1 Stop hitting that little boy! You should b e yourself!
2 I used to love watching football but I’m just n o t...............it any more.
3 Dave’s been ...............school for four days now; is he OK?
4 It’s him to arrive late - he’s hardly ever on time.
5 I’m afraid I’m n o t ............... his jokes - I find them in rather poor taste.
6 The kids are really...............their holiday - they can’t wait!
7 He g o t too many clubs and societies and had no time to study.
8 She used such bad language I was really what I heard!
9 He’s very maths and physics but hopeless at languages.
10 Soon, the young man became internationally his novels.
11 The streets w ere...............shoppers and you could hardly move.
12 Congratulations on passing the exam! We’re s o you!
13 She w as...............John for a long time but then she married someone else!
14 You w ere the party; you had said it would be great fun, and it was!
15 Although they’re twins, they’re very..............each other.

‘When a man is tired o f London,

he’s tired o f life.’ Sa m u e l J o h n s o n

156
 | Order ©f adjectives

When there is more than one adjective before a noun, this is the most common order:

Opinion Size Other qualities Age Shape Colour Origin Material Purpose/Type
nice big cold old round blue French glass- electric

• The order of adjectives of size, shape, age and ° We can put a comma or and between two
colour may vary, especially when we focus on a adjectives that describe someone’s character:
particular feature. For example, we can say: H e was a clever and imaginative young man.
a round black table (= normal order) or H e was a clever, imaginative young man.
a black round table (= focus on colour) • When there are two colour adjectives before the
• We generally use commas between adjectives noun, we have to use and between them. When
(especially in longer sequences): there are more than two colour adjectives, we
There was a big, round, red Persian carpet on have to use and before the last one:
the floor. They own a red and white car.
• When there is more than one adjective o f the They were waving a blue, white-, red flag. X
same type in a sentence, we often join them They were waving a blue, white and red flag. /
with and. When there are more than two
adjectives, we use commas and and before the
last adjective:
The children were cold and hungry.
The house was large and impressive.
H-e-was tall, dark, handsome. X
H e was tall, dark and handsome. /

Q Put the adjectives in the correct order. If the order is correct, put a tick ( / )
on the line.
0 old English textbooks . } / . .........................................................................
00 wool thick socks . . ytpo\. socM^S....................................
1 a wooden big spoon .................................................................................
2 a small nylon bag .................................................................................
3 a big delicious birthday cake .................................................................................
4 a round plastic small button .................................................................................
5 a(n) large frying old pan .................................................................................
r \
6 a pair o f black leather riding boots ................................................................................ ‘Life is
7 a pink silk beautiful blouse ................................................................................. nasty,
8 a round large ball ................................................................................. brutish
and short. ’
9 a(n) big old brick factory .................................................................................
Ho bbes
10 a(n) wooden ugly old desk ................................................................................. V J

157
B

Vocabulary
Easily confused adjectives

Here are some adjectives we frequently confuse:

s t ro n g or p o w e rfu l ?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
strong of physical strength: great I ’m not strong enough to lift strong hands, a strong back
that hag.
of things: not easily broken or You will need a strong metal a strong branch/pair o f scissors
destroyed ladder.
of a person: important, We need a strong leader. a strong member o f the team/
effective or determined candidate
of feelings and opinions: great He has strong feelings about strong feelings/emotions, a
this issue. strong belief
of level or intensity: great The street lights are not strong a strong influence/connection
enough here.
of a taste or smell: very great I ’d love a cup of strong coffee. a strong taste/flavour/smell
or intense
powerful important and able to control The President is the most a powerful person/politician/
and influence powerful man in the US. organisation/country
physically strong Joe was a powerful, well-built, powerful jaws/shoulders
young man.
of actions: having a great AH had a powerful punch. a powerful kick/blow/'explosion
physical effect
of actions: having a great The lawyer outlined a a powerful speech/argument/film
effect on feelings or powerful defence.
thoughts
of a machine/weapon: very The Jaguar has a very a powerful bomb/computer/
effective powerful engine. weapon
of medicine: having a very The drug is very powerful. a powerful medicine/remedy
strong effect
of sound or light: very easy to This musical instrument a powerful light/lamp
hear or see produces a powerful sound.

158
 E A S ILY C ON FU SED A D JE C T IV E S

b ig , la rg e or g re a t?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
big of more than average size or He’s got a big room. a big house/crowd
amount
important Deciding on a new house is a a big day/occasion/star
- big decision.
old or older You’re a big girl now. a big boy/brother/sister
successful Rap music was big in the 1980s. big in Hollywood/in business/in
the show business/in the city
to a large degree He’s a big gambler. a big eater/drinker
large big in size, amount or number Los Angeles is the second largest a large shirt/family/amount/
city in the US. number/area/population
tall and often fat He was large for his age. a large person/woman/man
great very large in amount or degree His last film was a great success. a great number/shock/deal
very large in size A great crowd had gathered a great wall/mountain/estate
outside the theatre.
very important and influential Einstein was a great scientist. a great painter/statesman/
achievement/woman
very serious The result was a great a great mistake/problem
disappointment to me.
very good or pleasant What a great ideal a great film/time/view
extremely good in ability or He was one o f the greatest a great musician/detective/
quality artists o f all time. composer/athlete

lit tle , s m a ll or s h o rt?

Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
little small in size The ring came in a little box. a little house/dog, little bits
short in time or distance Shall we walk a little way? a little while
young Come and meet my little sister. a little boy/girl/brother
small not large in size or It’s a small city. a small family/amount/'size/
amount area/town/car
not important It’s only a small problem. a small wound/error/mistake/
change/difference
not doing business on a The government shoidd help small a small firm/farmer/
large scale businesses. businessman
short measuring a small amount You look nice with short hair. a short skirt/distance/drive/
in length or distance journey/walk
of a person: not tall She’s much shorter than her sister. a short man/woman/boy/girl
happening or continuing Our holiday seemed so short. a short time ago/meeting/
for only a little time course/while/period
not having many words I’ll just send him a short email. a short book/novel/letter
or pages
159
 EA SILY CO N FU SED A D JE C T IV E S

h ig h or ta ll?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
high measuring a long distance The highest mountain in a high wall/fence/tower/heel
from bottom to top Scotland is Ben Nevis.
a long way above the ground, It was a huge room with a a high shelf/branch/window/
floor, etc. high ceiling. cloud
of an amount, number, etc.: Many cities suffer from high a high salary/price/temperature
large or larger than usual levels o f pollution.
having an important or What is the highest rank in high society/honour
powerful position the army?
tall having a greater height than Your son’s getting taller. a tall man/building/tower/tree
normal

w e a k , th in , s lim o r s k in n y ?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
weak not physically strong The illness had left her feeling a weak man/woman/heart
tired and weak.
easily influenced She has such a weak a weak character
personality.
not very good at something He’s weak at physics. a weak team
not likely to make people That’s such a weak excuse! weak point/argument/ending
believe that sth is true
containing a lot of water This tea is rather weak, isn't weak coffee/soup/juice
it?
thin of things: not thick We need thin nylon rope. a thin slice/layer/jacket, thin
cloth
of people: not fat He was tall and thin. a thin man/girl, thin legs/arms
of liquids: not thick The soup was thin and thin paint/milk/sauce
tasteless.
easy to see through The early morning landscape a thin fog, thin smoke/clouds
was covered with a thin mist.
slim very small in amount or There’s only a slim chance of slim hopes/prospects
number getting a place at Harvard.
attractively thin I wish I were as slim as you. a slim girl/mo del/figure/
waistline
skinny too thin You should eat more - you’re a skinny person/model, skinny
far too skinny! arms/legs

160
 EA SILY CO N FU SED A D JE C T IV I

la s t or la t e s t ?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
last the most recent I met him last April. last week/hight/year
happening or existing at the I’m reading the last chapter. the last train/flight/bus/dance
end
the only remaining You’re my last hope! the last chance/opportunity
latest the most recent She was dressed in the latest the latest gossip/film/news/
fashion. discovery
f-

n a t u ra l or p h y s ic a l?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
natural existing in nature and not Is that the natural colour of the natural world, a natural
made or caused by people your hair? disaster/flavour, natural
causes
that you are born with or is She shows a natural ability a natural skill/tendency
part of your character with figures.
normal and as you would It was natural for her to a natural reaction/response
expect be concerned about her
children’s education.
physical related to sb’s body The accident affected both her physical strength/energy/exercise,
physical and mental health. in good physical shape, a
physical examination
relating to real objects that There was no physical evidence the physical world/environment,
you can touch, see or feel to suggest that he was guilty. physical conditions

s tra n g e or fo re ig n ?
Adjective Meaning Example Collocations
strange unusual or surprising in We heard a strange noise. strange behaviour/events, in a
a way that is difficult to strange way, for some strange
explain reason
not familiar There I was, all alone in a strange people, a strange country
strange city.
foreign from or relating to a country I thought she sounded foreign. a foreign language/student/
that is not your own company, foreign currency
involving or dealing with He’s the Foreign Minister. foreign affairs/policy/trade/news
other countries

161
 EA S ILY CON FU SED A D JEC TIV E S

Q Choose the correct answer.

0 For next time, I’d like you to write a small /(short)story.
1 It was eight o’clock and the sun was already high /tall in the sky.
2 He was a slim /skinny, handsome man.
3 The last /latest time I saw Rob was in Manchester.
4 I think it was a perfectly natural /physical reaction.
5 The trousers are made o f strong /pow erful material so they won’t tear easily.
6 There was a large /great view from our hotel room.
7 How big / great is your house in the country?
8 Some supermodels are far too slim / skinny - they look as if they haven’t eaten for weeks.
9 Have you heard the last / latest news?
10 The boys are getting higher / taller all the time.
11 I wish my legs were thinner / skinnier!
12 Have you met my small / little sister?
13 Does your country import a lot o f foreign / strange goods?
14 I think we should have a short / small meeting and talk about this.
15 I felt a bit strange / foreign when I took the pills for the first time.

Q Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.

foreign great greatest high large last
latest natural physical thin weak
0 There were some .. K'.^k.. cliffs along the river bank.
1 The road was covered with a layer of ice.
2 Who was th e person to see the man alive?
3 This is th e ...............model —it’s much better than
the previous one.
4 It’s for a child of his age to miss his mother.
5 I don’t feel very well. My legs feel really.................
6 We had a time at the party on Saturday.
7 The T-shirt comes in three sizes: small,
medium an d ...............
8 Rembrandt was one o f th e artists
who ever lived.
9 Do you speak an y languages?
10 The book discusses the emotional
an d needs of young children.

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 EA S ILY CONFU SED A D JE C T IV E S

0 Underline the one word in each group that cannot be used with the adjective in bold.
0 big: grin crowd level sister business box film star
1 strong: faith tree friendship tool bomb tea muscles
2 foreign: language student currency news affairs policy house
3 tall: child temperature tree giraffe skyscraper bottle chimney
4 high: speed hopes wall ■> rent man heels mountain
5 large: amount collection occasion area family city number
6 thin: layer soup legs person figure excuse walls
7 slim: girl hope waist cloth man chance body
8 last: night time gossip bus chance dance semester
9 latest: fashion film discovery year trend novel news
10 short: man money dress story journey hair holiday
11 physical: strength world exercise energy plants effort conditions
12 small: distance town business mistake food problem cut
13 weak: clothes pulse heart argument character excuse point

Complete the crossword . Use words from pages 158-161.

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Across □ Down □
Most onions have a flavour. 1 Ferrari produces cars with very .............. engines.
7 Take plenty o f .............. exercise and eat more 2 This is Sean, m y .............. brother.
fruit and vegetables. 3 Doris Lessing has written excellent .............. stories.
Have you heard th e .............. gossip? Sue’s 4 Oh, stop crying, Tommy! You’re a .............. boy now!
just broken up with Kevin. 5 It can be lonely when you’re on your own in a
11 We can say buildings, people and trees are .............. town.
It was freezing and I was only wearing a ..............
13 We met on holiday .............. year. summer jacket.
15 For Poles, English is a .............. language. 10 He fell over but only got a .............. bruise on his arm.
16 Glasgow is th e .............. city in Scotland but Name th e .............. mountain in the world.
Edinburgh is the capital. 14 Days without proper food had left them s o ..............
18 They have only a .............. chance o f winning. 17 Shakespeare wrote su ch .............. plays!
19 Is fair hair y ou r .............. colour?
20 Emily is still .............. after her illness. A chain is no stronger than its weakest link

163
 Comp©™^ adjectives

Form
o A compound adjective consists of two words that
function like one word. We often use a hyphen Q Match 1-14 with a-o to make compound
between the two words: adjectives.
red-haired badly-m aintained
0 dark- s a hand
• The second part of a compound adjective is often:
1 absent- □ b legged
♦ a present participle (the -ing form of a verb):
2 easy- □ c selling
tight-fitting good-looking
3 second- □ d hearted
♦ a past participle:
4 newly- □ e haired
old-fashioned well-built blue-eyed
5 well- □ f looking
♦ a preposition:
broken-down w ell-off 6 long- □ g dressed
♦ another adjective: 7 hard- □ h eyed
brand-new duty-free 8 best- □ i minded
o Note the following common errors: 9 brand- □ j new
She was an attractive red headed woman. X 10 kind- □ k married
She was an attractive red-head. / 11 air- 1 conditioned
□
She was an attractive red-haired woman. / m working
12 good- □
H e’s very well looking. X
13 self- □ n confident
H e’s very good-looking. /
The furniture was old-fashion- X 14 green- □ 0 going
The furniture was old-fashioned. / Q Complete the table. Use the compound
I saw a one eye sailor on the boat. X
adjectives from Exercise 1.
I saw a one-eyed sailor on the boat. /
There was a breaking down car on the motorway. X Physical
There was a broken-down car on the motorway. / appearance

Use
We use compound adjectives like all other
adjectives. We often use them to describe:
Personality
° physical appearance
broad-shouldered dark-haired good-looking
• personality:
good-tem pered open-minded
» places:
built-up run-down wide-open Other
° everyday objects:
worn-out han d-m ade m an-m ade

For compound nouns, see ©

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 COM POUND A D JEC TIV E S

Q Complete the sentences. Use compound adjectives from the table in Exercise 2.
0 Her hair? I’m not sure - I think she was . dfly;k.~li\dj\red.. No, wait - she was blonde.
1 Everyone congratulated th e ...............couple.
2 She’s always and has a fine sense o f style. She spends a lot of money on her
clothes.
3.. No, I don’t think he’s ugly! In fact, I find him qu ite.................
4 I’ll have to buy a ...............computer; I can’t afford a new one.
5 The Last Sign is the latest science fiction novel b y author Trevor Woods.
6 He never remembers anything. He’s very ................. r
7 I wish I were a s as she is. I just wish I could believe in myself!
8 She was always very...............at school, which is why she always got full marks in all
the tests.
9 He’s very : always relaxed and happy to accept things without getting upset
or worried.
10 Our room was small and dark but at least it w as ................

Q Complete the compound adjectives in the following sentences. Use the words in
the box.
badly class distance fashioned free headed
known made off sighted tempered up (x2)
0 We bought some duty-;{Vee..........perfume at the airport.
1 I made a long- call to London and it cost me a fortune!
2 They seem to be very well-...............; they have a great big house and two expensive
cars.
3 I’m fed- with this exercise! Will you help me, please?
4 I usually travel second- because it’s cheaper.
5 This vase is hand- - that’s why it’s so expensive.
6 He gets very bad- when he’s tired and starts shouting at people.
7 I live in a built- area of the city, which is very noisy and full of traffic.
8 She’s a well- TV personality - almost everybody recognises her in the street.
9 I’ve never met anyone as big-...............as Jim. He has a really high opinion of
himself.
10 I have to get my eyes tested - I’ve become very short- lately.
11 A -maintained car won’t have a very reliable engine.
12 Will you ever get rid o f those old-..............clothes?

( ! \
There are three golden rules if you want to be a first-class
public speaker: stand up, speak up, shut up.
V__________________________________________________

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