Adjective Formation

Adjectives describe nouns. Many English adjectives come from nouns or verbs. We often add a suffix like -ful or -able, or a prefix like un-. Some words change spelling a little when the adjective form is made.

Some adjectives come from nouns by adding a suffix. These suffixes often show a quality, a relation, or the idea of having or not having something. Common suffixes are -ful, -less, -ous, and -al.

Some adjectives come from verbs by adding a suffix. These forms often describe what can be done, what causes an effect, or what has a certain active quality. Common suffixes are -able and -ive.

Some adjectives change meaning with a prefix. The prefix un- gives a negative meaning. The prefix dis- also gives a negative meaning, often showing the opposite idea.

Some adjectives come from verbs as participle forms. The -ing form often describes a thing that causes a feeling or effect. The -ed form often describes how a person or thing feels.

When we form adjectives, spelling sometimes changes. A final y may change to i before a suffix. A final e may disappear before some suffixes. These are common derivational patterns in English.

Adjective endings can look like endings for nouns or adverbs, but they are different. Adjectives describe nouns, nouns name people or things, and adverbs often describe verbs or adjectives. It is useful to recognize these patterns when you read or build words.

You can now recognize common ways to form adjectives from nouns and verbs. You can identify suffixes such as -able, -ful, -less, -ous, -ive, and -al, and prefixes such as un- and dis-. You can also see participle adjectives and notice small spelling changes when adjective forms are made.