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1. Adjectives

Word order

When adjectives come before a noun, they usually have to go in a particular order, like this:

opinion
size/age/shape
color
nationality
material
noun
(a) nice     Egyptian cotton scarf
(an) ugly old       man
lovely straight black     hair


We would like to replace our ugly blue sofa, but we can't afford it.
She's got a nice Egyptian accent when she speaks English.

Adjectives are often intensified or softened with adverbs such as extremely, very, quite, rather, somewhat, fairly. For example: I can't stand the rather ugly smell of her perfume.

2. Determiners
These are words used before a noun to limit its meaning in some way.
Every and all can be used as determiners. The noun that immediately follows every is always a singular count noun. All is used with noncount and plural count nouns. For example: All progress is the result of hard work. All children need love. Every child meeds love.

Some quantifiers can be used with noncount and plural count nouns. Much is used in American English mainly in questions and negative statements. For example: My chemistry teacher did not have much time and he gave a little help.

A few / a little of / a lot of / much / many


  Uncountable noun Plural countable noun
+
  • a little coffee
  • a lot of coffee
  • a great deal of coffee
  • quite a bit of coffee
  • plenty of coffee
  • a few apples
  • plenty of apples
  • a number of apples
  • -
  • (not) much coffee
  • (not) a lot of coffee
  • (not) many apples
  • (not) a lot of apples
  • ?
  • much coffee?
  • a lot of coffee?
  • many apples?
  • a lot of apples?
  • plenty of apples?


  • She hasn't got much money but she's got a lot of friends.
    Have you got a lot of flour? We've got a little flour.
    There is a great deal of international students at KU.

     

    3.The Articles

    The three articles — a, an, the — are adjectives. "The" is called the definite article because it names, specifically, a noun; "a" and "an" are called indefinite articles because they don't. These words are also called determiners because they are followed by a noun.

    "The" is used with specific nouns. "The" is required when the noun it accompanies refers to something that is one of a kind: The moon circles the earth.
    Most place nouns do not require "the"---for example the names of continents, states, nations, cities do not require "the".

     

    4. Demonstratives

    The determiners this, that , these, those are called demonstratives. They are pointing words, that is, This, or these point out something nearby in space or time. That or those point out something further away in space or time. For example: These cookies are good. I think I'll have a few more. Who is that girl standing at the bus stop?




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