Forming Adjectives

Adjectives are describing words. You can make adjectives by adding a special ending called a suffix to a noun or a verb. Learning these suffixes helps you choose the correct word form in a sentence.

What You'll Learn

In this lesson, you will learn:

• Five common suffixes that turn nouns and verbs into adjectives: -ful, -less, -ous, -ive, -able
• How each suffix changes the meaning of the base word
• How to recognise when a sentence needs an adjective instead of a noun or verb

When to Use

1. Describing a quality someone has: "She is a careful person who checks her work twice."
2. Describing something that lacks a quality: "The stray cat looked helpless in the rain."
3. Describing a characteristic or trait: "The dangerous road was closed after the storm."
4. Describing how active or involved something is: "The puppy is very active and loves to run."

How to Form

Adding Suffixes to Base Words

Spelling Changes When Adding Suffixes

Some words change their spelling when you add a suffix:

Key Rules

1. -ful means "full of": Adding -ful shows something has plenty of a quality. A helpful friend is full of help. A cheerful boy is full of cheer.

2. -less means "without": Adding -less shows something lacks a quality. A careless mistake is one made without care. A fearless hero has no fear.

3. -ful and -less are often opposites: Many base words can take both suffixes. Careful (full of care) is the opposite of careless (without care). Hopeful is the opposite of hopeless.

4. -ous shows a characteristic: Adding -ous means the noun's quality is present. A dangerous animal has danger about it. A famous singer is known by many.

5. -able means "can be done": Adding -able shows something is possible. An enjoyable trip can be enjoyed. A washable shirt can be washed.

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

Suffixes that form adjectives

-ful, -less, -ous, -ive, -able

Common -ful adjectives

careful, helpful, wonderful, thankful, cheerful, colourful, hopeful, beautiful, peaceful, playful

Common -less adjectives

careless, helpless, hopeless, useless, fearless, homeless, harmless, speechless

Common -ous adjectives

dangerous, famous, nervous, courageous, poisonous, marvellous, generous, curious

Common -ive adjectives

active, creative, attractive, expensive, impressive, sensitive, competitive

Common -able adjectives

enjoyable, comfortable, washable, breakable, remarkable, reliable, reasonable

Tip: When you see a blank in a sentence and the base word is given in brackets, ask yourself: "Does this sentence need a describing word?" If yes, try adding one of the five suffixes -- -ful, -less, -ous, -ive, or -able -- to form the right adjective!

Practice Tips

1. The "What kind?" test: If the blank asks "What kind of person/thing is this?", you probably need an adjective. "She is a ___ girl." What kind of girl? A cheerful girl -- that is an adjective.

2. Opposite pairs: Practise forming opposites with -ful and -less. Write down pairs: careful/careless, hopeful/hopeless, thankful/thankless, useful/useless. This helps you remember both suffixes at once.

3. Base word hunt: When you see an adjective ending in -ful, -less, -ous, -ive, or -able, find the base word hidden inside. "Dangerous" comes from "danger." "Creative" comes from "create." This builds your vocabulary.

4. Sentence check: After choosing your adjective, read the sentence aloud. Does it sound natural? "The park is very colourful in autumn." Yes, that works!

Quick Reference