17.   Kinds of adjectives

A.    The main kinds are:

(a)  Demonstrative: this, that, these, those (see 9)

(b)   Distributive: each, every (46); either, neither (49)

(c)   Quantitative: some, any, no (50); little/few (5); many, much (25); one, twenty (349)

(d)  Interrogative: which, what, whose (54)

(e)  Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their (62)

(f)   Of quality clever, dry, fat, golden, good, heavy, square (19)

B.     Participles used as adjectives

Both present participles (ing) and past participles (ed) can be used as adjectives. Care must be taken not to confuse them. Present participle adjectives, amusing, boring, tinng etc , are active and mean 'having this effect'. Past participle adjectives, amused, horrified, tired etc., are passive and mean 'affected in this way'.

The play was boring (The audience was bored.)

The work was tiring (The workers were soon tired )

The scene was horrifying. (The spectators were horrified.)

an infuriating woman (She made us furious )

an infuriated woman (Something had made her furious.)

C.     Agreement

Adjectives in English have the same form for singular and plural, masculine and feminine nouns:

a good boy, good boys      a good girl, good girls The only exceptions are the demonstrative adjectives this and that, which change to these and those before plural nouns:

this cat, these cats      that man, those men

D.     Many adjectives/participles can be followed by prepositions: good at, tired of