What are adjectives?

Adjectives are words that describe a noun or a pronoun in a sentence. Let's take a closer look at adjectives

Points to remember

  • Adjectives of quality describe the size, shape, colour, taste, and touch. They also describe qualities and feelings.

Examples: Long, black sweet, etc

  • Compound adjectives are adjectives that are made up of two or more words, usually with hyphens (-) between them.

Examples: Open-minded, well-mannered light-hearted, etc

  • Adjectives are formed by adding different suffies such as-al ful, -ive. -less, etc

Examples: Seasonal, respectful, attractive, useless, etc

  • Some adjectives are formed from existing words, including nouns.

Examples: Proud (from the noun pride); long (length): young (youth): belief (believe); etc.

  • Adjectives of quantity express an approximate quantity

Examples: Much, mast, whole, etc.

  • Adjectives of number express the exact number.

Examples: One, two, second third, etc.

  • When two nouns are compared, comparative adjectives are used.

Examples: It is easier to walk than drive through the forest the train journey takes longer than air travel

  • When more than two nouns are compared superlative adjectives are used.

Examples: The blue whale is the largest animal: Goa is the smallest State in India.

Did you know?

  • Some adjectives come in pairs!

Examples: The speech was short and sweet: Slow and steady wins the race:

I am sick and tired of eating the same food.

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What is active and passive voice?

The verb is said to be in the active voice when the subject does something. The person or thing denoted by the subject is the doer of the action. The verb is said to be in the passive voice, when the subject is being acted upon. The person or thing denoted by the subject experiences the result of the action done by someone or something.

Change of voice from active to passive depends on the tense of the verb. The passive is formed in this way:

Simple present: Am/is/are + past participle Present continuous: Is/are +being+ past participle

Present perfect: Has/have + been + past participle

Simple past: Was/ were + past participle Past continuous: Was/were + being + past participle

Past perfect: Had + been + past participle

Simple future: Will be + past participle

Future perfect: Will have + been + past participle can/ could/may/must/ should + verb; can be / could be / may be /must be / should be + past participle

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What is direct and indirect speech?

In direct speech, we quote the actual words of the speaker. We put the words of the speaker in inverted commas (...)

Example: He said "I am busy."

In indirect speech or reported speech, we report the words of the speaker without quoting the actual words of the speaker.

Example: He said that he was busy.

If you want to mention to whom something is said, use told'. If you don't want to mention to whom something is said, use 'said that.

The tenses change in reported speech as follows:

  • Simple present becomes simple past
  • Present continuous becomes past continuous
  • Present perfect becomes past perfect
  • Present perfect continuous becomes past perfect continuous
  • Simple past becomes past perfect
  • Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous
  • Past perfect does not change
  • Past perfect continuous does not change

Remember

When the reported speech relates to some universal truth, the tense of the reported speech does not change even though the reporting verb is in the past tense.

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What are conjunctions?

Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, clauses and sentences

There are three kinds of conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases or causes having similar grammatical structure. The coordinating conjunctions are: but, and, or, so, nor, yet for.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are used in sentences which have two clauses-one main clause (independent) and one subordinate clause (dependent). The main clause can stand alone as a sentence but the subordinate clause cannot. A dependent clause adds extra information to the main clause.

Some common subordinating conjunctions are after, because, unless, while, even if whenever, whether, although, though, when, so that, even though, whereas. if

Examples: The student failed the test because he didn't study. (The words in bold make up the subordinate clause.)

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and we have to use them in different places in a sentence. They work together and relate one sentence element to another.

Some important correlative conjunctions are either...or, whether...or, no sooner...than, neither....nor, not only...but also, rather....than, both and scarcely when, hardly when

Points to remember

Yet: We use yet to add something surprising because of what has just been mentioned.

Or: We use or to show alternatives or different possibilities.

But: We use but to introduce a phrase or clause that is different from what has been mentioned.

Nor: We use 'nor before the second negative after the first one.

And: We use and to add one thing to another.

For: We use for to express a reason or purpose. So: We use 'so' to mean "for this reason".

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