32. In what cases do adjectives follow nouns they refer to?

When used as attributes, adjectives generally precede the noun they modify. In postposition they will be found in the following cases:

a) when the adjective is part of an adjectival phrase

It was a book easy to read.

b) when used as attributes to pronouns

something interesting, nothing important

3. in special combinations generally standing for terms in legal language

attorney general, court martial, postmaster general

Note:

The adjectives "absent", "present", "concerned", "involved" are preferably used in postposition.

He asked to have the names and addresses of all the people present.

33. What adjectives are always used attributively?

Adjectives have two main syntactical functions: they may be used as attributes or predicatives.

This is an interesting book. (attribute)

This book is interesting. (predicative)

Another group of adjectives is formed by those which are preferably used attributively:

• relative adjectives

criminal, atomic, medical, etc. He was a nice boy, a friendly boy, and very shy.

• "intensifiers"

close, entire, great, strong, mere, sheer, utter, etc.

Utter and complete disaster! I've left every package I bought in Florence in that hotel in Perugia.

• "adverbial" adjectives

former, occasional, late, hard, fast, etc.

She looked [...] at the portraits of the late Queen and the late Poet Laureate.

• emotionally coloured epithets

poor, dear, honest, wretched, etc.

I don't know what you've heard so far, but I'll rough it out as it's come to me. It began with poor little old Doctor

Note: The words "poor", "dear", "little", "honest", etc. when used attributively may or may not be emotionally coloured epithets. Compare:

"Have you had a good night's sleep, you poor old thing?" she asked concernedly.

• emotionally coloured epithets ^:

There's a poor old woman, very ill

• not emotionally coloured epithets

The man is poor. (The man is not rich.)

34. What adjectives are always used predicatively?

Adjectives have two main syntactical functions: they may be used as attributes or predicatives.

This is an Interesting book. (attribute)

This book is interesting. (predicative)

In the majority of cases every adjective can be used in both these functions, but certain peculiarities must be mentioned here.

There is a group of adjectives which are always or preferably used predicatively:

afraid, alert, alive, alone, aloof, ashamed, asleep,

averse, awake, aware;

and also: faint, glad, ill, unwell, well, etc.

I didn't foresee that. I was not aware of it until lately.

35. What do adjectives denote?

Semantics

The adjective is used to denote a quality or feature of art object.

She is a pretty girl.

The vase stood on a low round table.

His arrival came as a complete surprise to me.

He is an English novelist.

This is a good idea.

The adjective may qualify an object either directly by denoting its shape, size, colour or some other more general characteristics — qualitative adjectives ("pretty", "low", "complete", "round", "good"), or indirectly, through its relation to another object — relative adjectives ("woolen", "wooden", "silver").

Note: among qualitative adj it is necessary to single out a special group of adj generally called “intensifiers”. These words do not give a additional characteristics to the object denoted by the noun, but “intensify” the meaning of it (“a complete surprise”).

The following verbs are generally used as such:

Certain, sure, pure, sheer, real, undoubted, complete, extreme, great, perfect, mere, close, utter, entire, etc.

36. What adjectives are called "intensifiers"?

Among qualitative adjectives, it is necessary to single out a special group of adjectives generally called "intensifiers".

These words do not give an additional characteristics to the object denoted by the noun, but "intensify" the meaning of it ("a complete surprise").

The following verbs are generally used as such:

certain, sure, pure, sheer, real, undoubted, complete, extreme, great, perfect, mere, close, utter, entire, strong, sheer, etc.