What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that describe nouns. Nouns are people, places, things, or ideas. Adjectives give us more information about them.

For example, instead of saying “The film was good,” you can say “The film was amazing!” This makes your English more interesting.

• Positive Adjectives: amazing, awesome, interesting
• Negative Adjectives: boring, horrible, terrible

Positive Adjectives: Good Feelings and Things

These adjectives help you talk about things you like or find good.

• Amazing: This means very, very good or surprising. It's stronger than 'good'.
• Awesome: This also means very good, impressive, or excellent. It's similar to amazing.
• Interesting: This describes something that holds your attention. You want to know more about it.

Negative Adjectives: Bad Feelings and Things

These adjectives help you talk about things you don't like or find bad.

• Boring: This means not interesting. It makes you feel tired or sleepy.
• Horrible: This means very bad or unpleasant. It can describe a feeling, a taste, or an experience.
• Terrible: This also means very bad or awful. It is similar to horrible and can describe quality, weather, or a situation.

How to Use Adjectives in Sentences

You can use adjectives in two main ways:

• Before a noun: The adjective comes before the noun it describes. For example, “It was an amazing film.”
• After the verb 'to be' (or other linking verbs): The adjective comes after verbs like is, are, was, were. For example, “The film was amazing.”

Exemples

• The concert was amazing! I loved the music.
• She has an amazing voice.
• That new video game is awesome.
• What an awesome idea!
• The book was very interesting. I couldn't stop reading.
• He told an interesting story.
• The lesson was boring, so I almost fell asleep.
• I don't like this boring TV show.
• The food at that restaurant was horrible.
• I had a horrible day at work.
• The weather is terrible today; it's raining a lot.
• He made a terrible mistake.

Entraînement

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Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Spanish speakers often put adjectives after the noun. In English, adjectives usually come avant the noun.

• Incorrect : I saw a film amazing.
• Correct : I saw an amazing film.

N'oubliez pas non plus que horrible et terrible are strong negative words. They mean 'very bad'. Don't use them for things that are just 'a little bad'.

Questions fréquemment posées

What is an adjective in simple English?

An adjective is a word that describes a noun. It tells you more about a person, place, thing, or idea. For example, in a big house, big is the adjective.

Can these adjectives describe people?

Yes, some of them can. For example, you can say He is an interesting person ou That was a terrible actor. However, amazing et awesome are usually for things or experiences, not people directly, unless you mean their qualities, e.g., an amazing singer.

How can I remember new adjectives?

Try to use new adjectives in sentences about your own life. You can also group them by meaning (positive/negative) or by things they describe (films, books, weather). Practice makes perfect!

Are these adjectives useful for the A2 Key exam?

Absolutely! In the A2 Key Speaking Part 2, you describe a picture. You can use these adjectives to talk about what you see and how it makes you feel. For example, The park looks amazing! ou The weather seems terrible. They are also useful in the Writing Part 6 when you write a short message or email.

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