Adjectives: The Grammar Gameshow Episode 18

Hello and welcome to today’s Grammar Gameshow!

I’m your host, Will!

It’s all you’ve got!

And of course, let’s not forget Leslie,

our all-knowing voice in the sky.

Hello, everyone!

Tonight we’re going to ask you three questions about…

Adjectives!

Those useful words that put some

detail into our dialogue.

OK! Now, let’s meet our contestants!

Hello, all. I’m Stacey.

And contestant number two?

It’s nice to meet you. I’m Charlene.

Welcome one and welcome all,

answer me right, or take a fall!

Anyway, let’s move on to

round one.

This is a control round.

Answer the first question correctly,

and I’ll ask you three more.

You must answer all three correctly to get any points.

True or false:

Adjectives always come before a noun.

Easy! True!

Wow, you seem very confident.

Remember, you must answer all three of the following

questions to get any points.

Bring it on, Willy.

Willy?!

I haven’t been called Willy since…

But

that was such a long time ago.

Where is the adjective in this sentence?

He lives in a blue house.

The adjective is ‘blue’. It comes before the noun ‘house’.

Like I said!

Try this one.

The ferocious shark swam quickly.

'Ferocious' - adjective.

'Shark' - noun.

Adjective before noun,

yawn!

OK!

Last one.

I feel happy.

The adjective is ‘happy’.

It comes before…

Oh!

Charlene.

Would you like to answer this one?

‘Feel’ is a linking verb

so it can connect with an adjective.

But the adjective comes after.

Leslie?

Well done!

Adjectives commonly go in two positions.

They can appear before the noun they are describing

or they can follow a linking verb,

such as: ‘become’, ‘feel’, or ‘be’.

Well done, Charlene.

You get all of Stacey’s points.

Hey! That’s not fair!

I answered three out of the four!

Willy!

Please!

Well, when you put it like that.

10 points to Charlene and 20 to Stacey.

Hey! I see you!

Two can play at that game.

Carry on, Willsy!

Willsy?

I haven’t been called that since…

But

that was such a long time ago.

OK, on to our next round,

and this will be quick-fire round.

Everybody knows that adjectives have an order.

Here are some adjectives.

I want to know what order they should go in.

The noun

is ‘suit’.

Ready?

Old.

An old suit,

Willy.

Correct!

Beige.

An old beige suit,

Willsy.

Correct!

Woollen.

An old beige woollen suit,

Willy.

Correct!

American.

An old beige American woollen suit,

Willsy.

Correct!

Medium.

A medium old beige American woollen suit,

Willsy!

Correct!

Leslie?

Good job!

Though it is unlikely that you’ll order so many adjectives

for one noun,

the order goes:

size,

age,

shape,

colour,

origin,

material!

Though there are other types of adjectives

which do not feature in this list,

such as:

adjectives of opinion.

Excellent job!

Seriously, how hideous.

Who’d wear a suit like that?

Yeah! For once, I agree.

Just tacky, tacky, tacky

- on most people, but not on you Willsy!

Yeah, you’ve got the build to pull it off, Willy.

Yes. I thought so too.

Ten points each

and later you can tell me more things about

myself!

On to our third round

- and it’s time to get extreme, ladies.

Ladies,

show me ‘extreme’!

Yeah, very nice!

Some adjectives are called ‘non-gradable’ or ‘extreme’.

I’m going to give you an adjective

and you’re going to give me the extreme version.

Ready?

Tasty.

Willsy looks utterly delicious in his suit.

Correct!

Oh you!

Interesting.

Everything you say is absolutely fascinating.

Correct!

Stop, stop!

No, no, no! Don't stop!

Handsome.

The host of this show is totally stunning.

Correct!

Well, this is unexpected.

Leslie?

Absolutely perfect!

Gradable adjectives can be made more or less

using words like ‘very’ or ‘a bit’.

Non-gradable adjectives, however, are too strong.

You cannot be ‘a bit exhausted’.

In order to modify them, we need a stronger adverb

such as ‘absolutely’,

‘totally’

or ‘utterly’.

Excellent work.

Here are twenty points each in mixed currency.

And that brings us to the end of today’s

Grammar Gameshow.

And the winner is…

Stacey! Well done!

Here’s what you’ve won!

It’s...

Will’s favourite pair of shoes!

When did you get them?

And Charlene...

You did well, but not well enough I’m afraid.

But Willsy…

Here come the owls!

It looks like we’ll need another contestant.

So…

where are we going for dinner?

Whoa!

Fun and games aside,

you’re a nice person,

but we’re not even in the same league!

Men!

Hang on Charlene!

Sisters before misters!

Death before dishonour.

Respect!

Thanks for joining us.

Say goodbye, Leslie.

Do svidanya, Leslie!

See you next time.