Attributive vs Predicative Adjectives | Grammar Exercises | 5 Questions with Solutions

Rules & Exercises

\(\text{Attributive: adjective before noun} | \text{Predicative: adjective after linking verb}\)

Fundamental Concept

Attributive

Adjective before noun

The beautiful woman

Predicative

Adjective after linking verb

The woman is beautiful

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Definition: Attributive adjectives come before nouns; predicative adjectives come after linking verbs.

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Attributive: Position: before the noun (a red car).

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Predicative: Position: after linking verbs like "is", "becomes", "seems" (the car is red).

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Rule: Most adjectives can be both attributive and predicative, but some have restrictions.

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Tip: Attributive = before noun, Predicative = after linking verb

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Attention: Linking verbs connect subject to adjective

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Quick Rule: "The ___ girl" vs "The girl ___"

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Method: Find the noun and verb to determine position

Exercise 1

Identify whether each adjective is attributive or predicative

Exercise 2

Convert attributive adjectives to predicative and vice versa

Exercise 3

Find linking verbs in sentences containing predicative adjectives

Exercise 4

Explain why some adjectives can only be used predicatively

Exercise 5

Create sentences using both attributive and predicative adjectives

Solutions: Exercises 1 to 3

1 Identify attributive vs predicative

Definition:

Attributive Adjective: Comes directly before the noun it modifies.

Step 1: Locate the adjective

Find the adjective in the sentence.

Step 2: Identify the noun

Find the noun the adjective is describing.

Step 3: Check position

Is the adjective before the noun (attributive) or after a linking verb (predicative)?

Step 4: Identify linking verbs

Look for verbs like "is", "are", "was", "were", "seems", "becomes".

Step 5: Classify the adjective

Determine if it's attributive or predicative based on position.

Final Answer:

Attributive adjectives appear before the noun they modify (the happy child), while predicative adjectives appear after linking verbs (the child is happy).

Applied Rules:

• Position: Attributive = before noun, Predicative = after linking verb

• Linking Verbs: Identify "is", "are", "seems", "becomes" as indicators of predicative use

• Function: Both types describe nouns but in different positions

2 Convert between forms

Definition:

Conversion: Changing adjective position while maintaining meaning.

Step 1: Identify current form

Determine if the adjective is currently attributive or predicative.

Step 2: Restructure sentence

Move the adjective to the opposite position while preserving meaning.

Step 3: Add/remove linking verb

Include linking verbs when converting to predicative form.

Step 4: Maintain grammatical correctness

Ensure the converted sentence remains grammatically correct.

Final Answer:

Converting between forms involves changing the adjective position and adjusting linking verbs accordingly: "the tall man" becomes "the man is tall".

Applied Rules:

• Restructuring: Move adjective to appropriate position

• Linking Verbs: Add/remove as needed for predicative/attributive forms

• Meaning Preservation: Maintain the descriptive function of the adjective

3 Find linking verbs

Definition:

Linking Verbs: Verbs that connect the subject to a predicative adjective.

Step 1: Locate the adjective

Find the adjective that appears after the main verb.

Step 2: Identify the preceding verb

Determine which verb comes before the adjective.

Step 3: Check verb type

Verify if it's a linking verb (is, are, seems, becomes, etc.).

Step 4: Confirm connection

Ensure the verb connects the subject to the adjective.

Final Answer:

Linking verbs connect the subject to predicative adjectives. Common linking verbs include "is", "are", "was", "were", "seems", "appears", "becomes", "feels", "looks".

Applied Rules:

• Identification: Linking verbs connect subject to adjective

• Common Types: "is", "are", "seems", "becomes", "appears"

• Function: Acts as bridge between subject and description

Solutions: Exercises 4 to 5

4 Adjectives restricted to predicative

Definition:

Predicative-only Adjectives: Adjectives that can only appear after linking verbs.

Step 1: Identify restricted adjectives

Examples: "afraid", "alive", "aware", "asleep", "alone".

Step 2: Understand semantic reasons

These adjectives describe states that are temporary or subjective.

Step 3: Recognize syntactic constraints

They cannot precede nouns due to their inherent meaning.

Step 4: Apply to examples

Correct: "He is afraid" - Incorrect: "the afraid man".

Step 5: Memorize common examples

Learn which adjectives are restricted to predicative use.

Final Answer:

Some adjectives like "afraid", "alive", "aware", "asleep" can only be used predicatively because they describe temporary states or subjective conditions that cannot precede nouns.

Applied Rules:

• Restriction: Some adjectives can only be used predicatively

• Reason: Temporary states or subjective conditions

• Examples: afraid, alive, aware, asleep, alone, awake

5 Create sentences with both forms

Definition:

Combined Sentences: Examples using both attributive and predicative adjectives.

Step 1: Start with attributive form

Create a sentence with an adjective before a noun: "The beautiful garden".

Step 2: Add predicative form

Include a linking verb with an adjective: "The garden is beautiful".

Step 3: Combine in complex sentence

Use both forms in the same sentence: "The beautiful garden is beautiful".

Step 4: Vary adjective choices

Use different adjectives to demonstrate the concept clearly.

Final Answer:

Effective sentences demonstrate both attributive and predicative usage, showing how the same adjective can function differently based on its position in the sentence.

Applied Rules:

• Integration: Combine both forms naturally in sentences

• Position: Maintain correct positions for each form

• Meaning: Ensure both forms contribute to overall sentence meaning

Attributive vs Predicative AdjectivesGrammar Mastery Guide

Attributive vs Predicative Adjectives
Grammar Mastery Guide