Table of Contents
What is an Adjective?
An Adjective is a word used to qualify a noun or a pronoun.
( প্রকৃতপক্ষে যে word-এর দ্বারা Noun বা Pronoun -এর দোষ, গুণ, অবস্থা, সংখ্যা বা পরিমাণ বোঝায় তাকে Adjective বলে। )
Types of Adjective :
Adjectives are mainly of two types (Adjective প্রধানত দুপ্রকার): Attributive Adjective and Predicative Adjective.
What is Attributive & Predicative Adjective?
Adjective যখন Noun-এর পূর্বে বসে তার attribute অর্থাৎ দোষগুণ প্রকাশ করে তখন তাকে Attributive Adjective বলে। আর যখন Verb বা ক্রিয়ার পরে Predicate হিসাবে বসে Noun বা Pronoun-কে qualify করে, তখন তাকে Predicative Adjective বা বিধেয় বিশেষণ বলে।
Example— বুদ্ধিমতী মেয়েটি পরীক্ষায় প্রথম স্থান অধিকার করেছিল—The intelligent girl stood first in the examination. (“intelligent” – Attributive Adjective).
মেয়েটি বেশ বুদ্ধিমতি -The girl is very intelligent (“intelligent “- Predicative Adjective which qualifies the Noun ‘girl’.) কিন্তু সে খুব অলস – But she is very lazy. (“lazy” – Predicative Adjective which qualifies the Pronoun ‘she’).
**Note: Both Attributive Adjective and Predicative Adjective qualify a noun. But only Predicative Adjective qualifies a pronoun. [ Attributive Adjective এবং Predicative Adjective Noun-কে qualify করতে পারে। কিন্তু Pronoun-কে কেবল Predicative Adjective qualify করে। ]
However, there are eight kinds of Adjectives in terms of nature. (প্রকৃতিগত বিচারে Adjective আট প্রকার।)
Kinds of Adjectives :
1. Proper Adjective
2. Adjective of Quality
3. Adjective of Quantity
4. Numeral Adjective
5. Demonstrative Adjective
6. Distributive Adjective
7. Interrogative Adjective
8. Possessive Adjective
Proper Adjective
A proper adjective is one derived from a proper noun. ( Proper Noun থেকে Proper Adjective হয়।)
Indian tea is better than Chinese tea.
Examples: Asian, Chinese, French, English, African, Punjabi, etc.
Adjective of Quality
A qualitative or adjective is one that shows the kind and quality of a person or thing. (Noun বা Pronoun এর দোষ, গুণ বা অবস্থা প্রকাশ করে।)
He is an honest man.
Examples: good, bad, wise, noble, rich, poor, great, hot, cold, warm, etc.
Adjective of Quantity
A quantitative adjective is one that shows how much (quantity) of a thing is meant. ( Noun বা Pronoun-এর Quantity বা পরিমাণ বোঝায়।)
I want some salt.
Examples: much, huge, some, a little, all, any, half, full, whole, enough, etc.
Numeral Adjective
A numeral adjective is one that shows the number or serial order of persons or things. ( Noun বা Pronoun এর সংখ্যা বোঝায়। one, two, three – cardinal number বা সংখ্যাবাচক শব্দ ; First, Second, Third – ordinal number বা ক্রমবাচক শব্দ বা পূরণবাচক শব্দ।)
Some boys were in the competition but only three got the prize some boys were in the competition but only three got the prizes.
Examples: one, two, three, four, first, second, third, fourth, all, any, many, some, several, each, every, a few, etc.
Demonstrative Adjective
A demonstrative adjective is one that points out which person or thing is meant. (কোনো ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুকে বিশেষভাবে নির্দেশ করে।)
I hate such things.
Examples: this, that, these, those, such, etc.
Distributive Adjective
A distributive adjective is an adjective that refers to members of a group individually. (একাধিক ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুর মধ্যে প্রত্যেককে পৃথকভাবে নির্দেশ করে।)
Each boy will get a prize.
Examples: each, every, either, neither.
Interrogative Adjective
An interrogative adjective is used to ask a question. [প্রশ্নসূচক শব্দ (Wh-words) Noun এর পূর্বে Adjective এর মতো ব্যবহৃত হয়।]
What manner of man is he?
Examples: Whose (Whose book is this?), which ( Which coat is yours?), what (What news did he bring?)
Possessive Adjective
A possessive adjective is an adjective that modifies a noun by identifying who has ownership or possession of it.(অধিকার বা সম্বন্ধসূচক Adjective)
This is his book.
Examples: my, our, your, his, her, their. (My pen is lost.)
**Note: This is his book. My pen is lost. বাক্যগুলোতে his, my শব্দগুলি book, pen এই noun এর পূর্বে বসে অধিকার বা সম্বন্ধ প্রকাশ করছে বলে এগুলিকে Possessive Adjective বলা হয়। কিন্তু my, his, her, your, our, their- ইত্যাদিকে বর্তমানে personal pronoun এর possessive case রুপেও ধরা হয়। যাইহোক, Demonstrative Adjective, Distributive Adjective, Interrogative Adjective এবং Possessive Adjective-কে একত্রে Pronominal Adjective বলে।
Examples:
এটি আমার বই – This is my book. (এখানে ‘my’ Possessive Adjective)
এই বইটি আমার – This book is mine. (এখানে ‘mine’ Possessive Pronoun)
এইভাবে, আরও কিছু Possessive Adjective এবং Possessive Pronoun দেখানো হল :
এইটি আমাদের বাড়ি -This is our house.
এই বাড়িটি আমাদের — This house is ours.
এইটি তােমার কলম — This is your pen.
এই কলমটি তােমার–This pen is yours.
এটি তার (মেয়েটির) পুতুল — This is her doll.
এই পুতুলটি তার – This doll is hers
There are two more Adjectives— Emphasizing and Exclamatory Adjectives.
Emphasizing Adjectives: Own and very is used as Emphasizing Adjectives. (Own এবং very এই দুটি শব্দ জোড়সূচক Adjective রূপে ব্যবহৃত হয়।)
Examples :
He was beaten at his own game. (সে নিজের চালাকিতে নিজেই পরাস্ত হল।)
He was paid back by his own coin. (তার নিজের কৌশল নিজে ফিরে পেল।)
Mind your own business. (নিজের কাজে মন দাও।)
I saw it with my own eyes. (আমি নিজের চোখেই এটা দেখেছিলাম।)
The incident happened before my very eyes. (ঘটনাটা আমার চোখের সামনেই ঘটল।)
That is the very thing I want. (ঐ জিনিসটিই আমার চাই।)
Exclamatory Adjectives: What folly! What a fall! What an idea! What a blessing! What a piece of work is man! (মানুষ কী বিচিত্র সৃষ্টি!)
FORMATION OF ADJECTIVES
Some Adjectives are formed from Nouns
| Noun | Adjective |
| King | kingly |
| Telegraph | telegraphic |
| Cost | costly |
| Danger | dangerous |
| Nerve | Nervous |
| Silk | silken |
| Gold | golden |
| Outrage | outrageous |
| Cease | ceaseless |
| Courage | courageous |
| Sense | senseless |
| Ambition | ambitious |
| Shame | shameless |
| Envy | envious |
| Wonder | wonderful |
| Glory | glorious |
| Music | musical |
| Office | official |
| Crime | criminal |
| Voice | vocal |
| Attraction | attractive |
| People | popular |
| Destruction | destructive |
| Hand | handsome |
| Distribution | distributive |
| Trouble | troublesome |
| Production | productive |
| Quarrel | quarrelsome |
| Laugh | laughable |
| Life | lively |
| Belief | believable |
| Man | manly |
| Desire | desirable |
| Miser | miserly |
| Pardon | Pardonable |
| Boy | boyish |
| Benefit | beneficial |
| Child | childish |
| Education | educational |
| Fool | foolish |
| Devotion | devotional |
| Beauty | beautiful |
| Health | healthy |
| Care | careful |
| Dirt | dirty |
| Hope | hopeful |
| Ease | easy |
| Need | needful |
| Storm | stormy |
| Peace | peaceful |
| Sun | sunny |
| Play | playful |
| Leaf | leafy |
| Success | successful |
| Anger | angry |
| Use | useful |
• Some Adjectives are formed from Verbs
| Verb | Adjective |
| Act | active |
| Move | movable |
| Attract | attractive |
| Rely | reliable |
| Detect | detective |
| Add | additional |
| Deceive | deceptive |
| Edit | editorial |
| Include | inclusive |
| Forget | forgetful |
| Instruct | instructive |
| Trust | trustful |
| Talk | talkative |
| Invent | inventive |
| Agree | agreeable |
| Prevent | preventive |
| Desire | desirable |
| Advise | advisory |
| Enjoy | enjoyable |
| Love | lovely |
• Some Adjectives are formed from other Adjectives
| Adjective | Adjective |
| Economic | economical |
| Black | blackish |
| Tragic | tragical |
| White | whitish |
| Three | threefold |
| Large | largely |
| Whole | wholesome |
| Sick | sickly |
**Note: A few words with ‘ly’ ending look like Adverbs, but they are really Adjectives : (lovely, sickly, manly, miserly, etc.). He is a miserly man. He showed manly behaviour.
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
Read the sentences :
Raju is a tall boy. (রাজু একটি লম্বা ছেলে।)
Sibu is taller than Raju. (শিবু রাজুর চেয়ে লম্বা।)
The giraffe is the tallest of all animals. (জিরাফ সকল প্রাণীর থেকে লম্বা।)
উপরের বাক্যগুলিতে tall, taller এবং tallest তিনটিই Adjective; এদের মধ্যে প্রথম বাক্যে ‘tall’ Adjective-টি সাধারণভাবে বসেছে, দ্বিতীয় বাক্যে ‘taller’ Adjective-টি দুজনের মধ্যে তুলনা বোঝাচ্ছে এবং তৃতীয় বাক্যে ‘tallest’ Adjective-টি সকলের মধ্যে তুলনা বোঝাচ্ছে।
এইভাবে, সাধারণ Adjective থেকে দুই–এর মধ্যে তুলনা এবং দুই–এর বেশির মধ্যে তুলনা বোঝাতে Adjective-এর যে রূপ হয়, তাকে Degree of Comparison বলে।
এইভাবে Adjective-এর তিনটি form বা রূপ হল :
1. Positive Degree : Adjective যখন সাধারণভাবে বসে।
2. Comparative Degree : যখন দুটি ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুর মধ্যে তুলনা করা হয়।
3. Superlative Degree : যখন দুইয়ের অধিক ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুর মধ্যে তুলনা করা হয়।
RULES OF COMPARISON
(i) Most Adjectives of one syllable by adding -er and est : (সাধারণত এক syllable-বিশিষ্ট Adjective থেকে Comparative-এ “er” এবং Superlative-এ “est” যোগ হয়।]
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Bold (সাহসী) | bolder | boldest |
| Cold (ঠান্ডা) | colder | coldest |
| Old (বয়সে বড়, পুরাতন) | older | oldest |
| Old (পারিবারিক সম্পর্কে বড়) | elder | eldest |
| Clever (চতুর) | cleverer | cleverest |
| Few (অল্প কয়েকটি) | fewer | fewest |
| Great (মহান) | greater | greatest |
| Hard (কঠিন) | harder | hardest |
| High (উঁচু) | higher | highest |
| Kind (দয়ালু) | kinder | kindest |
| Low (নীচু) | lower | lowest |
| Long (লম্বা) | longer | longest |
| Poor (দরিদ্র) | poorer | poorest |
| Rich (ধনী) | richer | richest |
| Short (বেঁটে, খাটো) | shorter | shortest |
| Small (ছোটো) | smaller | smallest |
| Strong (বলবান) | stronger | strongest |
| Soft (নরম) | softer | softest |
| Sweet (মিষ্ট) | sweeter | sweetest |
| Tall (লম্বা) | taller | tallest |
| Weak (দুর্বল) | weaker | weakest |
**Note : Old থেকে সাধারণভাবে বয়সে বড় বা পুরাতন অর্থে Comparative- এ older এবং Superlative-এ oldest হয়। কিন্তু পারিবারিক সম্পর্ক থাকলে Old থেকে Comparative-এ elder এবং Superlative-এ eldest হয়।
(ii) When the Positive ends in e, only -r and -st are added : (Positive-এর শেষে e থাকলে শুধু -r এবং -st যোগ হয়।)
| Postive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Able (সক্ষম) | abler | ablest |
| Brave (সাহসী) | braver | bravest |
| Fine (সুন্দর, পাতলা) | finer | finest |
| Late (সময় সম্পর্কে পরবর্তী) | later | latest |
| Late (ক্রমসম্পর্কে পরবর্তী) | latter | last |
| Large (বড়) | larger | largest |
| Noble (মহৎ) | nobler | noblest |
| Pale (বিবর্ন) | paler | palest |
| True (সত্য) | truer | truest |
| Wise (জ্ঞানী) | wiser | wisest |
| White (সাদা) | whiter | whitest |
**Note : সময় সম্পর্কে পরবর্তী হলে later এবং latest হয় ।যেমন – This is the later/latest edition of the book. কিন্তু ক্রম অর্থাৎ order বা position বোঝালে latter ও last হয়। Ram and Shyam are two boys; the former is strong in Bengali and the latter in English. Amar is the last boy in the class.
(iii) When the positive ends in a Consonant preceded by a Vowel, the Consonant is doubled before adding -er and -est : (Positive-এর শেষে Consonant এবং তার ঠিক পূর্বে Vowel থাকলে Consonant-টি double করে – er এবং -স্টেশন যোগ হয়।)
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Big (বড়) | bigger | biggest |
| Fat (মোটা) | fatter | fattest |
| Hot (গরম) | hotter | hottest |
| Mad (পাগল) | madder | maddest |
| Sad (বিষন্ন) | sadder | saddest |
| Thin (পাতলা) | thinner | thinnest |
*”Note : Positive – এর শেষে যদি দুটি consonant থাকে অথবা একটি consonant এর পূর্বে দুটি vowel থাকে, তবে consonant – এর double হয়না।
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Thick | thicker | thickest |
| Cool | cooler | coolest |
(iv) When the Positive ends in y, preceded by a consonant, the y is changed into i before adding -er and est : (যখন Positive-এর শেষে y থাকে এবং তার পূর্বে consonant থাকে, তখন y কে i করে – er এবং -est যোগ হয়।)
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Busy (ব্যস্ত) | busier | busiest |
| Easy (সহজ) | easier | easiest |
| Dry (শুষ্ক) | drier | driest |
| Happy (সুখী) | happier | happiest |
| Heavy(ভারী) | heavier | heaviest |
| Holy (পবিত্র) | hoiler | holiest |
| Merry (আনন্দিত) | merrier | merriest |
| Mighty (শক্তিশালী) | mightier(mighter) | mightiest |
| Ugly (কুশ্রী) | uglier | ugliest |
| Wealthy (সম্পদশালী) | wealthier | wealthiest |
**Note: যখন Adjective-এর শেষে y থাকলেও তার পূর্বে Vowel থাকে, তখন y-এর কোনো পরিবর্তন না করে -er এবং -est যোগ হয়।
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Gay (আনন্দিত) | gayer | gayest |
| Grey (ধূসর) | greyer | greyest |
(v) Some Comparatives and Superlatives are different from the Positive : (কতকগুলি Comparative এবং Superlative তাদের Positive থেকে আলাদা হয়।
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Good (ভালো) | better | best |
| Bad (মন্দ) | worse | worst |
| Far (দূর) | farther | farthest |
| Fore (আরও) | further/furthermore | furthest/furthermost |
| Little (কম) | less | least |
| Much (বেশি) | more | most |
| Many (অনেক) | more | most |
**Note : Kolkata is farther from Mumbai than Patna. (distance)
He made no further remarks. (further = additional)
(vi) Adjectives of two-syllable or more than two syllables form the Comparative and the Superlative by adding more and most or less and least before them : (দুই বা ততোধিক syllable-বিশিষ্ট Adjective-এর Comparative এবং Superlative করতে হলে more এবং most বা less এবং least যোগ করতে হয়।)
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Beautiful (সুন্দর) | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| Dutiful (কর্তব্যপরায়ণ) | more dutiful | most dutiful |
| Careful (যত্নবান) | more careful/less careful | most careful/least careful |
| Courageous (সাহসী) | more courageous | most courageous |
| Difficult (কঠিন) | more difficult | most difficult |
| Diligent (পরিশ্রমী) | more diligent | most diligent |
| Important (গুরুত্বপূর্ণ) | more important | most important |
| Intelligent (বুদ্ধিমান) | more intelligent | most intelligent |
| Industrious (অধ্যবসায়ী) | more industrious | most industrious |
| Learned (শিক্ষিত) | more learned | most learned |
(vii) There are some Latin Comparatives. (এছাড়া কিছু Latin Comparative আছে।) (যেমন-Junior, Senior, Inferior, Superior, Minor, Major, Prior, Anterior, Posterior প্রভৃতি। সাধারণ ভাবে Comparative-এর পর than বসলেও এই Latin Comparative-গুলির পর to বসে। এদের positive এবং superlative-এর কোনো form নেই। এই Latin Comparative গুলির ব্যবহার দেখো :
I am junior to him. (বয়সে ছটো বা চাকরিতে অধস্তন।)
He is senior to me. (বয়সে বড় বা চাকরিতে উধ্বর্তন।)
Amal is junior to Bimal in age but senior to him in service.
This type of tea is inferior (নিকৃষ্ট) to that.
This type of rice is superior (উৎকৃষ্ট) to that.
The Vedas are anterior (পূর্ববর্তী) to the Puranas.
The Iron Age is posterior (পরবর্তী) to the Copper Age.
USE OF DEGREES
Positive degree: Ram is as old as Shyam.
Comparative Degree: Jadu is older than Madhu.
Superlative Degree: Jadu is the oldest boy in his class.
Note : Positive degree -র তুলনা হলে আগে as এবং পরে as হয়। কখনো কখনো আগের as থাকে না। যেমন – He is ferocious as a tiger.
Comparative degree – র পরে than বসে।
Superlative degree – র আগে the এবং পরে of বা in বসে।
AN IMPORTANT NOTE
The Superlative with most is sometimes used when there is no idea of comparison but merely a desire to indicate quality in a very high degree. [ কখনো কখনো most বসিয়ে যে Superlative হয়, তাতে কোনো তুলনার ভাব থাকে না, কেবলমাত্র কোনো একটি বিশেষ অবস্থা বা গুণ খুব বেশি পরিমাণে আছে এরূপ বোঝায়।]
This is most unfortunate. (এটি খুবই দুর্ভাগ্যজনক।)
This is a most wonderful sight. (এটি একটি খুব চমৎকার দৃশ্য।)
It was a most eloquent speech. (এটি ছিল খুব উদাত্ত ভাষণ।)
এরূপ ক্ষেত্রে Superlative Degree হলেও most – এর পূর্বে the বসে না। কখনো কোনো article – ই থাকে না, কখনো the – র পরিবর্তে a বসে।
Exercise
1. Underline the adjectives given in the following sentences.
i) I watched a thriller movie today.
ii) There is little juice left in the glass.
iii) Jaipur is the pink city.
iv) James is popular with old and young people.
v) The window of the store was full of new attractive clothes.
vi) Many students study foreign languages.
vii) Those long questions were hard for me.
viii) Asia is the biggest continent in the world.
ix) Holi is a colorful festival.x) Whose pen is lying on the table?
2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate adjectives from the brackets.
i) I often get …………………. in new social situations. (nervous/shyly)
ii) I am …………………. around new people. (confident/easily)
iii) I often feel …………………. before a party. (excited/nervously)
iv) I feel …………………. when I’m nervous. (uncomfortable/fast)
v) I try to be a …………………. person, (nicely/friendly)
vi) I tell jokes …………………. (bad/well)
vii) I give my opinion when I feel …………………. about something. (strong/strongly)
viii) I hope other people think I look …………………. (attractive/confidently)
ix) I like people who are …………………. than I. (taller/tall)
x) It’s never a problem for me to remember people’s names. I do that……………. (easily/automatic)
3. Pick out all the adjectives in the following sentences and say to which class each of them belongs.
(i) He calls me every day.
(ii) Which color do you prefer?
(iii) A dog is very faithful to its master.
(iv) A small leak is enough to sink a great ship.
v) Parvati secured the seventh rank in the test.
(vi) Neither party is quite in the right.
vii) It was a difficult question, but I solved it.
(viii) The way was long, the wind was cold.
(ix) I have not seen him in several days.
(x) The car sustained heavy damage in the accident.
(xi) He was absent from the class.
(xii) He has written several stories.
xiii) Those girls were preparing for the upcoming exam.
xiv) Some people work at the factory as weavers.
(xv) He is a man of few words.
4. Fill in the blank with the correct degree of the adjective.
i) As compared to pizza, pasta is……… . (good)
ii) Her condition is now ……… than what it was. (bad)
iii) LSita is the ……… of the two. (tall)
iv) I think, this cloth is……………….. that we purchased earlier.(fine)
v) This bag is too big, do you have a…….. bag? (small)
vi) MS Dhoni is one of the……. cricket players in the world. (good)
vii) Is your father ……. now. (well)
viii) Who is the………… actress according to you? (pretty)
ix) Burj Khalifa is the……. building in the world. (tall)
x) He is my…….. brother. (old)
xi) Autumn is the ……………… season that I have ever loved. (lovely)
xii) June is ………. than April or May. (hot)
xiii) Nadira was the most……….. girl that Salim had ever seen. (beautiful)
xiv) Mumbai is much………… than any other city in Maharashtra. (busy)
xv) I have not seen any child that is ……………. than Sharvilak. (naughty)
