Adjectives: A1 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. She has a ___ car. → red

English puts the adjective in front of the noun, unlike Spanish, French or Italian.

2. They are ___ children. → happy

An English adjective never takes a plural ending, however many nouns it describes.

3. Which order is natural in English? → an old brown leather bag

Age comes before colour, and colour before material.

4. The soup ___ too salty. → is

An adjective after the verb needs be, and soup is singular.

5. I bought a ___ jacket in the sale. → new

The adjective goes between the article and the noun.

6. Which sentence is correct? → These are expensive shoes.

Adjectives are invariable in English and go before the noun.

7. It was a ___ film. I nearly fell asleep. → boring

The -ing form describes the thing that causes the feeling; -ed describes the person who feels it.

8. I was ___ by the end of the lecture. → bored

The -ed form describes how a person feels.

9. Which order is correct? → a beautiful big house

Opinion comes before size: beautiful big, not big beautiful.

10. My grandparents live in a ___ village. → small quiet Italian

Size, then a further descriptive adjective, then origin — small quiet Italian.

11. The children were very ___ about the trip. → excited

People feel excited; the trip itself is exciting.

12. Which sentence is correct? → He has a fast car.

The adjective sits between the article and the noun, with no ending.

13. This exercise is ___ than the last one. → more difficult

Longer adjectives form the comparative with more rather than with -er.

14. We had a ___ time at the wedding. → wonderful

Wonderful has one l, and adjectives never take a plural ending.

15. The news was ___ . → surprising

The news causes the feeling, so it takes the -ing form.

16. Which sentence puts the adjective correctly after the verb? → The room is clean.

After be the adjective simply follows the verb, with no article.

17. She wore a ___ dress to the party. → long blue silk

Size, then colour, then material: long blue silk.

18. I am ___ in modern architecture. → interested

A person is interested; the subject itself is interesting.

19. Which sentence is correct? → They are two French students.

Adjectives of nationality, like all adjectives, never take a plural -s.

20. The weather was ___ all week. → terrible

After be an adjective is needed, not an adverb — terribly would describe an action.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. Her house has six bedrooms and a garden — it is very ___ . (opposite of small) → big

After the verb be, the adjective follows directly and takes no ending.

2. Be careful with that cup — the tea in it is still too ___ to drink. (opposite of cold) → hot

The adjective comes straight after the verb be, with no plural or agreement ending.

3. They invite us round and help with our shopping. They are very ___ people. (from the noun friend) → friendly

Adding -ly to the noun friend makes an adjective, not an adverb.

4. I bought a ___ pair of shoes yesterday — the old ones had holes in them. → new

The adjective sits between the article and the noun it describes.

5. The film was really ___ — I nearly fell asleep. (bore) → boring

The -ing form describes the thing that causes the feeling.

6. I was ___ by the end of the meeting. (bore) → bored

The -ed form describes how the person feels.

7. We had a ___ meal at that restaurant. (wonder) → wonderful

Adding -ful turns the noun into an adjective.

8. The children were ___ about their holiday. (excite) → excited

People feel excited; the holiday itself is exciting.

9. This is an ___ book about the war. (interest) → interesting

The book causes the feeling, so it takes the -ing form.

10. My grandmother has a very ___ voice — you have to lean in to hear her. → quiet

The adjective goes before the noun and never takes a plural ending.

11. It was a ___ day, so we stayed indoors. (rain) → rainy

Adding -y turns several weather nouns into adjectives.

12. The exam was ___ than I expected. (easy, comparative) → easier

A short adjective ending in -y forms the comparative with -ier.

13. He looked ___ when he heard the news. (surprise) → surprised

The -ed form describes the person's reaction.

14. They live in a ___ old cottage in Devon. (love) → lovely

Adding -ly to some nouns makes an adjective, not an adverb — lovely is an adjective.

15. This soup tastes ___ — could I have the recipe? → delicious

After taste, look, sound, smell and feel, English uses an adjective rather than an adverb.

16. She has ___ dark hair. (beauty) → beautiful

Adding -ful turns the noun beauty into an adjective.

17. The instructions were very ___ . (confuse) → confusing

The instructions cause the feeling, so the -ing form is used.

18. My flat is ___ than yours. (small, comparative) → smaller

A short adjective forms the comparative by adding -er.

19. It was an ___ journey — twelve hours by coach. (exhaust) → exhausting

The journey causes the tiredness, so the -ing form describes it.

20. The weather is ___ today — rain, wind and no sun at all. → terrible

After be an adjective is needed; terribly would describe an action instead.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Describe a woman's vehicle with two adjectives in the right order. → She drives a small red car.

Describe a woman's vehicle with two adjectives in the right order.

2. Complain about a drink, putting the adjective after the verb. → The coffee is too hot.

Complain about a drink, putting the adjective after the verb.

3. Praise the people next door. → They are very friendly neighbours.

Praise the people next door.

4. Describe a purchase, opinion before age. → I bought a beautiful old table.

Describe a purchase, opinion before age.

5. Give a negative verdict on a screening. → The film was really boring.

Give a negative verdict on a screening.

6. Describe accommodation, opinion before size. → We stayed in a lovely little hotel.

Describe accommodation, opinion before size.

7. Describe a relative's bike, age before colour. → My brother has a new black bicycle.

Describe a relative's bike, age before colour.

8. Describe how some children felt. → The children were very excited.

Describe how some children felt.

9. Describe an outfit, size before colour. → She wore a long blue dress.

Describe an outfit, size before colour.

10. Recommend something you are reading. → This is an interesting book.

Recommend something you are reading.

11. Describe a home, size before age. → He lives in a big old house.

Describe a home, size before age.

12. Complain about a whole week of conditions. → The weather was terrible all week.

Complain about a whole week of conditions.

13. Say what subject attracts you. → I am interested in modern art.

Say what subject attracts you.

14. Describe a couple's family. → They have two young children.

Describe a couple's family.

15. Describe how an older relative sounds. → My grandmother has a very quiet voice.

Describe how an older relative sounds.

16. Comment on a very tiring trip. → That was an exhausting journey.

Comment on a very tiring trip.

17. Describe somewhere you ate, size before origin. → We found a small Italian restaurant.

Describe somewhere you ate, size before origin.

18. Complain about unclear directions. → The instructions were very confusing.

Complain about unclear directions.

19. Compliment a woman's appearance, opinion before colour. → She has beautiful dark hair.

Compliment a woman's appearance, opinion before colour.

20. Describe some unpleasant weather. → It was a cold wet afternoon.

Describe some unpleasant weather.