Adjectives

What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.

Adjectives Modify Nouns.

Most students learn that adjectives are words which modify (describe) a noun. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.

Margot wore a beautiful hat to the pie-eating contest.

Furry dogs may overheat in the summertime.

My cake should have sixteen candles.

The scariest villain of all time is Darth Vader.

In the sentences above, the adjectives are easy to spot because they come immediately before the nouns they modify.

But adjectives can do more than just modify nouns. They can also act as a complement to linking verbs or the verb to be. A linking verb is a verb like to feel, to seem, or to taste that describes a state of being or a sensory experience.

That cow sure is happy.

It smells gross in the locker room.

Driving is faster than walking.

The technical term for an adjective used this way is predicate adjective.

Uses of Adjectives

Adjectives tell the reader how much—or how many—of something you’re talking about, which thing you want passed to you, or which kind of something you want.

Please use three white flowers in the arrangement.

Three and white are modifying flowers.

Often, when adjectives are used together, you should separate them with a comma or conjunction. See “Coordinate Adjectives” below for more detail.

I’m looking for a small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.

My new dog is small and good-tempered.

 

Degrees of Comparison

Adjectives come in three forms: absolute, comparative, and superlative. Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right.

A cool guy

A messy desk

A mischievous cat

Garrulous squirrels

Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between two or more things. For most one-syllable adjectives, the comparative is formed by adding the suffix -er (or just -r if the adjective already ends with an e). For two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, replace -y with -ier. For multi-syllable adjectives, add the word more.

A cooler guy

A messier desk

A more mischievous cat

More garrulous squirrels

Superlative adjectives indicate that something has the highest degree of the quality in question. One-syllable adjectives become superlatives by adding the suffix -est (or just -st for adjectives that already end in e). Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y replace -y with -iest. Multi-syllable adjectives add the word most. When you use an article with a superlative adjective, it will almost always be the definite article (the) rather than a or an. Using a superlative inherently indicates that you are talking about a specific item or items.

The coolest guy

The messiest desk

The most mischievous cat

The most garrulous squirrels

Coordinate Adjectives

Coordinate adjectives should be separated by a comma or the word and. Adjectives are said to be coordinate if they modify the same noun in a sentence.

This is going to be a long, cold winter.

Isobel’s dedicated and tireless efforts made all the difference.

But just the fact that two adjectives appear next to each other doesn’t automatically mean they are coordinate. Sometimes, an adjective and a noun form a single semantic unit, which is then modified by another adjective. In this case, the adjectives are not coordinate and should not be separated by a comma.

My cat, Goober, loves sleeping on this tattered woolen sweater.

No one could open the old silver locket.

In some cases, it’s pretty hard to decide whether two adjectives are coordinate or not. But there are a couple of ways you can test them. Try inserting the word and between the adjectives to see if the phrase still seems natural. In the first sentence, “this tattered and woolen sweater” doesn’t sound right because you really aren’t talking about a sweater that is both tattered and woolen. It’s a woolen sweater that is tattered. Woolen sweater forms a unit of meaning that is modified by tattered.

Another way to test for coordinate adjectives is to try switching the order of the adjectives and seeing if the phrase still works. In the second sentence, you wouldn’t say “No one could open the silver old locket.” You can’t reverse the order of the adjectives because silver locket is a unit that is modified by old.

Adjectives vs. Adverbs

As mentioned above, many of us learned in school that adjectives modify nouns and that adverbs modify verbs. But as we’ve seen, adjectives can also act as complements for linking verbs. This leads to a common type of error: incorrectly substituting an adverb in place of a predicate adjective. An example you’ve probably heard before is:

I feel badly about what happened.

Because “feel” is a verb, it seems to call for an adverb rather than an adjective. But “feel” isn’t just any verb; it’s a linking verb. An adverb would describe how you perform the action of feeling—an adjective describes what you feel. “I feel badly” means that you are bad at feeling things. If you’re trying to read Braille through thick leather gloves, then it might make sense for you to say “I feel badly.” But if you’re trying to say that you are experiencing negative emotions, “I feel bad” is the phrase you want.

It’s easier to see this distinction with a different linking verb. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

Goober smells badly.

Goober smells bad.

“Goober smells badly” means that Goober, the poor thing, has a weak sense of smell. “Goober smells bad” means Goober stinks—poor us.

When Nouns Become Adjectives and Adjectives Become Nouns

One more thing you should know about adjectives is that, sometimes, a word that is normally used as a noun can function as an adjective, depending on its placement. For example:

Never try to pet someone’s guide dog without asking permission first.

Guide is a noun. But in this sentence, it modifies dog. It works the other way, too. Some words that are normally adjectives can function as nouns:

Candice is working on a fundraiser to help the homeless.

In the context of this sentence, homeless is functioning as a noun. It can be hard to wrap your head around this if you think of adjectives and nouns only as particular classes of words. But the terms “adjective” and “noun” aren’t just about a word’s form—they’re also about its function.

Adjective Salad and Adjective Soup

We’ll end with a few words about adjectives and style. It’s one thing to know how to use an adjective; it’s another to know when using one is a good idea. Good writing is precise and concise. Sometimes, you need an adjective to convey exactly what you mean. It’s hard to describe a red sports car without the word “red.” But, often, choosing the right noun eliminates the need to tack on an adjective. Is it a big house, or is it a mansion? A large crowd, or a throng? A mixed-breed dog, or a mutt? A dark night, or just . . . night? Always remember to make every word count in your writing. If you need an adjective, use it. But if it’s not pulling its weight, delete it. Careful editing is the best way to avoid the dreaded (and yecchy) adjective soup.

How to Start an Email: 6 Never-Fail Introductions and 6 to Avoid

We’ve talked about the best ways to end an email; now let’s talk about beginnings.

You might wonder whether it’s really necessary to put much thought into how you begin your emails and other correspondence. If you’ve ever ignored a letter because it began with “To Whom It May Concern,” groaned because your name was misspelled, or wondered if the sender was human or canine because their greeting was so overly enthusiastic, then you know that getting your email salutation right is a big deal. In job search emails, for example, using the wrong greeting could make you seem less competent and even cost you an interview.

Here are the six best ways to begin an email, followed by six you should avoid at all costs.

The Six Best Ways to Start an Email

1Hi [Name],

In all but the most formal settings, this email greeting is the clear winner. It’s simple, friendly, and direct. If you want a slightly more formal tone, consider replacing hi with hello.

Here’s a tip: Should you put a comma after “Hi”? Well, technically, yes . . . but nobody does. When a salutation starts with a direct address like “Hi” or “Hello,” some sticklers say you should follow it with a comma, and also put a comma after the name of the person you’re addressing. But, since leaving the comma out has become standard practice, it’s okay to let it go.

2Dear [Name],

Although dear can come across as stuffy, it’s appropriate for formal emails. Use it when you’re addressing a person in a position of respect (e.g., Dear Lieutenant Smith) and in formal business missives such as a résumé cover letter.

Here’s a tip: In cover letters, use “Dear” followed by an honorific and the person’s last name (if known) and a colon:

Dear Ms. Roberts:

If the recipient’s gender is unknown, or their name is the least bit ambiguous, use a full name instead:

Dear Terry Jones:

Avoid honorifics that imply marital status such as “Mrs.” Use “Ms.” instead.

3Greetings,

There are a couple of useful alternatives when you don’t know your recipient’s name or you’re writing to a general email inbox, such as feedback@[company].com. Greetings is one of them. But we also like . . .

4Hi there,

The advantage of Hi there is that it works well if you’re sending a mass email or using a mail merge feature with customized name fields. You can set up your fields like this:

Hi [Name],

That way, when you use “there” in the [Name] field, your recipient will see a non-specific greeting: “Hi there.”

Here’s a tip: Be careful with mail merges and mass emails. Using first names only is usually your best bet. People are likely to identify emails with greetings like “Hi Alexa J. Roth” as spam.

5Hello, or Hello [Name],

This one bridges the gap between the breezy hi and the more formal dear. It’s used less often, though, so be aware that it might stand out, and don’t use it if you want your greeting to be unobtrusive.

6Hi everyone,

If you’re addressing a group of people, this is the way to go. We prefer it to more abrupt greetings like “All,” or the too gender-specific “Gentlemen” or “Ladies.”

The Six Worst Ways to Start an Email

1[Misspelled Name],

Don’t misspell your recipient’s name. Ever.

Double-check the spelling of the person’s name and either get it right or omit it and use a generic greeting like Hi there. Although a nonspecific greeting may come off as impersonal, a misspelled name is a red flag that says you’re careless.

2Dear Sir or Madam,

Have you ever read and responded to a letter that greeted you with Dear Sir or Madam? We’re going to go ahead and guess you haven’t. Not only is this salutation stiff and formal, it shows that you couldn’t be bothered to look up a contact name and address someone specific.

3To Whom It May Concern,

The same sentiments that apply to Dear Sir or Madam apply here. If your letter opens with To Whom It May Concern, we’re probably going to assume it doesn’t concern us.

Here’s a tip: Don’t use this greeting with job application cover letters. Make a point to find the hiring manager’s name, even if that means calling the company and asking. If you can’t find a name, “Dear Hiring Manager:” or “Dear [Company] Team:” will work.

4Hey! or Hey, [Name]!

Reserve this one for your friends and close colleagues. Otherwise, hey is glaringly informal and can even come across as disrespectful. Have you ever felt warmly greeted by someone saying, “Hey, you!”?

5Happy Friday!!! Or Welcome to Monday!

If you’re a golden retriever, you might be able to get away with a greeting this exuberant. Otherwise, you’ll come across as trying too hard. Forget the cutesy greetings, or at least save them for the most informal correspondence between you and your close friends.

6Hi [Nickname],

If you’ve done your research and discovered that your recipient’s name is Michael McTavish, don’t assume familiarity and shorten his name to Mike. However, if he signs his reply with Mike, it’s okay to address him that way in the future. In fact, he might find it a bit peculiar if you decide to stick with the more formal moniker.

Advisor vs. Adviser

• Adviser is a person who gives advice.
• An advisor does the same thing—the only difference is in the spelling.
• Adviser is the older and the preferred spelling.

Advisor vs. adviser is probably not the most important or the most annoying conundrum related to the verb advise. That honor goes to advise vs. advice because mixing them up is a more damaging mistake. But still, people wonder about advisor and adviser because we don’t have two different spellings for every word in the English language—it’s not common. And there’s always the notion that different spellings of the same word might convey at least a slight difference in the meaning. All the more reason to figure out, once and for all, which of the two spellings is correct, or which is more correct than the other, and whether they carry different meanings.

The Difference Between Advisor and Adviser

Advisor and adviser are what we call agent nouns, nouns that are used to indicate someone who does something. If you’re reading this article, then you’re a reader. If you like to write, you might be an aspiring writer. People who dance are dancers, those who translate are translators. So, people who advise are advisers. Or advisors.

The difference between advisor and adviser is mostly in the suffix used to create the noun from the verb. Yes, there are some who claim that the -or spelling is better suited for titles. But this can hardly be called a rule because you’ll often see the other spelling, the -er one, used in professional titles.

So it really comes down to the suffixes. -Or is more commonly used with verbs that have a Latin origin, although -er is the go-to suffix for agent nouns. There’s also -ist, which is sometimes used for verbs that end with -ize. So, it can be said that adviser has a more Germanic tint, while advisor has a classical, Latin feel about it. But the meaning of the word, whichever suffix you use to make it, stays the same.

Advisor, Adviser—Which One to Use?

So if neither of the spellings is wrong, are there any reasons you should choose one instead of the other? For one, there’s consistency. If you plan to include the word in your text, it might be best to choose a spelling and stick with it. Which spelling you choose might depend on where you are, and where your audience is—adviser is the strongly preferred spelling everywhere apart from North America. In the U.S. and Canada, it’s more common to see advisor as a part of official titles, and it’s also the spelling that’s seemingly preferred by the U.S. Government.

But then again, you’ll notice that some newspapers, including The New York Times, prefer adviser over advisor. The AP Stylebook agrees. In academia, however, advisor is the term that’s more commonly used on both sides of the pond. Some industries might use one of the two spellings whether it’s the norm in their country or not. Consequently, your choice of spelling might depend on multiple factors. The important thing to remember is that neither of the two is wrong.

Examples: Advisor and Adviser in Sentences

Impressed, Billy helped Paul land a job as a military advisor on the film Jason Bourne 5. —The Daily Mirror

Some of the advisors have worked with Trump on his real estate projects. —TIME

A former top adviser to President Barack Obama on Sunday labeled Donald Trump a “psychopath,” saying the Republican presidential nominee met the clinical definition of the personality disorder. —Newsweek

If we’re acting that foolishly, clearly we should be handing our money over to professional financial advisers. —Bloomberg

How to Use “-Esque”?

• The suffix -esque means “like” or “resembling.”
• You can add -esque to almost any noun, including proper nouns.
• Use restraint. Too many -esque words in the same passage may seem clumsy and repetitive.
• Don’t pile on redundant suffixes that mean the same thing as -esque (e.g., “picturesque-like”).

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If someone called you a statue, you might not find it so flattering. However, if someone called you statuesque, you would probably thank them for the compliment. What does the suffix -esque mean? Can you add -esque to any word? Here come the answers!

Meaning of -Esque Suffix

This suffix means “in the manner of, resembling.” So statuesque means suggestive of a statue in dignity, grace, or beauty. Is there another way to express the idea behind -esque? You could use an adjective. For instance, instead of saying that something is lionesque, you could use adjectives to describe the qualities that remind you of a lion: proud, majestic, fear-inspiring, feline, etc. You could also see if the similar suffix -like works: The man was lionlike.

How to Use -Esque

What do you do if you can’t find a preexisting -esque word that fits? It’s not very often that English allows you to invent a word on the spot, but in this case it’s acceptable. You can add -esque to almost any noun. For example, if you think that your neighbor resembles Abraham Lincoln, you can describe his face as Lincolnesque.

You can attach it to the names of people or groups of people (Namath-esque and Romanesque). You can also attach it to a regular old noun (lionesque).

Does -Esque Need a Hyphen?

Does -esque need a hyphen? No, the hyphen is optional. And don’t worry if your spelling checker puts a red squiggly line under your novel -esque words. The alert lets you know that the word isn’t in the spelling checker’s dictionary; that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. But if the hyphen is unnecessary, why ever would you add it?

Imagine you were reading an ESPN article and you find this quote:

On this night, he was Namath-esque, driving the ball downfield against a couple of very good cornerbacks.

ESPN.com

If you aren’t familiar with football, you might not know that Namath is the name of a former football player. So you look up Namathesque in a dictionary, but you won’t find it there. The hyphen alerts readers that the -esque word might be a unique one. If you see the hyphen, you would probably search for Namath on the Internet rather than in a dictionary.

In other cases, a hyphen can make an -esque word a little easier to read, especially if you’re adding -esque to a word that already ends in a vowel.

Words With -Esque

What are some other words ending in the suffix -esque? Here are five common examples from dictionaries—arabesque, burlesque, gigantesque, grotesque, picturesque. Let’s look at some examples of people creating their own -esque words.

Mel’s new Santa-esque look will likely be wasted on his unborn ninth child to new girlfriend Rosalind Ross, who is not expected to give birth until after the 2016 holiday season.

DailyMail.com

Details of the new series are being kept under wraps, but I hear it is a prequel, described as a Malcolm in the Middle-esque single-camera family comedy centered on the child prodigy Sheldon character at age 12.

Deadline.com

The importance of Rogue One, however, goes far beyond entertainment value and even profit margins, as the ultimate success or failure of this movie could have a major impact on the future of the Star Wars franchise and, more specifically, the potential for a Marvel-esque Star Wars Cinematic Universe.

Fansided.com

Can you add -esque to any word? Pretty much. What does the suffix -esque mean? It means “reminiscent of” or “in the style of.” What other questions do you have about -esque?

Commas with Interrupters

Interrupters are little thoughts in the middle of a thought, added to show emotion, tone or emphasis. When we use an interrupter in the middle of a sentence, it should be emphasized with commas. This is because without the use of commas, the flow of the sentence may be awkward for the reader.

Interrupters are easily identified by saying the sentence out loud; you’ll naturally pause where the commas should be. Consider the examples below:

Queen Victoria was, as they say, a formidable woman.

The interrupter as they say needs a comma before and after it to separate it from the rest of the sentence. A few other examples of sentences including interrupters are listed below.

Having demonstrated a decided lack of ethics, the CEO was, needless to say, dismissed from the company.

Teachers do, in fact, change lives.

Names can also be interrupters. See the following sentences for reference.

What, Susan, do you think?

Now, where do you suppose, Davey, your shoes might have gone this time?

Other common interrupters include to say the least, however, generally speaking, sadly, happily, and unfortunately.

3 Apps to Save You Time on Work Chat

Do you often find yourself scrambling to get everything done? The good news is that taking a few short seconds to install an app can save you hours. If you use Slack to communicate at work, learn how to make this collaboration tool work most effectively.

Apps for Slack

Reacji Channeler

Imagine that you want to send the same message to various people on a regular basis. In the past, you might have tediously copied the message from one channel to another. Now, you can use one command to choose an emoji and designate it to a specific channel. Anytime someone uses that emoji in a public channel, the message will instantly be shared on the channel you chose. For example, you can tell your team to share new insights in the Ideas channel by using the lightbulb emoji in any channel they are using. Or, you can instantly send kudos to an Employee Appreciation channel for deserving team members by adding the thumbs up emoji to a congratulatory comment. Not only do you save time switching back and forth, but also you can rest easy that all the right people will see all the important messages.

MailClerk

One of the biggest time wasters is switching between programs and applications. Enter MailClerk, described as “the email bot.” A bot is a software application designed to perform a task quickly. MailClerk allows you to form an email group of people who don’t use Slack. Without leaving Slack, you can receive and reply to emails from your external email account. What’s the benefit? Consider this scenario: With MailClerk, you can set up a team inbox for your Customer Support employees. Not only can they exchange emails from clients needing help, but they can also receive alerts, notifications, and newsletters in one convenient channel! No more minimizing screens and logging into separate email accounts for those team members. Instead, they can jump right into helping the client. It’s like coordinating all the features of a help desk within Slack. Think about your company. Would this app enhance its ability to serve your clients promptly and efficiently?

Screenhero

Do you sometimes struggle to get your colleagues to share your vision? Screenhero can make things easier than ever to illustrate your ideas. With this add-on, you can simultaneously share your screen with multiple members of your team. While you do so, you can use the voice chat feature to communicate, and everyone can use their mouse cursors to manipulate items on the screen. How does it work? Simply set up a Screenhero account for yourself and each member of your team. Then, in Slack, type /hero@username for each workmate you would like to invite to view your project. Which project? You can write code with your partner in Tokyo, design marketing with a specialist in Dubai, and get feedback from your best friend in the office next door! You are limited only by your own imagination.

Even if you have a lot of messages to send at work, there’s no reason to panic. By choosing the right apps, you can customize Slack to meet your communication needs. Screenhero, MailClerk, and Reacji Channeler are just a few of the apps that are available to Slack users. Why not visit Slack’s app directory to peruse what they have to offer? Besides apps to streamline communication, there are more than fifteen other categories of extensions, such as office management, customer support, and even travel, social, and fun. Just imagine how much more your company can accomplish with the time you will save!