2 Adjectives II .

.J Note: * = used before a noun, ** = used after a noun, generally with the verb 10 be, *** = can be used 1
before or after a noun J
AdJectives In collocations weeping: * (i) too general and arduous journey/task
vld : * very enthusiastic (for people) therefore not valid (for statements ruellln: *** tiring and lasting a long
and generalisations) (ii) large and time
an avid reader/football fan/stamp affecting everyone (for changes
collector and reforms) gruelling schedUle/day/race
blatant: * very obvious, done without 'Women are bad drivers' is a j strenuou : * needing a lot of physical
shame or embarrassment (used to sweeping generalisation that is all j effort
describe bad things) too common these days. strenuous activity/trip/effort/
a blatant lie/foul
breathtaking: *** very beautiful,
He proposed sweeping changes
to the country's electoral system.
!
j
objection
*
surprising or impressive atertlght: impossible to prove 1bedraggled: *** untidy, dirty and wet
breathtaking view/scenery wrong or argue against (for people)
watertight arguments/court case/alibi The two bedraggled children
For a child of his age, his knowledge
of the subjectwas breathtaking. * 1 trudged into the house,
gripping: *** very exciting; for films AdJectives with similar 1dish veiled : *** untidy
and books meanings 1 dishevelled clothes/hair/
It was a gripping tale of murder dreary: *** boring and depressing j appearance/man
and intrigue. a dreary day/life/town ! cruffy: *** untidy (for people/places)
! old and wom out (for clothes)
harrowing: *** shocking, making Her apartment was dreary and 1 "
you feel very upset (not used to depressing. i scruffy pe« of leans/f/at/boy
describe people)
a harrowing film/tale
dull: *** boring, without life,
excitement or colour
j *
1astute : *** clever at understanding
lax: *** not strict or not careful enough
i people and situations
dull afternoon/people/colour/ :
(for safety measures, security, weather j astute politician/decision
morals, discipline, laws, etc) mundane: *** ordinary , boring, ! crafty: clever good at using
leni ent : not strict; used to giving little satisfaction; often used j deception to achieve success
describe people in a position to
punish (parents, teachers, etc)
to describe jobs !
cratty man/plan/look
He had a mundane job in a local shrewd : ** clever and showing good
The judge was lenient and let him bank. i judgement of other people and
off with a fine.
tedious: *** boring, andoftenfrustrating j situations
meteoric : *** very sudden and very tedious journey/task/job j shrewd businessman/investment!
quick (generally used with the
noun rise) *
atrocious: *** extremely bad
j
1wily: * clever, experienced at
He was unprepared for his , , j deceiving people and not easily
meteoric rise to fame. strocious film/mess/game, etc i deceived (for people/behaviour)
misleading: *** giving the wrong dreadful: *** very bad wily businessman/manoeuvring
idea or impression dreadful weather/mistakes/acting
1
1 *
misleading information/ lousy: *** (informal) very bad !convenUonal: *** ordinary, normal
advertisements/comments, etc
piercing: * loud and high-pitched (for
lousy day/hotel/teacher/singer ! conventional people/opinions/ ideas
noises) * mainstream: *** ordinary,
flawless: *** perfect, with no faults conventional, neither strange nor
She let out a piercing scream of
terror. flawless complexion/performance 1 extreme
prolific : *** producing a large Imp ccable: *** perfect, faultless 1 /
, , ! orqenteetlonsloottucs
number of works (for artists, Impeccableeppeerencelrepotetion! 1 Iddl f h d' *** d' t
composers and writers) taste in clothes j m 9-0 -t e-roa. or mary, no
extreme
sporad ic: *** happening at irregular unblemished: * sth that has not been i 'ddt f h d 'd /b r t /
intervals spoilt or harmed ml , e 0 t e roa I eas e te s
j mUSIC, etc
sporadic fighting/shots/violence/ unblemished record/reputation / i f h ili' * d' h'
outbreaks character i run-o -t , e-m. or mary, not mg
j special
staunch: * very loyal
staunch supporter/friend/ally/ arduous: *** tirinciand involving a lot ! run-of-the-mill computer/
Democrat, etc
of effort 1 supermarket
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.' - . 2
3. Read thefollowing review and replace theadjectives in
C Practice boldwith more sophisticated ones from exercise 2.
1. Match the nouns withtheadjectives.

1 a breathtaking a view
2 a blatant b fighting
3 a prolific c documentaries on For an entertaining of keys at Hogwart's
4 a gripping animal experiments evening, I highly School for magicians. So
recommend the film begins Harry's education
5 misleading d judge
version of the first ].K. at the school and the
6 a piercing e lie Rowling book, "Harry 3) difficult task of both
7 sporadic f novelist Potter and the learning magic and
8 a sweeping 9 reader Philosopher's Stone ". It fighting evil. Under
9 a staunch h secur ity is the sto ry of an the tutelage of the
10 a watertight Republican otherwise 1) ordinary kindly but 4) clever
boy who possesses Professor
11 harrowing j information Dumbledore and
magical powers.
12 a lenient k generalisation Orphaned as a with the help
13 a meteoric I rise baby when of his two
14 an avid m alibi his parents faithful
15 lax n film were ki1led by an evil friends , Ron and
wizard, Harry is brought Hermione, Harry
0 scream
up by his 2) bad and achieves his goal. Daniel
unpleasant relatives , the Radcliffe (as Harry) and
2. Group the adjectives in the box into categories by Dursleys. Everything his co-stars give
changes, however, when 5) perfect performances
putting them nextto the appropriate heading. an untidy stranger turns in this refreshing new
up on his doorstep. His film in which there's
name is Hagrid and he never a 6) boring
flawless - arduous - dreadful- dreary - impeccable - happens to be the keeper moment.
,...._. . . ..
dishevelled - middle-oj-tbe-road - dull- tedious - strenuous -
astute - mainstream - gruelling - mundane - shrewd - wily -
run-oftbe-mill- lousy - atrocious- unblemished - crafty -
scruffy - bedraggled - conventional 4. Decide whether thefollowing adjective-noun
combinations are possible or not. Ifyou think that the
combination is possible, tick theboxthatfollows it. If
not, correct it replacing tbe noun with an appropriate
Boring: one. Then use the correct combinations in sentences.

Difficult:
1 a gruelling shirt 0
Untidy:
2 a staunch enemy 0
3 a flawless performance 0
Bad:
4 a scruffy pair of jeans 0
5 a crafty plan 0
Clever:
6 a shrewd businessman 0
7 strenuous exercise 0
Ordinary:
8 a tedious room 0
9 an atrocious driver 0
Perfect:
10 an astute look 0
11 an arduous journey 0
12 impeccable taste 0
13 mainstream politics 0
14 a mundane job 0
15 a dreary journey 0