Collins Cobuild English Grammar (37 page)

characteristic

desirous

devoid

fond

full

heedless

illustrative

incapable

indicative

mindful

reminiscent

representative

2.48
    There are a few adjectives that are followed by the preposition
with
when they are used after a linking verb.

His surprise became
tinged with
disbelief.
The plastic has to be
compatible with
the body tissues that make contact with it.
This way of life is
fraught with
danger.

Here is a list of adjectives that are usually or always used after a linking verb and are followed by
with
:

compatible

consonant

conversant

filled

fraught

riddled

tinged

2.49
    Some adjectives are followed by other prepositions when they are used after a linking verb.

These ideas are
rooted in
self-deception.
Didn’t you say the raid was
contingent on
the weather?
Darwin concluded that people were
descended from
apes.

Here is a list of adjectives that are usually or always used after a linking verb and are followed by the preposition indicated:

contingent on

descended from

inherent in

lacking in

rooted in

steeped in

swathed in

unhampered by

In some cases, there is a choice between two prepositions.

Many of their courses are
connected with
industry.
Such names were arbitrarily given and were not
connected to
any particular event.

Here is a list of adjectives that are usually or always used after a linking verb and that are followed by the prepositions shown:

answerable for

answerable to

burdened by

burdened with

connected to

connected with

dependent on

dependent upon

immune from

immune to

inclined to

inclined towards

incumbent on

incumbent upon

insensible of

insensible to

intent on

intent upon

parallel to

parallel with

reliant on

reliant upon

stricken by

stricken with

2.50
   
Different
is most commonly followed by
from
. It is also sometimes followed by
to
in British English or
than
in American English.

Students today are
different from
the students ten years ago.

adjectives followed by
to
-infinitive clauses

2.51
    To complete the meaning of some adjectives that are used predicatively, you need to follow with a clause beginning with a
to
-infinitive
. For example, you cannot just say
He is unable
. You have to add a clause beginning with
to
-infinitive such as
to do
:
He is unable to do it
.
To-
infinitive clauses
are explained in the Reference Section.

They were
unable to help her
.
I am
willing to try
.
She is
bound to notice there’s something wrong
.
I’m
inclined to agree with the minister
.

Here is a list of adjectives that are always or nearly always followed by a
to
-infinitive clause:

able

bound

destined

doomed

due

fated

fit

inclined

liable

likely

loath

prepared

unable

unwilling

willing

2.52
    You can also use a clause beginning with a
to
-infinitive after many other adjectives to give more information about something.

I was
afraid to go home
.
I was
happy to see them again
.
He was
powerless to prevent it
.
I was almost
ashamed to tell her
.
The path was
easy to follow
.

Note that the subject of the main clause is also the subject of the
to
-infinitive clause.

adjectives followed by
that
-clauses

2.53
    When adjectives that refer to someone’s beliefs or feelings are used after a linking verb, they are often followed by a
that-
clause
(see paragraphs
8.119
to
8.121
). The subject of the
that
-clause is not always the same as the subject of the main clause, so you need to specify it.

She was
sure that
he meant it.
He was
frightened that
something terrible might be said.
I’m
aware that
I reached a rather large audience through the book.

Note that the word
that
is not always used in a
that
-clause.

They were
sure
she had been born in the city.

Here is a list of common adjectives often followed by a
that
-clause:

afraid

angry

anxious

aware

certain

confident

frightened

glad

happy

pleased

proud

sad

sorry

sure

surprised

unaware

upset

worried

Note that all of these adjectives except
angry
,
aware
,
unaware
,
upset
, and
worried
can also be followed by a
to
-infinitive.

I was
afraid that she might not be able to bear the strain
.
Don’t be
afraid to ask questions
.
She was
surprised that I knew about it
.
The twins were very
surprised to see Ralph
.

Position of adjectives in noun phrases

2.54
    When you use more than one adjective in a noun phrase, the usual order for the adjectives is: qualitative adjectives, followed by colour adjectives, followed by classifying adjectives.

…a
little white wooden
house.
…
pretty black lacy
dresses.
…a
large circular
pool of water.
…a
beautiful pink
suit.
…
rapid technological
advance.
…a
nice red
apple.
…the
black triangular
fin.

This order is nearly always followed in English. Occasionally however, when you want to focus on a particular characteristic of the person or thing you are describing, you can vary this order, especially when one of the adjectives refers to colour or size.

…a
square black
hole.

Note that you sometimes put a comma or
and
between adjectives. This is explained in paragraphs
8.180
to
8.186
and paragraph
8.201
.

…the
long, low
caravan.
It was a
long and tedious
business.

2.55
    
Comparatives
(see paragraphs
2.103
to
2.111
) and
superlatives
(see paragraphs
2.112
to
2.122
) normally come in front of all other adjectives in a noun phrase.