Adjectives are divided into simple, derivative, and compound.
Simple Adjectives
Simple adjectives are adjectives that have neither prefixes nor suffixes. They are indecomposable: e. g. good, red, black.
Derivative Adjectives
Derivative adjectives are adjectives that have derivative elements, suffixes or prefixes or both: beautiful, foolish, hopeless, unkind, unimportant.
Productive adjective-forming suffixes are:
- -less: friendless, harmless, hopeless
- -like: childlike
- -ish: childish, foolish
- – ed (-d): beaded, blue-eyed Unproductive suffixes are:
- -fid: careful
- -ible: responsible
- -able: reliable
- -ant: important
- -ent: dependent
- -en: woolen
- -ous: dangerous
- -some: troublesome
Productive adjective-forming prefixes are:
- un-: unhappy
- pre-: prewar
The unproductive prefix of the adjective is:
- in-: incorrect
Compound Adjectives
Compound adjectives are adjectives built from two or more stems. The main types of compound adjectives are as follows:
- noun-stem + adjective-stem: snow-white.
- noun-stem + participle-stem: life-giving, smoke-dried.
- adjective-stem + adjective-stem: deaf-mute.
- adjective-stem + noun-stem + suffix – ed: cold-hearted.
- noun-stem + noun-stem + suffix – ed: lynx-eyed.
- numeral-stem + noun-stem + suffix – ed: four-wheeled.
- adverb-stem + noun-stem + suffix – ed: over-peopled.