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Using adjectives before nouns and after linking verbs.
Adjectives commonly appear before nouns or after linking verbs.
An adjective before a noun is attributive, while an adjective after a linking verb is predicative.
She lives in a beautiful house.
Она живет в красивом доме.
"Beautiful" is attributive because it appears before the noun "house".
The house is beautiful.
Дом красивый.
"Beautiful" is predicative because it follows the linking verb "is".
He bought an expensive car.
Он купил дорогую машину.
"Expensive" is attributive because it comes before "car".
The car is expensive.
Машина дорогая.
"Expensive" is predicative after the linking verb "is".
We had a difficult conversation.
У нас был сложный разговор.
"Difficult" is attributive before the noun.
The conversation was difficult.
Разговор был сложным.
"Difficult" is predicative after "was".
She looks tired.
Она выглядит уставшей.
"Tired" is predicative after the linking verb "looks".
They rented a small apartment.
Они сняли небольшую квартиру.
"Small" is attributive because it modifies "apartment" directly.
Most adjectives are placed immediately before the noun they modify.
Examples include a beautiful garden, an old house and a difficult question.
We bought a new computer.
Мы купили новый компьютер.
"New" appears immediately before the noun "computer".
She lives in an old house.
Она живет в старом доме.
"Old" modifies "house" before the noun.
He asked a difficult question.
Он задал сложный вопрос.
"Difficult" comes before "question".
They moved into a large apartment.
Они переехали в большую квартиру.
"Large" modifies the noun "apartment".
I need a quiet place to work.
Мне нужно тихое место для работы.
"Quiet" appears before the noun "place".
She wore a beautiful dress.
Она надела красивое платье.
"Beautiful" directly modifies "dress".
We stayed at a comfortable hotel.
Мы остановились в комфортабельном отеле.
"Comfortable" is placed before the noun "hotel".
He drives a fast car.
Он водит быструю машину.
"Fast" modifies "car" before the noun.
Adjectives follow linking verbs such as be, seem, become, feel and look.
In this position they describe the subject rather than the verb.
The water is cold.
Вода холодная.
"Cold" follows the linking verb "is".
She feels tired after work.
После работы она чувствует себя уставшей.
"Tired" follows the linking verb "feels".
The soup smells delicious.
Суп вкусно пахнет.
"Delicious" follows the linking verb "smells".
The new apartment looks spacious.
Новая квартира выглядит просторной.
"Spacious" follows the linking verb "looks".
The weather became colder overnight.
За ночь погода стала холоднее.
"Colder" follows the linking verb "became".
He seems nervous about the interview.
Он кажется обеспокоенным из-за собеседования.
"Nervous" follows the linking verb "seems".
The children are happy.
Дети счастливы.
"Happy" follows the linking verb "are".
The room feels warmer now.
Теперь в комнате кажется теплее.
"Warmer" follows the linking verb "feels".
Certain adjectives commonly follow indefinite pronouns.
Examples include something interesting, nothing unusual and anybody available.
I need something useful for the trip.
Мне нужно что-нибудь полезное для поездки.
"Useful" follows the indefinite pronoun "something".
We found something interesting online.
Мы нашли что-то интересное в интернете.
"Interesting" follows "something".
There is nothing unusual about the result.
В результате нет ничего необычного.
"Unusual" follows the indefinite pronoun "nothing".
We need somebody available to help.
Нам нужен кто-нибудь, кто может помочь.
"Available" follows the indefinite pronoun "somebody".
She wants something different.
Она хочет что-нибудь другое.
"Different" follows "something".
Is there anything interesting on TV?
По телевизору есть что-нибудь интересное?
"Interesting" follows "anything".
Nobody else was available.
Больше никто не был доступен.
"Else" follows the indefinite pronoun "nobody".
I have nothing important to tell you.
Мне нечего важного тебе сказать.
"Important" follows "nothing".
Some adjectives normally appear only after linking verbs.
Examples include afraid, asleep, alive, alone and aware.
The child is asleep.
Ребенок спит.
"Asleep" normally appears after a linking verb.
She is afraid of dogs.
Она боится собак.
"Afraid" is mainly used predicatively, not directly before a noun.
The birds are alive.
Птицы живы.
"Alive" normally follows a linking verb.
He was alone in the apartment.
Он был один в квартире.
"Alone" normally occurs after a linking verb.
Are you aware of the problem?
Ты знаешь об этой проблеме?
"Aware" normally follows a linking verb and takes the complement "of the problem".
The baby is awake.
Ребенок не спит.
"Awake" is commonly used predicatively.
The dog is afraid of strangers.
Собака боится незнакомцев.
"Afraid" follows "is" rather than normally appearing before "dog" in the same meaning.
The patient is conscious.
Пациент в сознании.
"Conscious" is commonly used after a linking verb.
Some adjectives usually appear only before nouns.
Examples include mere, main, former and principal in many contexts.
The main entrance is on the left.
Главный вход находится слева.
"Main" is normally used before the noun it modifies.
She is the former manager.
Она бывший менеджер.
"Former" identifies a previous role and normally occurs before the noun.
It was a mere misunderstanding.
Это было всего лишь недоразумение.
"Mere" normally appears attributively before the noun.
The principal reason was the cost.
Главной причиной была стоимость.
"Principal" identifies the most important reason and normally appears before the noun.
Our main goal is to reduce costs.
Наша главная цель — снизить расходы.
"Main" normally occurs before "goal".
He is a former police officer.
Он бывший полицейский.
"Former" is used before the noun phrase "police officer".
The principal issue is lack of funding.
Главной проблемой является нехватка финансирования.
"Principal" functions attributively before "issue".
It was a mere coincidence.
Это было всего лишь совпадение.
"Mere" normally occurs before the noun "coincidence".
In certain expressions adjectives follow the noun they modify.
This occurs after some pronouns, in legal language and in fixed expressions such as attorney general.
We need someone capable of handling the project.
Нам нужен кто-то, способный справиться с проектом.
"Capable" follows the indefinite pronoun "someone" in a postpositive position.
She wants something useful.
Она хочет что-нибудь полезное.
"Useful" follows the indefinite pronoun "something".
The attorney general issued a statement.
Генеральный прокурор выступил с заявлением.
"Attorney general" is a fixed expression in which the adjective follows the noun.
We need the people responsible for the mistake.
Нам нужны люди, ответственные за ошибку.
"Responsible" follows the noun "people" in a postpositive position.
There is nothing unusual here.
Здесь нет ничего необычного.
"Unusual" follows the indefinite pronoun "nothing".
The candidates available today will be interviewed first.
Кандидаты, доступные сегодня, будут опрошены первыми.
"Available" follows "candidates" and identifies which candidates are meant.
We need a solution suitable for this situation.
Нам нужно решение, подходящее для этой ситуации.
"Suitable" follows the noun and takes the complement "for this situation".
She is looking for a room large enough for two people.
Она ищет комнату, достаточно большую для двух человек.
"Large enough" follows the noun phrase in a postpositive construction.
Some adjectives are followed by infinitives, clauses or prepositional phrases.
Examples include easy to understand, proud of her work and certain that he is right.
This problem is easy to understand.
Эту проблему легко понять.
"Easy" is followed by the infinitive complement "to understand".
She is proud of her work.
Она гордится своей работой.
"Proud" is followed by the prepositional complement "of her work".
I am certain that he is right.
Я уверен, что он прав.
"Certain" is followed by the that-clause "that he is right".
She is afraid of flying.
Она боится летать.
"Afraid" takes the prepositional complement "of flying".
The instructions are difficult to follow.
Инструкциям трудно следовать.
"Difficult" is followed by the infinitive complement "to follow".
We are ready to leave.
Мы готовы уйти.
"Ready" is followed by the infinitive "to leave".
He is responsible for the project.
Он отвечает за проект.
"Responsible" takes the prepositional complement "for the project".
I am happy that you came.
Я рад, что ты пришел.
"Happy" is followed by the that-clause "that you came".
Changing the position of an adjective can sometimes change its meaning.
Compare the concerned parents with the parents concerned.
The concerned parents contacted the school.
Обеспокоенные родители связались со школой.
"Concerned" before the noun describes the parents as worried.
The parents concerned contacted the school.
Родители, которых это касается, связались со школой.
"Concerned" after the noun identifies the parents affected by the situation.
The responsible employee apologized.
Ответственный сотрудник извинился.
"Responsible" before the noun usually means reliable or accountable.
The employee responsible apologized.
Сотрудник, ответственный за это, извинился.
"Responsible" after the noun identifies the employee who has responsibility.
The involved parties signed the agreement.
Заинтересованные стороны подписали соглашение.
"Involved" before the noun describes the parties participating in the situation.
The parties involved signed the agreement.
Стороны, участвующие в деле, подписали соглашение.
"Involved" after the noun identifies which parties are meant.
The present members voted against the proposal.
Присутствующие члены проголосовали против предложения.
"Present" before the noun identifies the members who are here.
The members present voted against the proposal.
Присутствующие члены проголосовали против предложения.
"Present" after the noun identifies which members were there.
Writers occasionally place adjectives after nouns for emphasis or literary effect.
This usage is uncommon in everyday English but appears in formal and creative writing.
There was a silence deep and uncomfortable.
Наступила глубокая и неловкая тишина.
The adjectives follow the noun for a literary, emphatic effect.
She entered the room, pale and exhausted.
Она вошла в комнату, бледная и совершенно измученная.
The adjectives are placed after the noun phrase to add descriptive emphasis.
He stood there, silent and motionless.
Он стоял там, молчаливый и неподвижный.
Postpositive adjectives give the sentence a more literary descriptive style.
The road ahead was long and empty.
Дорога впереди была длинной и пустой.
"Ahead" follows the noun in the fixed expression "the road ahead".
She looked at the stars bright and distant.
Она смотрела на яркие и далекие звезды.
The postpositive adjectives create a deliberate literary effect.
The man responsible finally spoke.
Наконец заговорил человек, ответственный за это.
"Responsible" follows the noun to identify the specific person.
The people involved should contact us directly.
Участвующим людям следует связаться с нами напрямую.
"Involved" follows the noun in a formal identifying construction.
The only option available is to wait.
Единственный доступный вариант — ждать.
"Available" follows the noun phrase in a formal postpositive construction.
Certain adjective positions are restricted by grammar, meaning or convention.
Recognizing these patterns improves both accuracy and naturalness.
We need someone experienced enough to lead the team.
Нам нужен кто-то достаточно опытный, чтобы руководить командой.
"Experienced enough" follows the indefinite pronoun and is completed by an infinitive.
The people responsible for the project met yesterday.
Люди, ответственные за проект, встретились вчера.
"Responsible for the project" follows the noun phrase it identifies.
The attorney general issued a statement.
Генеральный прокурор выступил с заявлением.
"Attorney general" is a fixed noun phrase with postpositive "general".
She is the best person available for the job.
Она лучший человек из доступных для этой работы.
"Available for the job" follows the noun phrase and identifies the relevant people.
The options available are limited.
Доступные варианты ограничены.
"Available" follows the noun and restricts which options are meant.
The first people present were asked to wait outside.
Первых присутствующих попросили подождать снаружи.
"Present" follows the noun in a formal identifying construction.
I need a solution suitable for both teams.
Мне нужно решение, подходящее для обеих команд.
"Suitable for both teams" follows the noun and provides its complement.
The only person aware of the problem was the manager.
Единственным человеком, знавшим о проблеме, был менеджер.
"Aware of the problem" follows the noun and identifies the person.
Place adjectives in the position required by English grammar.
Common mistakes include using predicative-only adjectives before nouns, placing adjectives after nouns unnecessarily and confusing adjective position with adverb usage.
She is afraid of dogs.
Она боится собак.
"Afraid" is normally predicative and is not normally placed before "woman" in the same meaning.
The sleeping child is quiet.
Спящий ребенок тихий.
"Sleeping" is a participial adjective that can be used attributively before a noun.
The child is asleep.
Ребенок спит.
"Asleep" is normally used predicatively after the linking verb.
I found something interesting.
Я нашел что-то интересное.
With an indefinite pronoun such as "something", the adjective normally follows it.
We need a capable employee.
Нам нужен способный сотрудник.
"Capable" is used before the noun in ordinary attributive position.
The employee responsible for the project is on vacation.
Сотрудник, ответственный за проект, в отпуске.
"Responsible" follows the noun because it identifies which employee is meant.
The former manager moved to another department.
Бывший менеджер перешел в другой отдел.
"Former" normally appears before the noun.
The manager looks tired.
Менеджер выглядит уставшим.
"Tired" follows the linking verb "looks" and functions predicatively.