96 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 4 Grammar Skills Adjectives often come before the words they modify, as shown in the previous examples. In some cases, adjectives follow the nouns or pronouns they modify, as shown in the first example that follows. Adjectives that are subject complements follow a linking verb and rename or describe the subject. The second example contains an adjective used as a subject complement. This will not lead to anything good. Wilma is tired. Two or more related adjectives that appear before a noun or pronoun and equally modify it are called coordinate adjectives. These adjectives should be separated by the word and or by commas. However, not all adjectives that appear in a sequence are coordinate adjectives. In the first example that follows, old and rusty are coordinate adjectives describing the shovel. In the second example, new and soccer describe a ball, but are not coordinate adjectives. The old, rusty shovel had a broken handle. The new soccer ball has a blue cover. When the order of the adjectives before a noun can be arranged without changing the meaning of the sentence, the adjectives are typically coordinate adjectives. For example, you might say the old, rusty shovel or the rusty, old shovel. You would not, however, say soccer new ball instead of new soccer ball. Forms of Adjectives Most adjectives have three forms: positive, comparative, and superlative. Positive adjectives describe, but do not compare, people or things. Comparative adjectives compare two people or things. Superlative adjectives compare three or more people or things. Examples of adjectives are shown in Figure 4-8. Positive The small book was on top of the stack. Comparative The red book was smaller than the blue book. Superlative The red book was the smallest of the books. Forms of Adjectives Positive Comparative Superlative large happy low beautiful eager good less larger happier lower more beautiful more eager better lesser largest happiest lowest most beautiful most eager best least Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 4-8 Adjectives can be positive, comparative, or superlative forms.