General English Level 5 V 3
UNIT 02 The world we live in TOPIC 01 It's a quiet, peaceful place
LANGUAGE FOCUS 04 Adjectives and abstract nouns

1. Adjectives

The brochure says:
When you emerge from the peaceful forest you will see before you a completely different landscape. Walk into the small clearing immediately ahead of you. Cross it and follow the sandy track down to the golden beach below. On your right you will notice the rolling green hills stretching away to the distant horizon. Look around further to your right to see the rugged cliffs, which become a headland. Listen to the roar of the crashing surf.

To give more information about the qualities of a noun (a person, place or thing) we can use describing words such as peaceful, small, sandy, and golden.

We call these words adjectives.

Example: the peaceful forest.

The adjective peaceful describes the noun "forest".


We went to the beach on Saturday, because it was such a beautiful, sunny day.
Sunday was a cold, rainy day, so we stayed home.
Jane saw some lovely red flowers hanging down from the tree.
The big black cows were eating the rich green grass.

2. Abstract nouns

The brochure says:
Need to get away from the urban rush? Need to take a break from the city pollution and stress you live with every day?
Escape to the tranquillity of Emerald Forest, less than two hours drive from the city centre…
  What beauty! Take a long moment to lie on the grass or the sand and just soak up the peace. Let the power of the sea wash away your tiredness and stress.

A noun that names a quality, idea or feeling and not a physical object is called an abstract noun.

Examples are rush, pollution, stress, tranquillity and beauty.

Example: Let the power of the sea wash away your tiredness and stress.

The abstract noun power describes a quality of the sea. "Power" is not something that we can touch.

Abstract nouns are often built from adjectives or verbs.



Abstract Noun

polluting to pollute pollution
stressful to stress stress
loving to love love
tranquil to be tranquil tranquillity
rushing to rush rush
happy to be happy happiness

Abstract nouns often end with endings such as -ence, -hood, -tion, -ity, -ness, -ment and -ice.



Most people feel happiness when they spend time in beautiful, natural places.
In childhood people like to play games, but in adulthood they are usually more serious.
If we want to go rock-climbing we need to develop strength in our muscles.
We were surprised by the depth of the lake.


Now go to 05 LANGUAGE FOCUS Adjectives and abstract nouns - task.


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