NOUNS + -FUL / -LESS. English grammar with exercises. Free eBook and Free printable PDF. English ESL Worksheets
NOUNS + -FUL / -LESS
NOUNS + -FUL / -LESS
Most adjectives which end in -ful make the negative with -less, but not all. Note also that we can make adverbs from these adjectives with -fully or -lessly. For example, carefully and carelessly.
The words in this table all use -ful and -less to make the adjectives.
| Noun | Verb | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| care | care | careful /careless |
| harm | harm | harmful / harmless |
| help | help | (un)helpful / helpless |
| hope | hope | hopeful / hopeless |
| pain | pain | painful/ painless |
| power | power | powerful / powerless |
| use | use | useful / useless |
| thought | think | thoughtful / thoughtless |
| taste | taste | tasteful / tasteless |
The adjectives in this table take -ful or -less, but not both.
| Noun | Verb | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| count | count | countless / countable |
| end | end | endless |
| home | – | homeless |
| peace | – | peaceful |
| play | play | playful |
| price | price | priceless |
| success | succeed | (un)successful |
| truth | – | (un)truthful / (un)true |
| worth | worth | worthless |
EXERCISE 1.
Complete the sentences using the nouns in the box and adding –less or –ful to form adjectives.
| THOUGHT | MEANING | HARM |
| WONDER | CHEER | PENNY |
e.g. “Everything I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you, Julia” (The Beatles).
- I’m very worried for my son and his wife. They are _________________. They can’t even afford to buy decent food.
- I like living with my parents, because the atmosphere is always relaxed and _________________ at home.
- My sister and I went to the mountains last month and I must admit that we had a __________________ time together.
- You shouldn’t smoke. Nicotine is really __________________ to your health.
- My boyfriend is so ___________________sometimes. Last year we went to Greece together and just before checking in at the airport he realised that he didn’t have any ID with him. What a nightmare!
EXERCISE 2.
Write an adjective with a similar meaning next to the words listed below. Use the nouns in the box and add –less or –ful to form the adjectives.
| Beauty | Hope | End |
| Pity | Bottom | Help |
| CRUEL | INFINITE |
| ATTRACTIVE | VERY DEEP |
| USEFUL | POSITIVE/OPTIMISTIC |
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