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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Choosing the right form of adjective

Hi, I wrote this sentence to ask a question in a thread that I started named "Use of passive past perfect in subordinate clause" and after I saw it the second time, it got me thinking, "Should I have written/used "ill-mannnered" instead of "ill-manner". See -- if a word that has the "ed" looks like a participle, then I don't think I have to ask a question here, but I don't think the word "mannered" is a participle. I think I used the word "two-tiered" to ask a question on the use of an adjective before and I think Mr. M said that this would be OK since the word "tier" is a countable noun.

Which one is correct, ill-manner or ill-mannered? How would make the decision?

After he had been out-guessed by his opponent, he threw up the game board abruptly in an ill-manner fashion.

Which one is correct, two-tier or two-tiered? How would you make the decision?

two-tiered roof XXX or two-tier roof XXX
  

Top answer

Hi Anon: Manner is a noun, and mannered / ill-mannered is an adjective (It is not a participle, but a normal adjective) Look in the dictionary, and you will find (ill-)mannered. Two-tier or two- tiered? I recall seeing it both ways.

  • Hi Anon: Manner is a noun, and mannered / ill-mannered is an adjective (It is not a participle, but a normal adjective) Look in the dictionary, and you will find (ill-)mannered.
  • Two-tier or two- tiered?
  • I recall seeing it both ways.
  • Tier can be a noun (most common form) or a verb.
  • They had a five-tiered / five-tier wedding cake.
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1 Answers
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Hi Anon:
Manner is a noun, and mannered / ill-mannered is an adjective (It is not a participle, but a normal adjective)
Look in the dictionary, and you will find (ill-)mannered.
Two-tier or two- tiered? I recall seeing it both ways. Tier can be a noun (most common form) or a verb.
They had a five-tiered / five-tier wedding cake.

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