-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.

Look at the information in the table for 1-2 minutes and try to remember the words. Then click below to hide the information and try to answer the questions at the bottom.

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

Write the correct adjective or adverb for each of these questions. You will need to use -ful/-less or -fully/-lessly. Some answers will also need un-.

What a lovely present! That was very   of you. (THINK)

1. He drives really   - one day he's going to have an accident. (CARE)

2. He's told me   times about how good he is at football. (COUNT)

3. Because of his bad interview, he was   in his job application. (SUCCEED)

4. "I didn't eat your chocolate," she said   , hiding the empty wrapper. (TRUE)

5. It's   . England will never win the World Cup football again. (HOPE)

6. My best friend is a rich,   lawyer. (POWER)7. You must remember to recharge your phone. Without its batteries,

it's  . (USE)

8. Cigarettes are   to your health. (HARM)

9. The sales assistant was really   and rude. (HELP)

10.A newborn baby is completely   . (HELP)

11."Don't worry - this injection will be completely   . (PAIN)

12.Thieves broke into the museum and stole a   painting by Van Gogh. (PRICE)

13.She's really rich, but her clothes are always very   and elegant. (TASTE)

14. I bought some shares in the company 5 years ago, but unfortunately now they

are   . (WORTH)

15.His speech went on  . I thought he'd never stop talking. (END)