oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

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3 Different meanings in different positions
Either position
Attributive only Attributive Predicative
a real hero real wood The wood is real.
(degree)
(= not false)
a perfect idiot a perfect day The day was perfect.
(degree)
(= excellent)
You poor thing! a poor result The result was poor.
(sympathy)
(= not good)
poor people
The people are poor.
(= having little money)
Predicative only
a certain address
I'm certain.
(= specific) (= sure)
the present situation
I was present.
(= now) (= here/there)
a late bus
The bus was late.
(= near the end of the day) (= not on time)
the late president
(= dead)
4 A beautiful dancer
In phrases like a beautiful dancer, an interesting writer, a heavy smoker, a frequent
visitor, an old friend, the adjective usually modifies the action not the person.
Attributive
201 Adjectives after nouns and pronouns
Predicative
She's a beautiful dancer. The dancer is beautiful.
(= Her dancing is beautiful.) (= The dancer is a beautiful person.)
He was a frequent visitor.
(= His visits were frequent.)
201 Adjectives after nouns and pronouns
1 Some adjectives can have a prepositional phrase after them.
People were anxious for news. The field was full of sheep.
The adjective + prepositional phrase cannot go before the noun, but it can go
directly after it.
People anxious for news kept ringing the emergency number.
We walked across a field full of sheep.
2 Sometimes the position of the adjective depends on the meaning.
The amount of money involved is quite small. (= relevant)
It's a rather involved story. (= complicated)
The person concerned is at lunch, I'm afraid. (= relevant)
A number of concerned people have joined the protest. (= worried)