Dirty describes something that is not clean, for example because it has dirt or marks.

The idea

Say dirty shoes before a noun or the shoes are dirty after be. The comparative is dirtier than.

Examples

  • My shoes are dirty after the walk.
  • Please put the dirty dishes in the sink.
  • The window is dirty on the outside.
  • This towel is dirtier than the other one.
  • Her hands got dirty in the garden.
  • The floor was dirty, so we cleaned it.

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Watch out

Dirty describes the condition; clean the shoes describes an action. A dirty object is not necessarily damaged.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the state adjective. The dishes have dirt on them: they are ___. (dirty / clean)

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    dirty

    Dirty describes the state of the dishes.

  2. Choose the comparative. This towel is ___ than the other one. (dirtier / dirtyer)

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    dirtier

    The comparative of dirty is dirtier.

  3. Decide what dirt alone proves. The shoes are dirty. Does that alone prove they are damaged? (no / yes)

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    no

    Being dirty does not by itself establish damage.

Use it today

Describe an object that got dirty and say how it became clean, if it did.