Adjectives

AdjectivesAdjectives

Adjectives

An adjective is a word that gives us more information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence.

Attributive use: When we use an adjective word before a noun to describe the noun, this is called attributive use.

  • big city
  • tall tree
  • red hair

Predicative use: When we use an adjective word that comes after a verb and describes the subject, it is called predicative use.

  • He is happy.
  • The box is heavy.
  • He is alive.

 

Comparative and superlative adjectives

We use a comparative adjective to compare someone or something with someone or something else.

  • Daniel is younger than me.
  • This tree is taller than that one.

We use comparative adjectives to show that someone or something is changing or developing.

  • The woman seems to be getting younger and younger.
  • The days are getting longer and longer.

For longer adjectives, we use more and more.

  • She is getting more and more beautiful.
  • Petrol is becoming more and more expensive.

We use a superlative adjective to compare someone or something to every other person or thing in the group.

  • She is the tallest girl in our class.
  • Coal is one of the cheapest fuels.

For most longer adjectives, we use more or the most to make them comparative or superlative.

  • He is more intelligent than his brother.
  • This subject is more important than that.
  • Jim is the most intelligent person I know.
  • Planes are the most expensive mode of transport in the world.

Adjective of Quality

A word that describes the quality of a noun or pronoun, and it generally answers the question “of what kind?”

Before “nouns”

  • a heavy box
  • a smart boy
  • a beautiful city

After the verb “to be” (am, are, is, was, were),

  • That car is red.
  • The apples are delicious.

After the verbs “taste, look, seem, feel, get, sound, smell.”

  • The food tastes good.
  • He looks happy.

Compound adjectives are made up of two or more words.

  • a thirty-story building
  • a five-minute walk
  • a part-time job
  • a five-foot-long snake

Adjective of Quantity

a word that describes the quantity of a noun and generally answers the question, “How much?”

  • many students
  • much milk
  • little time
  • enough water
  • some sugar
  • most people
  • no money
  • few weeks
  • whole life

We use “many, no, few, or whole” with countable nouns.

  • I don’t have many friends.
  • There were no tickets left.
  • May I ask a few questions?
  • I spent the whole day walking.

We use “much, little, enough, some, no” with uncountable nouns.

  • I don’t have much information about this.
  • There is enough sugar for all of us.
  • The food has little salt.
  • Can I have some water?
  • I have no money.

Adjective of Number

Adjectives of number indicate the number of nouns or pronouns, or in what order they stand, and answer the question, “How many?”

  • I have two pens.
  • There are four carrots.
  • I stand first in the class.

 

There are three types of adjectives of number.

Cardinal and ordinal numbers are adjectives of number:

  • Definite numeral adjective
  • Indefinite numeral adjective
  • distributive numeral adjectives.

 

Definite numeral adjectives describe the exact number or position of the subject in the sentence and use cardinal and ordinal numbers.

  • There are five people in the room.
  • It was the first time we met each other.
Cardinal Ordinal
1 One 1st First
2 Two 2nd Second
3 Three 3rd Third
4 Four 4th Fourth
5 Five 5th Fifth
20 Twenty 20th Twentieth
21 Twenty one 21st Twenty-first
22 Twenty two 22nd Twenty-second
23 Twenty three 23rd Twenty-third
24 Twenty four 24th Twenty-fourth
90 Ninety 90th Ninetieth
100 One hundred 100th Hundredth
1000 One thousand 1000th Thousandth

indefinite numeral adjectives describe a number but do not tell the exact number.

  • We arrived several hours ago.
    All students should respect their teachers.
    Do you want some more coffee?
    I worked hard for many years.
    Few people know me here.
    You can meet me any day but Monday.

 

A distributive numeral adjective refers to each one of a number and always comes before a singular noun and a verb.

  • Every person should be on time.
  • Each of us has an umbrella.


Demonstrative Adjective

A demonstrative adjective shows which person or thing you mean and is always followed by a noun.

  • This pen is mine.
  • These books are yours.
  • That shirt is clean.
  • Those shoes are expensive.

We use “this, that, these, and those” as demonstrative pronouns, but they do not come before nouns or pronouns.

  • This is my book.
  • That is a table.


Distributive Adjective

A distributive adjective refers to each one of a number and always comes before a singular noun and a verb.

  • Each boat has an anchor.
  • Every nation is proud of its culture.
  • Either answer is correct.
  • Neither sweater fits me.

Each (every person or thing) is regarded separately, one by one.

  • Each person had a bicycle.
  • Each ticket costs $30.

Every (every person or thing) a regarded as a whole.

  • Every member should wear a uniform.
  • Every job has its good points.

Either (each of the two)

  • Either team played well. [Both teams played well.]

Neither (none of the two)

  • Neither answer was correct. [Both answers were wrong.]

Interrogative Adjective

a word that asks questions and describes a noun or pronoun, and it comes before a noun.

  • What time is it?
  • Which pen is yours?
  • Whose car is this?

We use “what, which, and whose” as interrogative pronouns, but they do not come before nouns or pronouns.

  • What is your plan?
  • Which is the shortest way?
  • Whose is this pen?


Possessive Adjective

Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their) show ownership or belonging and come before a noun or pronoun.

  • My name is Jacob.
  • Is this your pen?
  • It’s his car.
  • Her hair is blonde.

We use “his” as a possessive pronoun, but it does not come before a noun or pronoun.

  • That pen is his.


Adjective order

When we use several adjectives before a noun, there is a proper way of putting them in order.

Opinion comes before fact.

opinion (beautiful, delicious, ugly, interesting)

fact (new, Italian, black, old)

  • A beautiful old cottage
  • A delicious Italian pizza

A general idea comes before a specific idea.

general (long, new, cold, big)
specific (American, wooden)

  • An old wooden chair
  • A big American car

A beautiful, long, old, brown American wooden fishing boat.

Number First, second, one, two, three
Opinion Pretty, disgusting, funny, tasty, important
Size Big, tall, huge, small, short, little
Age New, old, young, ancient
Shape Square, circular, cubic, triangular
Color Blue, red, green, black, white
Origin Korean, Indian, American, Italian
Material Golden, wooden, plastic, silk, leather
Purpose A sleeping bag, a fishing boat, cooking oil

Usually, we do not use more than three adjectives in a sentence, but if we do, it’s correct.

Determiner Opinion Size Age Shape Color Origin Material Purpose Noun
a valuable old Italian clock
those round wooden kitchen tables
his small black leather wallet

Adjectives English Vocabulary

One comment

  1. Samiuddin

    The lessons is very important and interests how i can copy these to myself learn

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