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Introduction to Adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe nouns and pronouns. They give more information about a person, place, thing, or idea. Adjectives answer questions like "What kind?", "How many?", and "Which one?" For example, in the phrase "the blue car," the adjective "blue" tells us what kind of car it is. In "there are three apples," the adjective "three" tells us how many apples there are.
Types of Adjectives
Type of Adjective
Definition
Examples
Descriptive Adjectives
Describe qualities or characteristics of nouns.
happy, tall, beautiful
Quantitative Adjectives
Indicate quantity or amount.
some, many, few, several
Demonstrative Adjectives
Point out specific nouns.
this, that, these, those
Possessive Adjectives
Show ownership or possession.
my, your, his, her, its
Interrogative Adjectives
Used to ask questions about nouns.
which, what, whose
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
1. Comparative Adjectives
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two nouns. They show differences in qualities.
    Examples
  • John is taller than Mike.
  • This box is bigger than that one.
  • She is happier today than yesterday.
  • This painting is more beautiful than the other.
2. Superlative Adjectives
Superlative adjectives are used to show the highest degree of quality among three or more nouns. They indicate that something is the best, worst, tallest, etc.
    Examples
  • John is the tallest in the class.
  • This box is the biggest one here.
  • She is the happiest person I know.
  • This painting is the most beautiful in the gallery.
3. Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms
Some adjectives have irregular forms that do not follow the standard rules for comparatives and superlatives.
    Examples
  • Good → Better → Best
  • Bad → Worse → Worst
  • Far → Farther/Further → Farthest/Furthest
Rules for Comparative and Superlative
Rule
Description
Examples
One-syllable adjectives
Add -er for comparatives and -est for superlatives.
tall → taller, tallest || big → bigger, biggest
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y
Change -y to -i and add -er for comparatives and -est for superlatives.
happy → happier, happiest
Two or more syllables
Use more for comparatives and most for superlatives.
beautiful → more beautiful, most beautiful
Irregular adjectives
Follow special forms for comparatives and superlatives.
good → better, best || bad → worse, worst
Adjective Placement
1. Order of Adjectives in a Sentence
Adjectives can be placed in a specific order when describing a noun. The general order is: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, and purpose.
    Examples
  • A beautiful (opinion) small (size) old (age) round (shape) blue (color) Italian (origin) ceramic (material) coffee (purpose) cup.
  • An interesting (opinion) large (size) new (age) square (shape) red (color) American (origin) wooden (material) table.
2. Adjectives Before Nouns
In English, adjectives usually come before the nouns they describe. This helps to give more information about the noun.
    Examples
  • She wore a long dress to the party.
  • The happy dog wagged its tail.
3. Adjectives After Nouns
Some adjectives can come after nouns, especially when they follow a linking verb (like "be," "seem," or "become"). In these cases, the adjective describes the subject of the sentence.
    Examples
  • The dog is happy.
  • The dress looks beautiful.
The Order of Adjectives.
Type of Adjective
Examples
Example Sentence
Number
one, two, three, several, many
She bought three apples from the store.
Opinion
beautiful, interesting, boring, lovely, tasty
The beautiful painting brightens the room.
Size
small, large, tiny, huge, medium
She has a large dog that loves to play.
Age
old, new, young, ancient, modern
He drives a new car that he just bought.
Shape
round, square, triangular, rectangular, oval
The table is round and perfect for dinner.
Color
red, blue, green, yellow, purple
She wore a red dress to the party.
Origin
Italian, Chinese, American, French, Indian
He enjoys Italian food, especially pasta.
Material
wooden, metal, plastic, glass, fabric
The glass vase sits on the table.
Purpose
cooking, writing, sleeping, gardening, cleaning
I need a cleaning brush for the dishes.
Mastering Adjectives
1. Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives describe qualities or characteristics of a noun. They give more detail about what something looks like, feels like, or seems like.
    Examples
  • The beautiful flower is blooming.
  • He is a tall man.
  • This book is very interesting.
2. Quantitative Adjectives
Quantitative adjectives tell us how much or how many of something there is. They help to describe the amount or quantity of a noun.
    Examples
  • There are some apples on the table.
  • She has many friends.
  • We have few options left.
3. Demonstrative Adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives point out specific nouns. They tell us which one or which ones, showing whether something is near or far.
    Examples
  • This car is new.
  • That house is old.
  • These books are mine.
4. Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives show ownership or possession. They tell us who something belongs to.
    Examples
  • My brother is very kind.
  • Is this your bag?
  • His car is parked outside.
5. Interrogative Adjectives
Interrogative adjectives are used to ask questions about nouns. They help specify or clarify information about the nouns they modify.
    Examples
  • What movie are we watching tonight?
  • Which book did you choose from the library?
  • Whose jacket is hanging by the door?