Adjectives - the Noun Modifier

 

Adjectives

1. Definition

An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. It is done by providing more information about its qualities, characteristics, or attributes.

Adjectives can convey various aspects such as size, color, shape, age, origin, material, and more. They add details to the nouns.

 Examples:

  1. Size: big, small, large, tiny, gigantic, massive
    • e.g., a big house, a tiny ant, a massive elephant
  2. Color: red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange
    • e.g., a red apple, a blue sky, green grass
  3. Shape: round, square, triangular, oval, rectangular
    • e.g., a round ball, a square box, a triangular sign
  4. Age: old, young, new, ancient, modern
    • e.g., an old tree, a young child, a new car
  5. Origin: Indian, French, Italian, American, Chinese, African
    • e.g., a French cuisine, an Italian designer, Indian culture
  6. Material: wooden, metal, plastic, cotton, silk
    • e.g., a wooden table, a metal spoon, a plastic bottle
  7. Quality: beautiful, ugly, smart, brave, kind, friendly
    • e.g., a beautiful sunset, an ugly sweater, a smart student
  8. Quantity: few, many, several, numerous, countless
    • e.g., few people, many opportunities, several options
  9. Condition: broken, intact, damaged, perfect, clean, dirty
    • e.g., a broken vase, an intact package, a damaged car
  10. Position: top, bottom, middle, front, back, side
    • e.g., the top floor, the middle seat, the front row
  11. Emotion: happy, sad, excited, angry, nervous
    • e.g., a happy child, a sad movie, an excited puppy
  12. Taste: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, spicy
    • e.g., a sweet dessert, a sour lemon, a bitter medicine
  13. Sound: loud, soft, quiet, noisy, melodic
    • e.g., a loud alarm, a soft whisper, a noisy crowd
  14. Texture: rough, smooth, soft, hard, silky
    • e.g., a rough surface, a smooth fabric, a soft blanket
  15. Temperature: hot, cold, warm, freezing, scorching
    • e.g., a hot cup of tea, a cold drink, a warm sweater

 

2. Types of Adjectives

1. Descriptive Adjectives: Descriptive adjectives are the most common type. They simply describe the characteristics or qualities of a noun. These adjectives answer questions like "What kind?" or "Which one?"

·         The big dog chased the ball across the yard.

  • She wore a blue dress to the party.
  • The tall tree reached towards the sky.
  • He has always been known for his friendly demeanor.
  • The delicious aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen.

2. Quantitative Adjectives: Quantitative adjectives, as the name suggests, express the quantity or amount of the noun they modify. They answer the question "How much?" Examples include "few," "many," "several," "all," "some," and "no."

·         I have few books on my shelf.

  • There are many stars in the night sky.
  • She bought several bags of groceries.
  • All students must submit their assignments by Friday.
  • Do you have some spare change?

3. Demonstrative Adjectives: Demonstrative adjectives indicate which noun is being referred to and how many of them there are in relation to the speaker. They include words like "this," "that," "these," and "those." These adjectives help to clarify the noun's position or identity in context.

  • This book is my favorite.
  • That car is parked in the wrong spot.
  • These cookies are delicious.
  • Have you seen those new shoes she's wearing?
  • I like those paintings on the wall.

4. Possessive Adjectives: Possessive adjectives demonstrate ownership or possession of the noun they modify. Examples include "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their."

·         My cat loves to nap in the sun.

  • Is that your pen on the desk?
  • His car broke down on the highway.
  • She brushed her hair before leaving the house.
  • The students forgot their homework assignments.

5. Interrogative Adjectives: Interrogative adjectives are used to ask questions about nouns. Examples include "which," "what," and "whose." They precede nouns in interrogative sentences .

  • Which book do you want to read first?
  • What time does the movie start?
  • Whose bag is this?
  • Which restaurant serves the best pizza in town?
  • What color is your new car?

6. Indefinite Adjectives: Indefinite adjectives refer to nonspecific nouns, indicating an indefinite or unspecified quantity or identity. Examples include "any," "some," "several," "many," and "few."

·         Do you have any spare change?

  • She bought some fresh fruit at the market.
  • Several people attended the meeting.
  • There were many guests at the party.
  • I have few regrets about my decision.

7. Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: These adjectives are used to compare two or more nouns in terms of their qualities or characteristics.

Comparative adjectives, such as "bigger," "smaller," "faster," and "slower," compare two nouns, while superlative adjectives, such as "biggest," "smallest," "fastest," and "slowest," indicate the highest degree of a quality among three or more nouns.

  • The elephant is bigger than the lion.
  • This is the smallest cake I've ever seen.
  • She is faster than her brother in running.
  • He is the tallest person in the room.
  • This car is slower than the one I used to have.
For more examples of comparative and superlative degrees, read.....

3. Order of Adjectives

  1. Rule of Thumb: OSASCOMP The order of adjectives in English follows a general rule of thumb known as OSASCOMP, which stands for:
    • Opinion
    • Size
    • Age
    • Shape
    • Color
    • Origin
    • Material
    • Purpose

This mnemonic serves as a helpful reminder of the typical order in which adjectives should be placed before a noun. Adjectives pertaining to opinion usually come first, followed by those related to size, age, shape, color, origin, material, and purpose.

Examples of Correct Adjective Placement

    • Opinion: A beautiful (opinion) small (size) old (age) round (shape) blue (color) Italian (origin) wooden (material) dining (purpose) table.
    • Size: A big (size) red (color) leather (material) sofa.
    • Age: An ancient (age) Egyptian (origin) artifact.
    • Shape: A square (shape) glass (material) vase.
    • Color: A yellow (color) plastic (material) bowl.
    • Origin: A French (origin) silk (material) scarf.
    • Material: A steel (material) folding (purpose) chair.
    • Purpose: A gardening (purpose) tool.

 Exceptions and Special Cases

  1. Irregular Adjective Placement While the OSASCOMP rule generally holds true, there are exceptions where adjectives may deviate from this order for emphasis or stylistic reasons. For instance:
    • "She bought a gorgeous, antique necklace." (Opinion precedes age for emphasis)
    • "He lives in a little, quaint cottage." (Size precedes opinion for stylistic effect)
  2. Adjective Placement with Compound Nouns In compound nouns (nouns composed of two or more words), adjectives usually precede the first noun. For example:
    • "A greenhouse (color + purpose) is used for growing plants."
    • "She bought a whiteboard (color + material) for her classroom."

 4. Practice Exercises

Q 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjectives given in parentheses.

  1. The ___________ (tall) building in the city offers a stunning view from its rooftop.
  2. She is known for her ___________ (kind) heart and ___________ (generous) spirit.
  3. The ___________ (old) book on the shelf has been passed down through generations.
  4. He gave an ___________ (exciting) speech I've ever heard.
  5. My dog is the ___________ (playful) of all the pets in the neighborhood.

Answers

  1. The tallest building in the city offers a stunning view from its rooftop.
  2. She is known for her kind heart and generous spirit.
  3. The old book on the shelf has been passed down through generations.
  4. He gave the most exciting speech I've ever heard.
  5. My dog is the most playful of all the pets in the neighborhood.

Q2 Rewrite each sentence, replacing the underlined adjectives with a synonym or alternative adjective.

  1. She wore a beautiful dress to the party.
  2. The old man sat quietly on the bench.
  3. It was a big mistake to trust him.
  4. The happy children played in the park.
  5. The dark clouds signaled an approaching storm.

Answers

  1. She wore a gorgeous dress to the party.
  2. The elderly man sat quietly on the bench.
  3. It was a huge mistake to trust him.
  4. The joyful children played in the park.
  5. The gloomy clouds signaled an approaching storm.

Q3 Rewrite the sentences using the correct comparative or superlative form of the adjectives given in parentheses.

  1. The mountain is high. (higher)
  2. She is young. (younger)
  3. This is the good cake I've ever tasted. (best)
  4. The weather is hot today. (hotter)
  5. The movie was scary. (scariest)

Part 3: Answers

  1. The mountain is higher than the hill.
  2. She is younger than her sister.
  3. This is the best cake I've ever tasted.
  4. The weather is hotter today than yesterday.
  5. The movie was the scariest I've ever seen.
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