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:
- Size: big, small,
large, tiny, gigantic, massive
- e.g., a big house, a tiny
ant, a massive elephant
- Color: red, blue,
green, yellow, purple, orange
- e.g., a red apple, a blue
sky, green grass
- Shape: round, square,
triangular, oval, rectangular
- e.g., a round ball, a square
box, a triangular sign
- Age: old, young,
new, ancient, modern
- e.g., an old tree, a young
child, a new car
- Origin:
Indian, French, Italian, American, Chinese, African
- e.g., a French cuisine, an Italian
designer, Indian culture
- Material:
wooden, metal, plastic, cotton, silk
- e.g., a wooden table, a metal
spoon, a plastic bottle
- Quality:
beautiful, ugly, smart, brave, kind, friendly
- e.g., a beautiful sunset, an ugly
sweater, a smart student
- Quantity:
few, many, several, numerous, countless
- e.g., few people, many
opportunities, several options
- Condition:
broken, intact, damaged, perfect, clean, dirty
- e.g., a broken vase, an intact
package, a damaged car
- Position:
top, bottom, middle, front, back, side
- e.g., the top floor, the middle
seat, the front row
- Emotion:
happy, sad, excited, angry, nervous
- e.g., a happy child, a sad
movie, an excited puppy
- Taste: sweet, sour,
bitter, salty, spicy
- e.g., a sweet dessert, a sour
lemon, a bitter medicine
- Sound: loud, soft,
quiet, noisy, melodic
- e.g., a loud alarm, a soft
whisper, a noisy crowd
- Texture:
rough, smooth, soft, hard, silky
- e.g., a rough surface, a smooth
fabric, a soft blanket
- 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.
3. Order of Adjectives
- 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
- 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)
- 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.
- The ___________ (tall) building in the
city offers a stunning view from its rooftop.
- She is known for her ___________ (kind)
heart and ___________ (generous) spirit.
- The ___________ (old) book on the shelf
has been passed down through generations.
- He gave an ___________ (exciting) speech
I've ever heard.
- My dog is the ___________ (playful) of
all the pets in the neighborhood.
Answers
- The tallest building in the city
offers a stunning view from its rooftop.
- She is known for her kind heart
and generous spirit.
- The old book on the shelf has
been passed down through generations.
- He gave the most exciting speech
I've ever heard.
- 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.
- She wore a beautiful dress to the
party.
- The old man sat quietly on the
bench.
- It was a big mistake to trust
him.
- The happy children played in the
park.
- The dark clouds signaled an
approaching storm.
Answers
- She wore a gorgeous dress to the
party.
- The elderly man sat quietly on
the bench.
- It was a huge mistake to trust
him.
- The joyful children played in the
park.
- The gloomy clouds signaled an
approaching storm.
Q3 Rewrite the sentences
using the correct comparative or superlative form of the adjectives given in
parentheses.
- The mountain is high. (higher)
- She is young. (younger)
- This is the good cake I've ever
tasted. (best)
- The weather is hot today.
(hotter)
- The movie was scary. (scariest)
Part 3: Answers
- The mountain is higher than the
hill.
- She is younger than her sister.
- This is the best cake I've ever
tasted.
- The weather is hotter today than
yesterday.
- The movie was the scariest I've
ever seen.
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