What is an Adjective?

An adjective is a word that tells us more about a noun. (By "noun" we include pronouns and
noun phrases.)
An adjective "qualifies" or "modifies" a noun (a big dog).
Adjectives can be used before a noun (I like Chinese food) or after certain verbs (It is hard).
We can often use two or more adjectives together (a beautiful young French lady).

The scary
ghost was
not
smiling!
scary describes

The
colorful
butterfly
was Evans.
colorful describes

What words could you use

describe this picture?
cute
smiling
blonde

happy
friendly
funny

What other words can you think of?

What words could you use

describe this picture?
red
tasty
healthy

crunchy
juicy
smooth

What other words can you think of?

Three Questions
Adjectives usually answer three questions about the nouns
they describe:
1. What kind of?
I found a red rose in the cave.
What kind of rose? Red
2. How many?
Three tickets, please.
How many tickets? Three.
3. Which one(s)?
I would eat these muffins.
Which muffins? These.

Kinds of adjectives.
1. Adjectives of Quality
2. Adjectives of Quantity
3. Adjectives of Number
4. Demonstrative Adjective
5. Interrogative Adjective

1. Adjectives of Quality
(Descriptive Adjective)
Adjectives of Quality (Descriptive Adjective) show
the kind or quality of a person or thing.
Example:1. London is a large city.
2. He is an honest man.
3. The foolish crow tried to sing.
Adjectives formed from Proper Nouns (e.g., French
wines, Indian tea, Turkish tobacco) are sometimes
called Proper Adjectives.
Adjectives of Quality answer the question: Of what
kind?

2. Adjectives of Quantity
Adjectives of Quantity show how much of a thing
is meant.
Examples:1. I ate some rice.
2. He has little intelligence.
3. He showed much patience.
4. He has lost all his wealth.
Adjectives of Quantity answer the question: How
much?

3. Adjectives of Number
(Numeral Adjective)
Adjectives of Number (Numeral Adjective) show
how many persons or things are meant, or in what
order a person or thing stands.
Example:1. The hand has five fingers.
2. Most boys like cricket.
3. Sunday is the first day of the week.
4. There are no pictures in this book.
5. Here are some ripe mangoes.
Adjectives of Number answer the question: How
many?

Adjectives of Number
3 kinds
a). Definite Numeral
Adjectives, which
denote an exact
number as,
One, two, three, etc. These are called
Cardinals.
First, second, third,
etc. - These are called
Ordinals.

b). Indefinite Numeral

Adjectives, which do not
denote an exact number,
All, many, few, some, any,
several, certain.
c). Distributive Numeral
Adjectives, which refer to
each one of a number, as
Each boy must take his
turn.
India expects every man to
do his duty.
Either pen will do.

4. Demonstrative Adjective
. Demonstrative Adjective point out which person
or thing is meant.
Example:That boy is clever.
These mangoes are sour.
I hate such things.
This and that are used with Singular Nouns,
these and those with Plural Nouns.

5. Interrogative Adjective
Interrogative Adjective - What,
which and whose when they are used
with nouns to ask questions.
Example:What manner of man is he?
Whose book is this?
Which way shall we go?

Can you find the adjectives?

The rabbit followed the slow turtle.
Then ask, What words describe the nouns?
WHAT KIND?
WHICH ONE?
HOW MANY?

Can you find the adjectives?

First find the nouns

The brown dog growled at the tall man.

Then ask, What words describe the nouns?
WHAT KIND?
WHICH ONE?
HOW MANY?

Degrees of Comparison
Degrees of Comparison are used when we compare one
person or one thing with another.
There are three Degrees of Comparison in English.
They are:
1. Positive degree.
2. Comparative degree.
3. Superlative degree.

The comparative degree is usually

formed by adding _ er
The superlative degree is usually
formed by adding _ est
POSITIVE
COMPARATIVE
SUPERLATIVE
Short
shorter
shortest
Dark darker
darkest
Lovely
lovelier
loveliest
Quiet
quieter
quietest

POSITIVE DEGREE
Examples
This house is big.
In this sentence only one noun The house
is talked about.
He is a tall student.
This flower is beautiful.
He is an intelligent boy.
Each sentence mentioned above talks about
only one noun.

Comparative degree
When we compare two persons or
two things with each other,
We use both the Positive degree and
Comparative degree.

Examples
a. This church is bigger than that one.
(Comparative degree)
This church is not as big as that one. (Positive
degree)
The term bigger is comparative version of
the term big.
Both these sentences convey the same
meaning.

c. He is more intelligent than this girl.

(Comparative)
She is not as intelligent as this boy.
(Positive)
The term more intelligent is comparative
version of the term intelligent.
Both these sentences convey the same
meaning.

Superlative Degree
When we compare more than two
persons or things with one another,
We use all the three Positive,
Comparative and Superlative
degrees.

THANKS