What are Adjectives?

Definition of Adjectives

Adjectives are words that modify or describe nouns or pronouns. They provide further
information about the noun or pronoun in terms of its quality, quantity, size, color, and more. For
instance, in the phrase 'a beautiful flower,' the word 'beautiful' is an adjective that describes the
noun 'flower.'

Role of Adjectives in English

Adjectives play a crucial role in the English language by adding depth and precision to
communication. They allow speakers and writers to express their thoughts and feelings more
vividly and accurately, making their messages more engaging and impactful.

Why are Adjectives Important?

Enhancing Communication

Using adjectives in speech and writing can enhance communication by adding clarity, detail, and
emotional appeal to the message. For example, instead of saying 'a car,' one can say 'a sleek, red
sports car,' which provides a more specific and vivid image of the object. Adjectives can also
convey subjective opinions and attitudes, such as 'a delicious meal' or 'a horrible experience.'

Types of Adjectives

Descriptive Adjectives
Definition of Descriptive Adjectives

Descriptive adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns. They provide more
information about the noun or pronoun they are describing, such as its size, color, shape, or age.

Examples of Descriptive Adjectives

Examples of descriptive adjectives include words like big, blue, beautiful, young, and round. For
instance, in the sentence 'The big, blue house on the corner is for sale,' both 'big' and 'blue' are
descriptive adjectives that provide more information about the noun 'house.'

Quantitative Adjectives
Definition of Quantitative Adjectives

Quantitative adjectives are words that indicate the amount or quantity of the noun they are
describing. They provide information about how much or how many of something there is.

Examples of Quantitative Adjectives

Examples of quantitative adjectives include words like few, many, several, and all. For instance,
in the sentence 'I have three books on my shelf,' the word 'three' is a quantitative adjective that
tells us the number of books on the shelf.

Demonstrative Adjectives
Definition of Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives are words that indicate the position or proximity of the noun they are
describing in relation to the speaker. They help to distinguish between things that are close by
and things that are far away.

Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives

Examples of demonstrative adjectives include words like this, that, these, and those. For
instance, in the sentence 'I want this book, not that one,' the words 'this' and 'that' are
demonstrative adjectives that distinguish between two books that are in different positions
relative to the speaker.

Possessive Adjectives
Definition of Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives are words that indicate ownership or possession of the noun they are
describing. They help to show who or what owns or possesses something.

Examples of Possessive Adjectives

Examples of possessive adjectives include words like my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. For
instance, in the sentence 'That is my car,' the word 'my' is a possessive adjective that indicates
ownership of the car.

Interrogative Adjectives
Definition of Interrogative Adjectives
Interrogative adjectives are words that are used to ask questions about the noun they are
describing. They help to gather information about the noun in question.

Examples of Interrogative Adjectives

Examples of interrogative adjectives include words like which, what, and whose. For instance, in
the sentence 'Which book do you want to read?' the word 'which' is an interrogative adjective that
asks a question about the noun 'book.'

Indefinite Adjectives
Definition of Indefinite Adjectives

Indefinite adjectives are words that describe or modify non-specific nouns. They help to show
that we are referring to any member of a group, rather than a specific one.

Examples of Indefinite Adjectives

Examples of indefinite adjectives include words like some, any, several, and many. For instance,
in the sentence 'I need some paper for the printer,' the word 'some' is an indefinite adjective that
refers to any paper that will work for the printer.

Syntax of Adjectives

Order of Adjectives
General Rules

When using multiple adjectives to describe a noun, it is important to follow a specific order. The
general rule is to use adjectives in the following order: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin,
material, purpose. However, this order can be flexible and may vary depending on the context.

Examples

For example, consider the phrase 'a beautiful small Italian sports car'. The order of adjectives is
opinion (beautiful), size (small), origin (Italian), and purpose (sports). If we change the order of
the adjectives, it would sound unnatural: 'a small beautiful Italian sports car'.

Adjective Agreement
Gender
In many languages, adjectives agree with the gender of the noun they modify. In English, this is
only the case for a few adjectives, such as 'his' and 'her'. For example, we say 'his car' and 'her
car', not 'his car' and 'her truck'.

Number

Adjectives must agree with the number of the noun they modify. If the noun is singular, the
adjective must also be singular. If the noun is plural, the adjective must also be plural. For
example, we say 'a red car' (singular) and 'two red cars' (plural).

Case

Adjectives do not change according to case in English, except for a few pronouns such as 'my',
'your', 'his', and 'her'. For example, we say 'my red car', not 'me red car'.

Semantics of Adjectives

Connotation vs. Denotation

Connotation

The connotation of an adjective refers to the emotional or cultural associations that people have
with the word. For example, the word 'cheap' has a negative connotation because it implies low
quality or inferiority. On the other hand, the word 'affordable' has a positive connotation because
it implies a good value for the price.

Denotation

The denotation of an adjective refers to the literal or dictionary definition of the word. For
example, the denotation of the word 'cheap' is simply 'inexpensive' or 'low cost'. Similarly, the
denotation of the word 'affordable' is 'reasonably priced' or 'economical'.

Positive, Comparative, and Superlative Forms

Positive Form

The positive form of an adjective is the base form that is used to describe a noun without any
comparison. For example, the adjective 'big' is in its positive form in the sentence 'The elephant
is big.'

Comparative Form
The comparative form of an adjective is used to compare two nouns. It is created by adding '-er'
to the end of the adjective or by using the word 'more' before the adjective. For example, the
comparative form of the adjective 'big' is 'bigger', as in the sentence 'The elephant is bigger than
the zebra.'

Superlative Form

The superlative form of an adjective is used to compare three or more nouns. It is created by
adding '-est' to the end of the adjective or by using the word 'most' before the adjective. For
example, the superlative form of the adjective 'big' is 'biggest', as in the sentence 'The elephant is
the biggest animal in the zoo.'

Common Mistakes with Adjectives

Misplaced or Dangling Adjectives

Definition

Misplaced or dangling adjectives are adjectives that are improperly positioned in a sentence,
leading to confusion or awkward phrasing. A misplaced adjective is one that is separated from
the noun it modifies, while a dangling adjective is one that does not have a clear noun to modify.

Examples

An example of a misplaced adjective is: 'The big, hairy dog chased the cat.' Here, the adjective
'big' should be placed after 'hairy' to properly modify 'dog.' An example of a dangling adjective
is: 'Walking down the street, the flowers were in bloom.' Here, it is unclear what the adjective
'walking' is modifying.

Tips to Avoid

To avoid misplaced adjectives, make sure they are placed as close as possible to the noun they
modify. To avoid dangling adjectives, make sure there is a clear noun for each adjective, and
avoid starting a sentence with an adjective unless it is clear what noun it is modifying.

Overusing Adjectives
Definition

Overusing adjectives refers to the excessive or unnecessary use of adjectives in writing, which
can lead to a cluttered or confusing text.

Examples
An example of overusing adjectives is: 'The beautiful, stunning, breathtaking sunset was
reflected in the clear, calm, tranquil water.' Here, the overuse of adjectives detracts from the
overall impact of the sentence.

Tips to Avoid

To avoid overusing adjectives, choose only the most descriptive and relevant adjectives, and aim
to use them sparingly. Instead, focus on using strong verbs and nouns to convey meaning, and
use adjectives only to add emphasis or clarify meaning when necessary.

Conclusion

Summary
In Conclusion

Adjectives are an essential part of the English language, used to describe and modify nouns. In
this blog post, we have covered the different types of adjectives, including descriptive,
quantitative, demonstrative, possessive, interrogative, and indefinite adjectives. We have also
explored the syntax of adjectives, including the order of adjectives and adjective agreement, as
well as the semantics of adjectives, including connotation and denotation, and positive,
comparative, and superlative forms. Finally, we have discussed common mistakes when using
adjectives, such as misplaced or overused adjectives, and emphasized the importance of using
adjectives correctly in communication.

Adjectives are words that describe a noun or a pronoun in more detail,

thereby providing more information about the characteristics of a person, an
animal or a thing. Regardless of the word they modify, they always keep the
same form and are, therefore, unchangeable.

They usually precede their antecedent. Compare some possible uses in

sentences:

 Adjectives describe the word they refer to (antecedent) more

detailed, which means they modify it:
o Such a word can be a noun …:
 “She has a young cat.”
 In this statement, the adjective ‘young’ attributes
further information to the noun ‘cat’.
o … or a pronoun:
“Peter bought a car. It’s a new one.”
 Likewise, ‘new’ refers to the pronoun here, or, more
precisely, the prop-word ‘one’ and describes it in
more detail.
 Moreover, adjectives are not inflected (declined) in English, which
makes it easier for learners of English as a foreign language:
o “An old man is sitting on a wooden bench. He has
a beautiful view of the valley.”
 The noun ‘man’ is in the singular; ‘old’ is used.
o “Two old men are sitting on a wooden bench …”
 The noun ‘men’ is in the plural; however, ‘old’ retains its
form and is not changed or adapted to the word it refers
to.

Where do adjectives stand in a sentence?

In English sentences, adjectives are usually placed before their antecedent

(the word they modify). Nevertheless, they may also appear elsewhere in
the sentence. Such a position happens especially afterverbs such as ‘be,
seem, get, become’ and ‘appear’, and after verbs that describe
the senses such as ‘feel, taste, look, sound’ and ‘smell’:

 In most cases, adjectives come before the word they modify (noun
or pronoun):
o “Mike has got a well-paid job.”
 In this statement, the noun ‘job’ goes directly after the
adjective ‘well-paid’.
 If the verbs ‘be, seem, get, become’ or ‘appear’ are used,
the adjective follows them:
o “I am careful.”
 The adjective ‘careful’ follows the form of ‘to be’ (am)
directly.
o “His mother seems very nice.”
 o “The meeting is getting more and more interesting.”
This sentence shows that several additional words can be
located between the verb and the adjective.
 The adjective also follows verbs that express the perception of
the senses (sense verbs) such as ‘feel, taste, look, sound, smell’:
o “Do you feel tired?”
o “That cake tastes delicious!”
o “She looks good in her new outfit.”
 Careful: After ‘look’, no adverb is possible, which
means ‘… looks well’ would be wrong.
o “That doesn’t sound very exciting.”
 Attention: Occasionally, adjectives are utilised in conjunction
with articles. In these cases, however, they are no longer adjectives
but nouns. Such use often occurs with nationalities and with groups of
people:
o “The British like tea.”
 In this statement, ‘the British’ stands for the whole group
of Britons.
o “This area is where the rich live.”
 ‘the rich’ denotes a whole community here and serves as a
noun.

Particularities of adjectives ending in ‘-ing’ and ‘-ed’

In English, it is sometimes possible to form adjectives from verbs,

resulting in participles. To create such participles, the ending (suffix) ‘-ing’
(present participle) or ‘-ed’ (past participle) is added to the respective verb
stem or root. The resulting adjectives can then be used in different ways.

 Basically, adjectives ending in ‘-ing’ describe the

characteristic of someone or something. In contrast, adjectives ending
in ‘-ed’ describe the effect on someone. The following examples of
adjective pairs illustrate the difference (for more details, read
the distinction between ‘interesting’ and ‘interested’):
o Difference between ‘boring’ and ‘bored’:
 “The lecture was boring.”
  The ing-adjective qualifies the noun ‘lecture’ here by
giving more details about it.
 “She was very bored (by the lecture).”
 In this statement, the ed-adjective refers to the
person ‘she’ and describes her current state or
feeling, which the lecture caused.
o Difference between ‘interesting’ and ‘interested’:
 “What he said was very interesting.”
 “I was very interested in what he said.”
o Difference between ‘exciting’ and ‘excited’:
 “Skydiving must be very exciting.”
 “He is very excited because he is going to skydive.”
o Difference between ‘surprising’ and ‘surprised’:
 “It was not a surprising statement.”
 “I wasn’t surprised by the statement.”