Adjective

ADJECTIVE

An adjective is a word that tells us more about a noun or a pronoun. An adjective describes or modifies a noun. Adjective Links What is an adjective? from HyperGrammar Adjective from wikipedia Adjectives quizzes and lists:  List of adjectives Spelling of adjectives Adjective lists that follow each topic are only partial ones. 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. Demonstrative adjective this, that, these, those are called demonstrative adjectives. They point out nouns. They always answer the question which one? In the following example, demonstrative adjectives are shown in color. Lets play this game and later watch that movie. Remember that this, that, these, those can also act as demonstrative pronouns in which case they are not followed by nouns (as demonstrative adjectives are), but take the place of nouns. In the following example, demonstrative pronouns are shown in color. Lets play this and later watch that. 2. Common adjective is just a simple, regular adjective. It describes a noun in a general way. sharp, flexible, hot, red, hidden, dripping, nice, huge. 3. Proper adjective is derived from a proper noun and is capitalized. Proper noun Proper adjective China Chinese California Californian Mars Martian Spain Spanish Christianity Christian Japan Japanese Hollywood Hollywood Texas Texas Sometimes, as in last two examples, a proper noun does not change at all to become a proper adjective.

Where an adjective goes in a sentence Usually an adjective comes in front of the noun it is describing. The big balloon floated over the dark sea. An adjective can also come after a linking verb, liketo be, and describe the subject of the sentence. In this case it is called predicate adjective. The balloon was dark. Comparison of adjectives Positive degree – the simplest form. Comparative degree – comparing two things or persons. Superlative degree – comparing three or more things or persons. Positive Comparative Superlative large larger largest horrible more horrible most horrible How to compare adjectives 1. Add er and est to short adjectives of one syllable (sometimes two syllables) Positive Comparative Superlative short shorter shortest great greater greatest small smaller smallest old older oldest 2. If a short adjective ends with consonant and y, change the y to i and add er and est. Positive Comparative Superlative lucky luckier luckiest heavy heavier heaviest happy happier happiest silly sillier silliest ugly uglier ugliest 3. If a short adjective ends with e, add er and st. Positive Comparative Superlative little littler littlest fine finer finest 4. Put more(less) and most(least) in front of longer adjectives (with two or more syllables) to show comparison. Positive Comparative Superlative appealing less appealing least appealing remarkable more remarkable most remarkable beautiful more beautiful most beautiful alert more alert most alert If you are uncertain whether to add er and est or to use more and most, then check dictionary. In most cases, you can trust your ears. Some adjectives are irregular adjectives and don't follow thee rules. They change form considerably from one degree to the next. You need to study these changes carefully in order to recognize them easily. List of irregular adjectives. Positive Comparative Superlative bad worse worst far further furthest far farther farthest good better best many more most little less least old elder eldest well (healthy) better best Never use er or est at the same time you use moreor most. These are incorrect: more shorter, most alertest Incomparable adjectives. Some adjectives cannot be compared because the positive (simplest) form expresses the only degree possible. List of incomparable adjectives: perfect, unique, fatal, universal, dead, wrong, straight, blind, final, vertical, right, left