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Definition of Adjective
Adjectives are describing words. Large, grey, and friendly are all examples of adjectives. In the
examples below, these adjectives are used to describe an elephant.
Examples:
Large elephant
Grey elephant
Friendly elephant
Examples:
Follow the yellow cab.
(In this example, the adjective yellow modifies the noun cab.)
Craig caught a large bass.
(In this example, the adjective large modifies the noun bass.)
It is the girl with the pale face again.
The principal words should be in bold.
(Beware of the adjective principal - see right)
The rusty nail he stood on was the cause of the infection.
Please put the old documents in the shredder.
There is an essential matter we need to discuss.
Peter guessed the right number.
Examples:
It is a blue one.
(In this example, the adjective blue modifies the pronoun one.)
Only a brave few have received a recommendation.
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
whose
Beware
It is more helpful to group possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns under the
term possessive form. This helps to differentiate between possessive adjectives (e.g., my, your, her)
and possessive pronouns (e.g., mine, yours, hers).
Of note, the articles are classified as determiners, which are type of adjective.
An is used instead of a to make speaking easier. An is used when the first sound of the next word is
a vowel sound. Note: Consonants can create a vowel sound, and vowels can create a consonant
sound. The use of an is determined by the sound not the letter. Look at these examples:
A house
An hour
(House and hour start with the same three letters; however, house attracts a,
and hourattracts an. This is because house starts with a consonant sound, but hour starts
with a vowel sound.)
A uniform row
An unidentified man
(Uniform and unidentified start with the same three letters; however, uniform attracts a,
and unidentified attracts an. This is because uniform starts with a consonant sound (yoo),
but unidentified starts with a vowel sound.)
As the indefinite article (a, an) specifies one thing (e.g., a cup means one cup), it is not used
with non-countable nouns (e.g., water, air, integrity). For example:
I need an air.
Play me a music.
Give me a heat.
Most commonly, the indefinite adjective some is used instead.
Articles Are Not Used with Possessive Adjectives or Possessive Pronouns
Articles are not used with possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) or possessive
pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) as these already show that something is specific. For
example:
Take me to the your leader.
Take me to your leader.
The most common indefinite adjectives are any, each, few, many, much, most, several,
and some.
Indefinite adjectives should not be confused with indefinite pronouns. Indefinite adjectives modify
nouns or pronouns. Indefinite pronouns are standalone pronouns. For example:
We are all born with genius, but most of us only keep it for a few minutes.
(In this example, most is an indefinite pronoun, and few is an indefinite adjective. It
modifies minutes.)
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do
you if you do not act on upon them? (Buddha)
(In this example, only the first many is an indefinite adjective. (It modifies holy words.) The
second many is an indefinite pronoun.)
Everyone is born with genius, but most people only keep it a few minutes. (Edgard Varese, 1883-
1965)
Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so. (Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970)
I bought some batteries, but they weren't included. (Steven Wright)
The words in a compound adjective are often linked together with a hyphen (or hyphens) to show
they are part of the same adjective.
Examples:
It is an ab initio course (i.e., for beginners).
(italics used to group the adjective)
Amber looked at the stick in the water, looked me in the eye and then turned away, giving
me a "get it yourself" look.
(quotation marks used to group the adjective)
For more than ten years, Jack claimed to be part of the "Mary Celeste" crew before
admitting to his cousin at a party that he was not.
(capital letters, italics and quotation marks used to group the adjective)
Usually, there is no need to link an adverb to an adjective using a hyphen. For example:
Young Tracey is an extremely brave girl.
(The adverb extremely modifies the adjective brave but is not part of it. There is no need
to group it and brave together with a hyphen.)
It was a beautifully painted portrait in a skilfully carved frame.
(The adverb beautifully adds to the adjective painted but is not part of it. It is the same
with skilfully and carved. There is no need for hyphens.)
Ambiguous Adverbs
However, with words like well and fast (which are both adjectives and adverbs), a hyphen can be
used to avoid ambiguity. For example:
Jacob took the well-fatted calf to the riverside.
(well-fatted calf as in a very plump calf)
Jacob took the well fatted calf to the riverside.
(well fatted calf could be construed as a well (i.e., healthy) and fatted calf. In the first
example, the well-fatted calf could be ill.)
Quite often, the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause. Look at the three traits in this example:
The tramp who claimed to have a limp sprinted after the bus.
(This clause is required to identify The tramp. Without it, we don't know which tramp we're
talking about.)
The tramp (who claimed to have a limp) sprinted after the bus.
(This sentence is only appropriate if we know which tramp we're talking about.)
The tramp sprinted after the bus.
(This sentence is only appropriate if we know which tramp we're talking about.)
What Is an Adjective Phrase?
Example:
She had extremely menacing eyes.
(In this example, the adjective phrase is highlighted and the head adjective is in bold. This
adjective phrase modifies the noun eyes.)
Attributive Adjective. An attributive adjective is one that sits inside the noun phrase of the noun it
modifies. Look at these two examples:
The beautifully carved frames are worth more than the painting.
(This is an attributive adjective phrase. It sits inside the noun phrase The beautifully
carved frames.)
The frames beautifully carved by monks are worth more than the painting.
(This is also an attributive adjective phrase. It sits inside the noun phrase The frames
beautifully carved by monks.)
When an adjective appears before its noun, it is very likely to be an attributive adjective. However,
an adjective that appears after its noun can also be attributive.
Predicative Adjective. A predicative adjective sits outside the noun phrase of the noun it modifies.
Typically, a predicative adjective is linked to the noun it modifies with a linking verb. For example:
The curtains look far too long.
(This is a predicative adjective phrase. The linking verb is look.)
The extremely tired lioness is losing patience with her overly enthusiastic cub.(Both adjective
phrases are used attributively. They appear inside the noun phrases The extremely tired
lioness and her overly enthusiastic cub.)
My mother was fairly unhappy with the service.(The adjective phrase is used predicatively. It
appears outside the noun phrase My mother. The linking verb is was.)
Her baking always smells very tempting.(The adjective phrase is used predicatively. It appears
outside the noun phrase Her baking. The linking verb is smells.)
The consequences of agreeing were far too serious.(The adjective phrase is used predicatively.
It appears outside the noun phrase The consequences of agreeing. The linking verb is were.)
The dog covered in mud looked pleased with himself.(In this example, the first adjective phrase
is used attributively. It appears inside the noun phrase The dog covered in mud. The second is used
predicatively. It appears outside the same noun phrase. The linking verb is looked.)
The order of adjectives in English is opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and purpose.
For example:
A lovely, large, antique, round, black, Spanish, wooden, mixing bowl
opinion (lovely)
size (large)
age (antique)
shape (round)
colour (black)
origin (Spanish)
material (wooden)
purpose (mixing)
Note: Using two or more adjectives is called enumeration of adjectives.
bowl
(This is wrong because opinion (lovely) should precede origin (Spanish).
If you're a native English speaker, you should let your instinct guide you. The list of precedence
given on this page is not universally agreed, but all versions are pretty similar. The area of most
dispute is age and shape.
Here at Grammar Monster, we think age trumps shape, but others have this the other way around.
In other words, we think "old round box" sounds better than "round old box". However, we would
agree that "round antique box" sounds better than "antique round box".
Confusion arises because it is not always clear which category an adjective belongs to. You could
make a case for "antique" not being about age but purpose (i.e., it's part of the compound
noun"antique box").