Adjective

An adjective is a word usually used to modify a noun and provide more information about the noun . Adjectives are often called 'describing words' as they describe a feature or quality of the noun such as colour, size, quantity, etc. They can therefore be used to add more meaning to a sentence.

Adjective examples

There are many adjectives in the English language that tell us more information about the noun.

In the examples below, the adjectives and nouns have been highlighted:

The order of adjectives

Take a look at this sentence:

It really doesn't sound right, does it? This is because adjectives are arranged in an irregular order.

Take a look at this corrected sentence:

This sentence just 'feels' better as the adjectives are placed in a recognizable way.

For native English language speakers, putting adjectives in the correct order tends to come naturally, we can just feel it in our bones. However, for non-native speakers, remembering the order of adjectives can be a tricky process.

When there is a sequence of multiple adjectives, their order can be arranged as follows:

A big, old, blue car - pixabay.

The positioning of adjectives

If a word is an adjective, it can be placed in several different ways. These include:

• Before a noun ( pre-modification )

• After a noun ( post-modification )

• On its own as a complement

What is pre-modification?

Pre-modification is when an adjective is placed before a noun to add information. For example:

Adjectives that pre-modify a noun are traditionally called attributive adjectives.

What is post-modification?

Post-modification is when an adjective is placed after a noun to add information. For example:

These are traditionally called predicative adjectives. The adjective is not used immediately after the noun, instead, it follows a verb that links the sentence such as 'is', 'was', or 'seems'.

Adjectives as a complement

Adjectives can also be used as a complement to 'complete the sentence'. This is a form of post-modification however, in this case, the adjective is used with a pronoun. Here are some examples:

As you can see, the adjective is used to modify the pronouns ('he', 'she', 'it'). It describes a quality about the person or thing, however, it does not specifically state what is being described. Complements usually follow the forms of the verb 'to be' such as 'is', 'was', and 'will be'.

Most adjectives can be placed freely between each position. For example:

There are only a few adjectives that are restricted to one position. For example:

This is the opposite for the adjective 'alone' which can be used to post-modify a noun ('the child is alone') but can not be used to pre-modify a noun ('the alone child').

A happy hamster - pixabay

We can describe this photo in three ways:

1. The happy hamster (pre-modification)
2. The hamster is happy (post-modification)
3. She is happy (complement)

Types of adjectives

Different types of adjectives can be used for different functions in a sentence:

• Qualitative adjectives, or 'descriptive adjectives', are used to describe a feature or quality of a thing, person, or object. They add extra information about a noun or a pronoun. For example, the descriptive adjective 'red' in 'the red car' describes the color of the object.

• Evaluative adjectives give someone's opinion about the noun. For example, 'the exam was difficult ' or 'the cake was delicious '. It can't be proved that the cake was delicious, therefore it is an opinion. (Though who doesn't find cake delicious?)

• Comparative adjectives designate a comparison between two people or things. (See below for more information)

• Superlative adjectives compare nouns to the most extreme degree. (See below for more information)

Degrees of comparison

When comparing two or more nouns, adjectives can give further information about the extent of the comparison. The initial adjective, otherwise called the positive degree adjective, is the basic, unchanged form of the adjective (e.g., 'fast'). These are normally qualitative adjectives that describe a quality of a thing.

Comparative adjectives

A comparative adjective, as the name suggests, compares two or more nouns. This can be:

• To a lesser degree , for example, 'smaller' or 'less heavy'. These adjectives can be made by adding the suffix '-er' or the word 'less'.
• To the same degree , for example, 'as big as'.
• To a higher degree , for example, 'bigger', 'more powerful'. These adjectives can be made by adding the suffix '-er' or the word 'more'.

Superlative adjectives

This is the highest or lowest possible form of the adjective. For example, 'highest', 'tallest', 'most handsome'. Superlative adjectives can often be made by adding the suffix '-est' or the word 'most'.

Comparative and superlative adjectives - StudySmarter Original

You may also hear the term 'grading', which simply means that an adjective can have more or less of the quality that they refer to. Comparative and superlative adjectives are both examples of grading.

Adjectives with irregular forms

There are some adjectives that, when made into comparative or superlative forms, become irregular. A good example of this is the adjective ' good '. When changed into a comparative adjective 'good' becomes ' better '. When changed into a superlative adjective it becomes ' best '.

Irregular comparative and superlative adjectives (StudySmarter Original)

Other types of adjectives

Absolute adjectives

Absolute adjectives are qualitative adjectives that can't be graded, intensified, or compared to anything else. In other words, they are in their 'ultimate' form. Some examples of absolute adjectives include:

A thing can not be more 'perfect' or 'more infinite' than another. Therefore it is in its absolute form.

Classifying adjectives

Classifying adjectives allocate things or people to a group, class, or category. These cannot be converted into comparative or superlative forms. Here are some examples:

It is not possible to have a 'more annual fair' and it is not grammatically correct to say 'more northern'. That is because each of these adjectives describes a group or category.

An adjective may also exist as a clause of its own . For example, 'fantastic!' derives from the sentence 'that's fantastic', however, it can be used on its own to express an emotion or feeling.

Looking at context

When studying language, it is important to look at the context in which words exist. Sometimes a word can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adjective, depending on the context. Here are two examples:

What is an adjective phrase?

An adjective phrase is a simple phrase (group of words) that is 'built' around the adjective. It takes centre stage in the sentence. For example:

This is an adjective phrase as it is focused on the adjective 'lovely' as the most important piece of information.

Adjectives using certain suffixes

Some words exist independently as adjectives and can not be used in any other word class, for example:

Other adjectives are formed from nouns by adding a suffix, for example:

Adjectives may also be formed from verbs by adding a suffix, for example:

The suffix at the end of a word can often indicate the class that a word belongs to.

Here is a list of suffixes that are common for adjectives: