Adjective Definition

An adjective is a word that qualifies or describes a noun or pronoun or equivalent (Gerund).

For example, let I take a sentence – She is a kind lady. here ‘kind’ represent the quality of the lady, so
here kind is used as an adjective. Similarly, take another one- Sam is an honest boy, here also ‘honest’
describe the quality of the boy. I think now you clear to spot out an adjective.

There are two classes of the adjective:

Descriptive.

Determiner.

Position of Adjective:

Descriptive adjectives are used both predictively and attributively and Determiner adjectives are used
only before a Noun.

For example:

He is an honest boy. (Attributive use).

The boy is honest. (Predicative use).

Here the sense or meaning of the sentence is the same, but the first one is for attributive use and the
second one for predicative use.

Types of Adjective:

Adjectives are classified into eight types:

Proper adjective.

Adjective of quality.

Adjective of quantity.

Numerical adjective.

Demonstrative adjective.

Distributive adjective.

Interrogative adjective.

Possessive adjective.
Classification of Adjectives

PROPER ADJECTIVE:

This is made from proper nouns. For example– The Asian style, Punjabi dish.

ADJECTIVE OF QUALITY:

It indicates the quality of a noun or pronoun/equivalent. For example, A good proposal, A great idea,
etc.

ADJECTIVE OF QUANTITY:

This indicates the quantity of a noun or pronoun or equivalent.

For example, Much advise, A little water, etc.

NUMBER (Numeral adjective):

Adjectives of a number indicate the number of nouns/pronoun/equivalents. For example, Five boys,
Two girls, several things, etc.

DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE:

This demonstrates indicates a noun/pronoun or equivalent.

For example, This boy, that girl, these books, etc.

DISTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVE:

To particularize or indicates every member of a group individually it is used. For example, each boy,
every book, any man, etc.

INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVE:

The ‘wh’ word used before a noun is called Interrogative adjective.

For example, Which book? Whose book?

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE:

This indicates relation or possession with a specific noun.

For example, My father, your friend, his books, etc.

SOME OF THE ADJECTIVES THAT WE USE IN DAILY LIFE:

Quality- Ugly, heavy, dry, good, red.

Demonstrative – This, that, these, those.

Quantitative- Some, any, no, little.

Numerical – Few, many all, several, one, first.

Interrogative- Which, what, when, who, whose.

Possessive- My, our, your, her, his, its, their.

Present/past participle- A moving car, a burnt man, tiring journey.

Relative- Who, which, that.

Emphatic- Own, very, such, same.

Proper- American, Asian, Indian.

Exclamatory – What, which, How.

Demonstrative adjectives and Demonstrative pronouns:

1- That is my book. So here ‘That’ is Pronoun.

2-Please get me that book. And here ‘That’ is Adjective.

Distributive adjectives and Distributive pronoun:

1-Either boy has stolen my bicycle. Here ‘either’ is used as an adjective.

2-I do not like either of the sisters. And here ‘either’ is used as a pronoun.

Possessive adjectives and Possessive pronouns:

1-This is my book. ‘My’ is used as an adjective.

2- This book is mine. ‘Mine’ is used as a pronoun.

Adjective and Noun forms

Rules of Adjectives:

Rule 1

Use of little, a little, the little: There are used to denote the little amount of quality.

Little is used in a negative sense.

A little is used in a positive sense.

The little denoted the definite amount or quality.

For example:

.A little knowledge is dangerous.

.I have given him a little water.

Rule 2

There are some objectives which have no comparative or superlative form– Unique, chief, main, prime,
absolute, empty, complete, circular, square, etc.

For example:

.The park is more circular in shape.

Rule 3

We know ‘the’ is not used before a comparative degree.

Rule 4

When ‘then’ is not used with a comparative degree, ‘the’ is used before it.

For example:

.He is better than I.

.Ram is the better of the two boys.

Rule 5

In the case of two comparatives ‘the’ is used before them.

For example:
.The higher we go, the cooler it becomes.

Rule 6

Senior, junior, superior, prior, posterior, etc.

These Latin adjectives are followed by ‘to’.

For example:

.My elder brother is senior to me by 4 years.

Rule 7

If positive and comparative degree is used in a sentence, they are joined by ‘if’.

For example:

.He is as good as it not better than Shayam.

Comparative

Comparative Adjectives are words used to describe a noun by comparing it to another noun. We usually
think of ‘er’ words like bigger or smaller, but they can be a little trickier than that.

The way we form comparative adjectives is based on the number of syllables in the adjective and
whether or not the adjective ends with the letter ‘y’.

Superlative

Superlative Adjectives are words used to describe a noun when comparing it to two or more nouns to
the highest or lowest degree. Think: big, bigger, biggest, or small, smaller, smallest.

Like with comparative adjectives, it’s not always as simple as adding ‘est’. The number of syllables and
whether or not the adjective ends with the letter ‘y’ also help us determine how to form a superlative
adjective.

One Syllable Adjectives

Let’s look at a chart showing the comparative and superlative forms of the word for the most basic one
syllable adjectives, where we add ‘er’ for the comparative and ‘est’ for the superlative.
ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

Big Bigger Biggeste

Tall Taller Tallest

Small Smaller Smallest

Hot Hotter Hottest

Comparative Adjectives:

.I am faster than my friend.

.Arizona is hotter than Alaska.

Superlative Adjectives:

.She is the tallest student.

.That was the shortest movie in the series.

Two Syllable Adjectives

Forms of the word for adjectives with two syllables. Comparative adjectives with two syllables can be
formed by making the ‘er’ ending or by adding the words ‘more’ or ‘less’ before the adjective.

For superlative adjectives, you make the ‘est’ ending but use the word ‘most’ or ‘least’ instead of ‘more’
or ‘less’.

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

Happy Happier Happiest

Crazy Crazier Craziest

Nervous More/Less/ Nervous Most/Least/ Nervous

Massive More/ Less/ Massive Most/ Least/ Massive

Quiet Quieter or/ More/ Less Quiet Quietest or/Most/ Least Quiet

.In many cases, either form of the comparative or superlative can be used, but there is generally a ‘most
common’ usage. Additionally, the adjective does not need to end in ‘y’ in order to use the ‘er’ or ‘est’
usage, as the last example in the table shows. Your ear will often be able to recognize what sounds best.

Comparative Adjectives:

.She tends to be less passive than her brother.

.This quiz is simpler than the last one.

Superlative Adjectives:

.Fall is the busiest shopping season.

.This is the most rapid method of delivery.