ADJECTIVES

Module 9

What is an Adjective?
An adjective is a word used to describe, limit or modify a noun or a pronoun. As a modifier, it
may be a word, a phrase, or a clause.

Types of Adjectives

Adjectives are divided into classes: descriptive adjective and limiting or numerical adjective.
There are also the so-called adjectival nouns or nouns that function as adjectives.

1. Descriptive Adjectives

The descriptive adjectives denote characteristics or qualities, size, shape or color of the noun being
described. This large class includes several kinds of words. There are two sub-classifications of
descriptive adjectives. These are proper descriptive adjectives and common descriptive adjectives.

Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns such as: Filipino customs, Chinese food,
Italian pasta, and American hotdog.

Common adjectives are derived from basic descriptions (quality) such as: green bag,
intelligent son, beautiful movie, and terrible incident.

Observe the following:

The Philippine flag is proudly displayed in the Luneta Park.

Proper
The Japanese tourists like the Filipino food served in the park

The old man living in the beautiful mansion is an

intelligent teacher.
Common
The new show was hosted by the dynamic duo of Dainsy
and Cherry.

Kinds of Descriptive Adjectives

Simple adjectives are used to express qualities such as happy, deep, fair, rash, beautiful,
remotest, and terrible. as safe,

Compound adjectives are made up of various words thrown together to make descriptive
labels. These include: a well-written story, a close-knit family, a do-it-yourself kit, a yes-no
response, and a poorly attended affair.
2. Limiting Adjectives

Limiting adjectives indicate a quantity, number or limit in some ways. These adjectives point out
or indicate a quantity or a quality that limits the nouns that follow them. There are three main
types.

Articles - these are the, a, and an. The last two articles modify a singular count noun. The can
modify either a singular or a plural noun.

Numerals - these are either cardinal numbers or ordinal numbers.

Cardinal Numbers - one cellphone, two shows, three boys
Ordinal Numbers -first baby, second prize, third place

Pronominals - These are the pronouns which also function as adjectives. The following are
the different kinds of pronominal adjectives:
Demonstrative adjectives -this, that, these, and those Possessive adjectives -my, your,
his, her, their, our, and its
Distributive adjectives - each, every, either, and neither
Indefinite adjectives - any, all, another, both, few, many, etc.
Interrogative adjectives - which, what and whose.

3. Adjectival Nouns - common nouns used as adjectives such as: car stereo; library staff, coffee table.

Order of Adjectives in a Series

Observe the following:

This explains the quantity of a noun being described.

Number Example: one, two, three, four

This explains the quality of a noun being described.

Opinion Example: good, bad, beautiful

A size adjective, of course, tells you how big or small something is.
Size Example: large, tiny, enormous, little

An age adjective tells you how young or old something or someone is.
Age Example: ancient, new, young, old
 A shape adjective describes the shape of something.
Shape Example: square, round, flat, rectangular

A color adjective, of course, describes the color of something.

Color Example: blue, pink, reddish, grey

An origin adjective describes where something comes from.

Origin Example: French, American, eastern, Greek

A material adjective describes what something is made from.

Material Example: wooden, metal, cotton, paper

A purpose adjective describes what something is used for. These

adjectives often end with "-ing".
Purpose
Example: sleeping (as in "sleeping bag"), roasting (as in "roasting tin")

Adjectives can be written in series. However, adjectives cannot be written in any order once they
are put in a series. There are rules one should follow in placing adjectives in a series. The order
shall be properly followed all throughout.

The Royal Order of Adjectives in a Series

Rule I. Among the limiting adjectives, the ordinal number appears first before the cardinal
number.
Observe the following:

(Determiner Ordinal-Cardinal-Adjectival Noun-Noun)

Determiner Ordinal Cardinal Adj. Noun Noun

The first three student leaders are here.

The last two teachers I met.

This is my second cellphone casing