What is an Adjective?
An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun by providing additional information about its qualities, characteristics, or attributes. It changes or adds to the meaning of the noun by telling what kind, which one, or how many. Adjectives can come before the noun (attributive), after a linking verb (predicative), or sometimes after the noun (postpositive).
For example, in the phrase “a tall building,” the adjective “tall” describes the building’s height. Adjectives can also express degrees such as positive (e.g., big), comparative (bigger), and superlative (biggest) forms.
An adjective’s main role is to describe or define nouns or pronouns, enriching the information conveyed in sentences.
An adjective is a word that describes, identifies, or gives more information about a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea).
In other words, adjectives tell us what kind, which one, how many, or what something is like.
Examples:
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The blue sky. (blue describes sky)
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She has a kind heart. (kind describes heart)
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We saw three dogs. (three tells how many dogs)
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That is an old book. (old describes book)
Main functions of adjectives:
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Attributive – placed before the noun:
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a beautiful house
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Predicative – used after a linking verb (like be, seem, look):
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The house is beautiful.
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Simply put: Adjectives give details about nouns so we can picture them more clearly.
An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. Essentially, it provides more information about the quality, quantity, size, or other characteristic of the person, place, or thing mentioned.
Function of Adjectives
Adjectives serve to make language more descriptive and specific. They typically answer questions about the noun or pronoun they modify, such as:
- What kind? (e.g., a red car, a happy child)
- How many/much? (e.g., three books, much effort)
- Which one? (e.g., this house, the latest news)
Placement and Types
Adjectives generally appear in one of two places in a sentence:
- Before the Noun (Attributive): The adjective is placed directly before the noun it describes.
- Example: The cat chased a small mouse. (small describes mouse)
- After a Linking Verb (Predicative): The adjective follows a linking verb (like be, seem, feel, taste) and describes the subject of the sentence.
- Example: The weather is cold. (cold describes weather)
Examples in Sentences
Here are some examples with the adjective in bold and the modified noun/pronoun in italics:
- She bought a delicious cake.
- The old man seemed tired.
- We saw several bright stars.
Degrees of Adjectives
Many adjectives can change form to show a comparison, known as degrees of comparison:
- Positive Degree: The basic form of the adjective (e.g., tall, easy).
- Comparative Degree: Used to compare two things (e.g., taller, easier).
- Superlative Degree: Used to compare three or more things and indicates the highest degree of the quality (e.g., tallest, easiest).
An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun, providing more information about its qualities, quantity, or extent. It answers questions like “what kind?”, “how many?”, or “which one?” For example, in “big house,” “big” is an adjective describing the noun “house.” Adjectives can indicate size (small, large), color (red, blue), number (one, many), or other characteristics (soft, happy). They typically appear before the noun they modify or after a linking verb, like “The sky is blue.”
