ADJECTIVES

Beautiful, pretty, bold, fierce, majestic, many, few, small, blue, much, green, tall, cute, red, smart,
two, any-and the list just goes on. These words might look random but they are all describing
words, aka adjectives. Adjectives cannot stand on their own as they are supposed to describe
nouns or pronoun and modify them. Adjectives are used to bring colour to your sentence by
making the noun look something special and the sentence sound more complete. Many types of
adjectives make it even more convenient to know where which type of adjective is to be used.
The types of adjectives available for use are governed by a number of rules. And it is these rules
that need to be understood in order to be able to use these parts of speech to your advantage. For
better understanding, know and learn all the kinds of adjectives and the ways in which each type
can be used to describe words and/or phrases.
Definitions
An adjective is a word that tells us more about a noun. (By "noun" we include pronouns and
noun phrases.)
Another simple definition of adjective is:
Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence.
The Articles a, an, and the are adjectives.
It may be defined in another way like this:
An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words.
An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.
In a detailed context adjective is:
An adjective is a word used to modify a noun or a pronoun. To modify a word means to
describe the word or to make its meaning more definite. An adjective modifies a word by telling
what kind, which one, how much, or how many. Adjectives always modify noun or noun
equivalent, infinitive, present participle, etc.

An adjective "qualifies" or "modifies" a noun (a big dog). Adjectives can be used before a noun
(I like Chinese food) or after certain verbs (It is hard). We can often use two or more adjectives
together (a beautiful young French lady).
In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:
The truck-shaped balloon floated over the treetops.
Mrs. Morrison papered her kitchen walls with hideous wall paper.
The small boat foundered on the wine dark sea.
The coal mines are dark and dank.
Many stores have already begun to play irritating Christmas music.
A battered music box sat on the mahogany sideboard.
The back room was filled with large, yellow rain boots.
An adjective can be modified by an adverb, or by a phrase or clause functioning as an adverb. In
the sentence
My husband knits intricately patterned mittens.
for example, the adverb "intricately" modifies the adjective "patterned."
Some nouns, many pronouns, and many participle phrases can also act as adjectives. In the
sentence
Eleanor listened to the muffled sounds of the radio hidden under her pillow.
For example, both highlighted adjectives are past participles.
Grammarians also consider articles ("the," "a," "an") to be adjectives.

Types of Adjectives

There are different types of adjectives based upon their effect on a noun and what do they tell
about the noun. There are five categories of adjectives.
1. Possessive Adjectives
A possessive adjective ("my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," "their") is similar or identical to
a possessive pronoun; however, it is used as an adjective and modifies a noun or a noun phrase,
as in the following sentences:
I can't complete my assignment because I don't have the textbook.
In this sentence, the possessive adjective "my" modifies "assignment" and the noun phrase "my
assignment" functions as an object. Note that the possessive pronoun form "mine" is not used to
modify a noun or noun phrase.
What is your phone number?
Here the possessive adjective "your" is used to modify the noun phrase "phone number"; the
entire noun phrase "your phone number" is a subject complement. Note that the possessive
pronoun form "yours" is not used to modify a noun or a noun phrase.
The bakery sold his favourite type of bread.
In this example, the possessive adjective "his" modifies the noun phrase "favourite type of bread"
and the entire noun phrase "his favourite type of bread" is the direct object of the verb "sold."
After many years, she returned to her homeland.
Here the possessive adjective "her" modifies the noun "homeland" and the noun phrase "her
homeland" is the object of the preposition "to." Note also that the form "hers" is not used to
modify nouns or noun phrases.
We have lost our way in this wood.

In this sentence, the possessive adjective "our" modifies "way" and the noun phrase "our way" is
the direct object of the compound verb "have lost". Note that the possessive pronoun form "ours"
is not used to modify nouns or noun phrases.
In many fairy tales, children are neglected by their parents.
Here the possessive adjective "their" modifies "parents" and the noun phrase "their parents" is
the object of the preposition "by." Note that the possessive pronoun form "theirs" is not used to
modify nouns or noun phrases.
The cat chased its ball down the stairs and into the backyard.
In this sentence, the possessive adjective "its" modifies "ball" and the noun phrase "its ball" is
the object of the verb "chased." Note that "its" is the possessive adjective and "it's" is
a contraction for "it is."
2. Demonstrative Adjectives
The demonstrative adjectives "this," "these," "that," "those," and "what" are identical to
the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases, as in the
following sentences:
When the librarian tripped over that cord, she dropped a pile of books.
In this sentence, the demonstrative adjective "that" modifies the noun "cord" and the noun phrase
"that cord" is the object of the preposition "over."
This apartment needs to be fumigated.
Here "this" modifies "apartment" and the noun phrase "this apartment" is the subject of the
sentence.
Even though my friend preferred those plates, I bought these.

In the subordinate clause, "those" modifies "plates" and the noun phrase "those plates" is the
object of the verb "preferred." In the independent clause, "these" is the direct object of the verb
"bought."
Note that the relationship between a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is
similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that
between an interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun.
3. Interrogative Adjectives
An interrogative adjective ("which" or "what") is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it
modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own (see also demonstrative
adjectives and possessive adjectives):
Which plants should be watered twice a week?
Like other adjectives, "which" can be used to modify a noun or a noun phrase. In this example,
"which" modifies "plants" and the noun phrase "which plants" is the subject of the compound
verb "should be watered":
What book are you reading?
In this sentence, "what" modifies "book" and the noun phrase "what book" is the direct object of
the compound verb "are reading."
4. Indefinite Adjectives
An indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun,
pronoun, or noun phrase, as in the following sentences:
Many people believe that corporations are under-taxed.
The indefinite adjective "many" modifies the noun "people" and the noun phrase "many people"
is the subject of the sentence.

I will send you any mail that arrives after you have moved to Sudbury.
The indefinite adjective "any" modifies the noun "mail" and the noun phrase "any mail" is the
direct object of the compound verb "will send."
They found a few goldfish floating belly up in the swan pound.
In this example the indefinite adjective modifies the noun "goldfish" and the noun phrase is the
direct object of the verb "found":
The title of Kelly's favourite game is "All dogs go to heaven."
Here the indefinite pronoun "all" modifies "dogs" and the full title is a subject complement.
5. Comparative Adjectives
Comparative adjectives are those which imply increase or decrease of the quality or quantity of
the nouns. It is used to compare two things in a clause. Adjectives are generally made
comparative by adding 'er' to the original work like nicer, taller, smarter, etc; there are some
exceptions also. Other examples are:
The detective is younger than the thief.
Science is more important than math in these days.
This school is better than the last one I attended.

6. Superlative Adjectives

Superlative adjectives express the greatest increase or decrease of the quality; it conveys the
supreme value of the noun in question. For instance, 'He is the richest man in this town'. Here,
the word 'richest' is the superlative adjective which shows a comparison individually.
Mary is the tallest of all the students.
I am in the smallest class in the school.
This is the most interesting subject for me.
It is not difficult to describe anything in this world. Even a lizard can be called pretty by
someone and ugly by another; adjectives fall into place right here. The type of description
required in the specific sentences is something which should be given utmost attention to and the
right kind of adjective must be duly selected. These are the simplest parts of speech ever!
7. Personal Title
Personal titles are adjectives where the titles such as, Mr., Master, Miss, Mrs., Uncle, Auntie,
Lord, Dr, Prof. and so on, are used as adjectives to describe the position of the noun. These titles
could be placed in the front or even at the end. For example:
The day after tomorrow, you can visit Auntie Pauline and Uncle John.
The classes on Monday will be presented by Dr. Mary and Prof. Kate.
8. Adjective of Quantity or Numeric Adjective
Adjective of quantity talks about the quantity of the noun being talked about and provides
answer to the question of 'how much'. It shows the quantity or the numbers present in the
sentence. For example: 'there were three boys playing in the ground'. Here the word 'three'
signifies the quantity or the number of boys playing. Other examples are:
He has little intelligence.

Sunday is the first day of the week.

9. Descriptive Adjectives or Adjective of Quality
Descriptive adjectives are those adjectives which describe nouns or the noun phrases. For
example: 'A beautiful day'. In this case, 'beautiful' is the adjective which qualifies or describes
the noun 'day'. Descriptive adjectives have several forms as discussed below.

Colors as adjectives: Black, Blue, White, Green, etc.

Touch as adjective: Slippery, Sticky, etc.

Feelings as adjectives: Happy, Sad, Angry, etc.

Sizes as adjectives: Big, Small, Thin, Thick, etc.

Origin as adjectives: European, Latin, Greek, etc.

Shapes as adjectives: Triangular, Rectangular, Square, Circular, etc.

Qualities as adjectives: Good, Bad, Average, etc.

Time as adjective: Yearly, Monthly, etc.

Age as adjectives: Young, Ancient, Old, etc.

Material as adjectives: Wood, Cotton, Gold, etc.

Opinions as adjectives: Pretty, hot, expensive, etc.

Rules for the Placement of Adjectives

There are certain rules regarding the placement of different kinds of adjectives in a sentence.
The general order followed is:
1.Determiners
These are the various articles (the, a, an), demonstratives (this, that, these, those), possessives
(my, mine, your, yours, -s), quantifiers (all, many etc.), numerals (one, twenty, thirty-seven
etc.) and distributives (each, every, neither, either)
For example:

He is in an angry mood.

angry

That is my pencil.

2. Observations/Quantity and Opinion

Then come the adjectives that give a quantity (also known as post-determiners) and subjective
opinion to the noun, telling how much and how was the noun.
Few, Most, One, Three/ Beautiful, Ugly, Difficult etc.
The beautiful house.

3. Size
The position after Observations is for the adjectives that tell about the size of the noun, they can
be used for an object as well as living thing.
Huge, Little, Bulky, Thin, Vast, Tiny, Lean, Fat etc
The beautiful little house.

4. Age
Then is the turn of the Adjectives that tell about the age of a noun either by itself or in relation
to another noun.
Young, Old, Teenage, Mature, Recent, Bygone etc.
The beautiful little old house.

5. Shape
Next are the adjectives that tell about the shape or appearance of the noun.
Circular, Crooked, Triangular, Oval, Wavy, Straights etc.
The beautiful little old square house.

6. Colour
After that are the adjectives that tell the shade and hue of a noun.
Pastel, Red, Blue, Metallic, Colourless, Translucent etc.
The beautiful square blue coloured house.

7. Origin
Next are the adjectives that show the different geographical locations associated with a noun.
Southern, Northern, Lunar, Mexican, French etc.
The beautiful blue coloured Mexican house.

8. Material

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Next are the adjectives that talk about the raw material or texture of the objects or the behaviour
of the living nouns.
Wooden, Plastic, Steely, Metallic, Cottony etc.
The beautiful Mexican limestone house.

9. Qualifier
Lastly, the qualifier or the grammatical modifier comes, which is an additional word or phrase
provided to change the meaning of the noun in a sentence.

Pink + eye, Royal + treatment, Hot + fudge etc.

The beautiful Mexican limestone doll house.

References
Exploring English Grammar By Grenville Kleiser

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Functional English by Shakeel Amjad and Imran Hashmi

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/adjectives.htm

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/adjectives.htm

http://www.englishleap.com/grammar/adjectives

http://fos.iloveindia.com/types-of-adjectives.html#sthash.ZgZ5go1C.dpuf

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