Adjective Types and Functions

Definition and Function

• Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns.
• They modify or provide more information about the noun or pronoun they are describing.
• Adjectives usually come before the noun they modify.

Types of Adjectives

• Descriptive adjectives: These adjectives describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun. Examples include "red," "happy," "large," and "beautiful."
• Proper adjectives: These adjectives are formed from proper nouns. They are capitalized. Examples include "English," "African," and "Italian."
• Demonstrative adjectives: These adjectives point out specific nouns. The demonstrative adjectives are "this," "that," "these," and "those."
• Interrogative adjectives: These adjectives are used in questions. The interrogative adjectives are "what," "which," and "whose."
• Possessive adjectives: These adjectives show ownership or possession. The possessive adjectives are "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their."
• Articles: The words "a," "an," and "the" are articles, which are a special type of adjective.
  • "A" and "an" are indefinite articles, indicating a non-specific noun.
  • "The" is a definite article, indicating a specific noun.

Position of Adjectives

• Before the noun: This is the typical position for adjectives. Example: "The red car."
• After linking verbs: Linking verbs (e.g., "is," "are," "was," "were," "seems," "appears") connect the subject of the sentence to an adjective that describes the subject. Example: "The car is red."
• After certain nouns: Adjectives may come after certain nouns to function as appositives, often offering further explanation or description. Example: "The car, a sleek red beauty, caught the eye."
• After "be," "seem," "appear," "feel," "become," and "smell": These linking verbs don't require an adjective immediately after them but can have an adjective later within the sentence. Example: "The flowers smell sweet."

Degrees of Adjectives

• Positive degree: This is the basic form of the adjective. Example: "big"
• Comparative degree: This form of the adjective is used to compare two things. Example: "bigger" (for things that are more than one) or "larger"
• Superlative degree: This form of the adjective is used to compare more than two things. Example: "biggest" or "largest"

Irregular Adjectives

• Some adjectives have irregular forms for their comparative and superlative degrees.

  "Good," "bad," "far," "little," "much," "many" are examples of irregular adjectives.

Compound Adjectives

• Two or more words used together to modify a noun.
• Often hyphenated. Example: "The long-distance runner."
• Usually formed by joining two words where one describes a quantity (e.g., "two-story house") or one indicates a quantity and another describes a characteristic.
• May involve "well-" or "ill-" before the rest of the compound adjective. Example: "a well-known author"

Using Adjectives Effectively

• Using precise adjectives makes writing more descriptive and vivid, increasing readability.
• The use of adjectives should reflect a writer's intended meaning and contribute to a positive reading experience.