An adjective modifies a noun; that is, it provides more detail about a noun or pronoun. This can be anything from color to size to temperature to personality. Adjectives usually occur just before the nouns they modify, but they can also follow a linking verb (in these instances, adjectives can modify pronouns as well):
The kids’ schoolhouse was red.
I am tired.
An Adjective generally expresses quality:
a wise man
a new book
you two are diligent.
What are the different types of adjectives?
Adjectives may be divided into six classes; namely, common, proper, numeral, pronominal, participial, and compound.
Common adjectives
A common adjective is any ordinary epithet, or adjective denoting quality or situation: as, good, bad, peaceful, warlike, eastern, western, outer, inner.
Proper adjectives
A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper name: as, American, English, Platonic, Genoese.
Numeral adjectives
A numeral adjective is an adjective that expresses a definite number: as, one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.
Pronominal adjectives
A pronominal adjective is a definitive word which may either accompany its noun, or represent it understood; for example:
“All join to guard what each desires to gain.”—Pope.
That is, “All men join to guard what each man desires to gain.”
Participial adjectives
A participial adjective is one that has the form of a participle, but differs from it by rejecting the idea of time; for example:
“An amusing story,”
“A lying divination.”
Compound adjectives
A compound adjective is one that consists of two or more words joined together, either by the hyphen or solidly; for example:
nut-brown,
laughter-loving
four-footed
threefold
lordlike
lovesick.
Other Types Adjectives: Cardinal, Original, and Compound Adjectives
Cardinal: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, etc.
Ordinal: first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, etc.
Multiplicative: single or alone, double or twofold, triple or threefold, quadruple or fourfold, quintuple or fivefold, sextuple or sixfold, septuple or sevenfold, octuple or eightfold, etc.
All that occur above decuple or tenfold, are written with a hyphen, and are usually of round numbers only: as, thirty-fold, sixty-fold, hundred-fold.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Adjectives are regularly compared, when the comparative degree is expressed by adding er, and the superlative, by adding est to them:
great, greater, greatest
mild , milder , mildest
In the variation of adjectives, final consonants are doubled, final e is omitted, and final y is changed to i, agreeably to the rules for spelling; for example:
hot, hotter, hottest
wide, wider, widest
happy, happier, happiest
The regular method of comparison belongs almost exclusively to monosyllables, with dissyllables ending in w or y, and such others as receive it and still have but one syllable after the accent; for example:
fierce, fiercer, fiercest
narrow, narrower, narrowest
gloomy, gloomier, gloomiest
serene, serener, serenest
noble, nobler, noblest
gentle, gentler, gentlest.
Using Adverbs to Compare Adjectives
The two degrees of superiority may also be expressed with precisely the same import as above, by prefixing to the adjective the adverbs more and most:
wise, more wise, most wise
famous, more famous, most famous
amiable, more amiable, most amiable.
The degrees of inferiority are expressed, in like manner, by the adverbs less and least:
wise, less wise, least wise
famous, less famous, least famous
amiable, less amiable, least amiable
The regular method of comparison has, properly speaking, no degrees of this kind.
Nearly all adjectives that have different degrees, may be compared by means of the adverbs; but, for short words, the regular method is generally preferable:
quick, quicker, quickest
…rather than,
quick, more quick, most quick.
Adjectives and Syntax
Adjectives relate to nouns or pronouns, as “Worldly enjoyments,” except the following cases: an intervening verb, as “To err is human,” arithmetical numbers, as “Four hundred and fifty-six men,” an abstract adjective, as “Being sublime,” and an adjective as abstract noun, as “Sensations of sublime.”
An adjective is placed immediately before noun, as “Vain man,” except the following cases: pronouns, as “They left me weary,” other words, as “A mind conscious of right,” an action, as “Virtue renders life happy,” admiration, as “Goodness infinite,” a verb, as “Truth stands independent,” a prefix a, as afraid, the nature of a participle, as “The time then present,” poetry, as “Isles Atlantic,” technical usage, as “Notary public,” an adjective, as “A being infinitely wise,” several adjectives, as “A woman, modest, sensible, and virtuous,” empathy, as “Weighty is the anger,” an adjective in predicate, as “We call the boy good,” and an adjective as adverb, as “Particularly”.
Nouns that Function as Adjectives
In the English language, it is possible for a noun to modify (describe) another noun. Example: take the noun “angel” and the noun “face.” Put them together and the result is “angel face.” The first noun is acting as an adjective, because it is giving us information about the second noun.
What are some examples of adjectives?
Looking for a giant list of English adjectives to help you with your English learning or descriptive writing? Well, just in case you are, here is a handy list of 228 common adjectives.
Adjectives vs Adverbs: What’s the Difference?
Adjectives are words we use to describe the noun. Simple words like “warm” and “fat” are adjectives commonly used in writing. One can make adverbs from some adjectives by adding the suffix ly.
Example: take the adjective “beautiful;” the adverb is beautifully.
One can do it the other way around: take an adverb like “presumably,” where the adjective is “presumable” (e.g., “Presumable innocence” means the accused is assumed to be innocent until proven guilty.
The adjective “guilty” becomes the adverb “guiltily” and vice versa, the adverb “guiltily” becomes the adjective “guilty.”
What are some tips for using adjectives effectively?
1. Use them sparingly
Using too many adjectives sacrifices conciseness and can distract from your message. While it’s tempting to pile on more and more adjectives to make your writing more colorful and descriptive, this approach is often less effective than you might think. It’s better to use just a few well-chosen words than it is to overwhelm your reader with needless words that only confuses or annoys them.
2. Don’t always go with the first adjective that comes to mind.
Look for words that describe your subject in a fresh, interesting way. For example, if you’re describing a piece of art, don’t just use “pretty” or “beautiful.” Try “stunning,” “elegant,” or “breathtaking.”
3. Make sure your use of adjectives serves your purpose
You should never use an adjective just because it sounds good or makes you feel enthusiastic about what you’re saying. Instead, think about how the adjective will help the reader understand your message better. If it doesn’t add a necessary distinction or true aesthetic value to the reader—which can be somewhat of a gamble—you and your reader are better served by eliminating the adjective.
Sources
Work based on the following sources under a CC BY license:
- https://courses.lumenlearning.com/engcomp1-wmopen/chapter/text-adjectives-and-adverbs/
- https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/English_in_Use/Adjectives
- https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/greeklatinroots/