Adjectives - Definition, Examples and Uses
Adjectives are words that describe or give more information about a noun or pronoun. They tell us what kind, how many, or which one. Most adjectives can come before a noun (e.g. a red apple) or after a linking verb (e.g. the sky is blue). They help make our writing and speech more colorful and precise.
What is an adjective?
An adjective is a word used to describe, modify, or give more information about a noun or pronoun. It can tell us about the quality, size, colour, shape, number, or condition of something, and it helps the reader or listener form a clearer picture.
Examples of Adjectives
| Category | Examples |
| Quality | kind, brave, honest, intelligent |
| Size | big, small, tiny, huge |
| Color | red, blue, green, yellow |
| Shape | round, square, oval, flat |
| Number | three, many, few, several |
What is the function of adjectives?
Before a noun (attributive use)
An adjective can come directly before a noun. This is the most common position.
| Sentence | Adjective | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| The happy child played. | happy | child |
| She bought a red car. | red | car |
After a linking verb (predicative use)
An adjective can also come after a linking verb such as be, seem, feel, or look, describing the subject.
| Sentence | Linking verb | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| The soup tastes delicious. | tastes | delicious |
| My grandmother is kind. | is | kind |
The different types
H3: Descriptive adjectives
Describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun.
Examples: a cheerful girl | a cold winter | a delicious meal
Quantitative adjectives
Tell us how much or how many. Examples: some water | many friends | three apples
Demonstrative adjectives
Point out a specific noun: this, that, these, those.
| Adjective | Distance | Number | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| this | near | singular | This book is mine. |
| that | far | singular | That idea is great. |
| these | near | plural | These shoes are new. |
| those | far | plural | Those shoes look new. |
Remember: This/these refer to things close by; that/those refer to things further away.
Possessive adjectives
Show ownership: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
| Possessive adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| my | My car is outside. |
| your | Your coat is here. |
| his / her | She lost her keys. |
| our / their | Our house is on the corner. |
Interrogative adjectives
Used to ask questions: which, what, whose.
| Adjective | Example |
|---|---|
| which | Which color do you prefer? |
| what | What time is it? |
| whose | Whose jacket is this? |
Comparative adjectives
Compare two things, formed with -er or more.
| Base | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tall | taller | My brother is taller than me. |
| interesting | more interesting | This book is more interesting than the last one. |
Superlative adjectives
Compare three or more things, formed with -est or most.
| Base | Superlative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tall | tallest | Everest is the tallest mountain. |
| talented | most talented | She is the most talented singer. |
Remember: Some adjectives are irregular.
| Base | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
Proper adjectives
Formed from proper nouns and always capitalized.
Examples: Italian food | Shakespearean play | American history
Compound adjectives
Two or more words joined, often hyphenated, working as one adjective.
Examples: a well-known author | a five-year-old child | an English-speaking country
The order of adjectives
When using two or more adjectives, follow this order: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose.
| Example | Order |
|---|---|
| a lovely small puppy | opinion + size |
| an old wooden table | age + material |
| a big red balloon | size + color |