ADJECTIVES

Adjective is a word that adds to the meaning of a noun.

Examples:

a good boy, a big fish, this man, those birds,

my pen, her frock, twenty chairs, many women,

a few boys, second house, white flower, a walking stick,

burning train, a long-distance call, a broken chair, which boy.

KINDS OF ADJECTIVES

(1). DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES

* They show the quality of a thing or person.

● A good boy.

● ● A good boy.

● A big fish.

● Cool weather.

● A steep hill.

● A white blouse.

● Sweet grapes.

● A round table.

● A large house.

● Long hair.

● Better medicine.

● A dishonest man

Those adjectives describe the shape, size, colour, taste, quality ( etc) of nouns.

(2). DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES FORMED FROM PRONOUNS ARE OFTEN CALLED PROPER ADJECTIVES

● Somali people.

● French wine.

● American arms.

●Gregorian calendar.

● Australian wool.

● German beer

● Indian tea

● African students

(B) Nouns used as adjectives

● A college girl.

● A mail train.

● A school teacher.

● Radio station.

● A research center.

● A bus stand.

● Cabinet minister.

(C) Present participle used as adjectives

● A burning train.

● A Flying horse.

● A dancing girl.

● A swimming pool.

● A running water.

● A sinking ship

● A drowning man

● A sitting member.

● A waiting room.

(D) Past participle used as adjectives

● A broken bone.

● The lost child.

● Forgetten heroes.

● A painted doll.

● A worried man.

● An educated girl.

(E) Adverbs used as adjectives

● Backward region.

● Upward trend.

● Outside help.

● Inside story.

● Outward journey.

(F) Compound phrases as adjectives

●On-the-spot painting ,

●Long-distance runner,

● Do-it-your-self kit,

● Touch-me-not flower ,

● Heart-to-heart talk,

● Take-off stage,

(3). ADJECTIVES _ QUANTITY, DEGREE, NUMBER OR ORDER

(¡) Quantity and degree. Some, more, several, a few, a little, many, much, a lot of, all.

1. The patient needs some medicine.

2. Put more sugar in my cup of tea.

3. He took several cups of coffee.

4. Only a few trees are left in the garden.

5. A little patience will help.

6. There were not many people on the beach.

7. Not all old people are fools.

(¡¡) Cardinal numbers: one, two, three, twenty, fifty etc.

1. I have seen only one picture.

2. There are about a hundred students in my class.

3. Fifty people died in the earthquake.

4. Only three doctors reported for duty.

5. We have nearly three thousand books in our library.

(¡¡¡) Ordinals: first, second, third, fiftieth, tenth etc.

1. She took the first train home.

2. The third boat in the races sank.

3. George has always stood first.

4. The five hundredth customer.

5. Send the second man in.

(4). POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES: My, your, his, her, its, their, our etc.

1. You have stolen my car.

2. Their street is very dirty.

3. The dog has a piece of meat in its mouth.

4. Her father has come back.

5. Your book is with me.

6. Mr. Ali is our class teacher.

(5). DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES: this, that, these, those, such.

1. This letter has come only today.

2. That boy is naughty.

3. Give me those flowers.

4. Are these children yours?

5. I have never seen such a beautiful girl.

(6). DISTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVES:EACH, EVERY, EITHER, NEITHER.

1. Each question carries ten marks.

2. George asked every student to come to the picnic.

3. I must pay my instalment every month.

4. There is not is single tree on either side of the road.

5. Neither boy knew the answer.

(7). INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVES: WHAT, WHICH, WHOSE, HOW MUCH, HOW MANY etc.

1. What picture are you seeing today?

2. Which pen is pen yours?

3. How much money can you give?

4. How many players are there in a football?

5. Whose house are you staying at?

(8). EMPHASIZING ADJECTIVES: SAME, VERY, OWN.

1. It is same song that we heard last night.

2. He is the very man the police have been looking for.

3. You must use your own towel.

4. The best game is played with your own racket.

(9). ARTICLES: A, AN AND THE

Both the definite article the and the indefinite articles a, an and the considered adjectives.

1. George is a young man.

2. A cow is animal.

3. The president is the head of the state.

(10). ADJECTIVES: THEIR PLACE IN A SENTENCE

(a) when used attributively, an adjective comes before a noun.

1. I want a sharp pencil.

2. George has strong shoulders.

3. A big river flows through the town.

4. A monkey is mischevious animal.

(b) In some cases attributive adjectives are used after after the noun or pronouns they qualify.

1. Have you met the officer concerned?

2. That was the only remedy possible.

3. She is only three years old.

4. We have enough food for everybody.

5. The doctor did everything possible.

(c) adjective as predicate ( following the verb)

1. I feel hot.

2. He is lazy.

(d) ADJECTIVES used to complete the meaning of object.

1. The magestrate found her guilty.

2. Your remarks made her angry.

3. His success made him proud.

4. They declared him unfit.

(e) Some adjectives and not used attributively but always predicatively

1. She is very ill, ( we cannot say she is very ill girl)

2. The boy is afraid ( we cannot say he is an afraid boy).

3. The young man is awake.

4. The great grandfather is still alive.

(11). ORDER IN THE USE DESCRIPTIVE ADJRCTIVES

The order of adjectives generally is adjective of:

*Number- two, one, three.

* Size- big, small, large etc.

* Shape- triangle, rectangle, square, round etc.

* Colour- red, white, green etc.

* Origin- American, Japanese, Indonesian etc.

* Age- new, old, ancient

* purpose- marking, sewing etc

* Material- cotton, leather etc

* Noun- man, goat, shoe etc

Order of adjectives in acronym

OPSHACOMPN

OP - opinion

S - size

H - shape

A - age

C - Colour

O - origin

M - material

P -purpose

N - noun

Examples

1. She was wearing round-shaped golden watch.

2. He tore his expensive small new American leather bag.

3. He bought a rare small new black Canadian swimming jacket.

ADJECTIVES AND THEIR FORMATION

(a) words used as adjectives directly.

good
short
bad hard
fast
rich
slow silly
pretty
small
heavy
innocent
strong
high
gay
new
difficult
weak
intelligent
mad
big
ill
poor
black
sick
correct
sad
red
humble
clean
pale
sharp
blue
yellow
brown
brilliant
low wide
broad
warm
loose
huge
hot
cold
cool
tall
long
clear
soft

large

(b) Adjectives derived from adjectives

blackish

goodish

bluish

sickly

reddish

smallish

roundish

kindly

goodly

lowly

(c) from nouns with the suffixes

-less -ous

harmless
joyous
childles
courageous
poisonous
fatherless
riotous
motherless
gracious
houseless
piteous
thoughtless
marvellous
slameless
melodious
strless
courteous
joyless
glorious
noseless
famous
wingless
beauteous
bascess
bounteous
pointless
pompous
cloudess

-en
woollen
silken
golden
leaden
wooden

-ic-,-tic
metallic
angelic
Byronic
heroic
basic
Icelandic
cubic
dramatic
tragic
comic
economic
despotic
fantastic
schematic
historic
emphatic
patriotic
systematic

al. -ical

comical

historical
methodical
economical
political
botanical
optional
fatal
zoological
farcical
tropical anatomical
facial
residual-
accidental
virginal
tyrannical
autumnal
normal
original
ethical
focal
national
marginal
conical
typical
cynical
logical
magical
practical
postal
incidental

-able
marketable
practicable
peaceable
capable
chargeable
serviceable
saleable
debatable

-ive
qualitative
quantitative
secretive
festive
sensitive
objective
effective
defective
sportive
consumptive
responsive

marriageable
taxable
seasonable
potable
knowledgeable
comfortable
fashionable

-ish

bookish

clownish
roguish
sheepish
hellish
boyish
slavish
foolish
childish
womanish

-ly
heavenly
lordly
fatherly
brotherly
motherly
timely
daily
neighbourly
beastly
stony
sleepy
lovely
manly
womanly
monthly
yearly
weekly
ghostly
hourly
worldly
rocky
misty
showy
dewy
speedy
needy
greedy
wordy
chatty
chilly
oily
dirty
milky
watery
cloudy
starry flowery
sandy
muddy
airy
hairy

-like
childlike
lifelike
businesslike
Christlike
windy
stormy
breezy
gloomy
hearty
tigerlike

-some

awesome

fearsome

burdensome

quarrelsome

-ar

muscular

circular

tabular

angular

molecular

oracular

vehicular

needful

harmful

graceful

hopeful

shameful

fearful

sinful

spectacular

-ful

awful

beautiful

thoughtful

helpful

joyful

sorrowful

powerful

wonderful

tearful

thankful

roomful

cupful

fruitful

painful

(d) Adjective from verbs with the suffixes

-able,

ible

eatable

breakable

advisable

divisible

moveable

profitable

washable

portable

usable

notable

drinkable

lovable

understandable

perishable

soluble

acceptable

dependable

negligible

unthinkable

contemptible

curable

corruptible

-ive

suggestive

explosive

talkative

creative

imaginative

attentive

selective

conclusive

inclusive

evasive

pervasive

elective

constructive

protective

destructive

deceptive

persuasive

associative

-ory, ary

advisory

imaginary

rotatory

auditory

discriminatory

sensory

(e) Adjectives from proper nouns:

Proper nouns

Africa African

America American

Asia Asian

Australia Australian

Arabia Arabian

Europe European

Egypt Egyptian

Ethiopia Ethiopian

Iran Iranian

Russia Russian

Nigeria Nigerian

Bulgaria Bulgarian

Somalia Somali

Mexico Mexican

Canada Canadian

Kenya Kenyan

India Indian

Danmark Danish

Poland Polish

England English

Japan Japanese

TYPES AND EXAMPLES OF ADJECTIVES IN 2023