An adjective is a part of speech that can be used to
describe or provide more information about a noun or pronoun that acts as the
subject in a sentence.
Adjectives are found after the verb (predicate) or before
the noun (attributive) it modifies.
Example
of an adjective Before the Noun (attributive):
Jay
is a tall man.
This
is a tasty apple.
Example
of an adjective After the Verb (Predicate):
Jay
was old.
My
car is green.
He
seems cheerful.
Adjective Form
Some adjectives have
particular endings, for example:
- -able/-ible: washable, bearable, credible
- al:frontal
- -ish/-like: childish, childlike
- -ful/-less: careful, careless
- -ous: dangerous, harmonious
- -y: dirty, pretty
All the
adjectives we've seen so far have been descriptive adjectives. A descriptive adjective will usually fit into
one of the following categories:
|
Category |
Example |
|
Appearance |
attractive, burly, clean, dusty |
|
Quality |
Funny, light, |
|
Class or group |
Indian, American, Wooden |
|
Participle |
-ing / -ed forms of verb |
|
Color |
azure, blue, cyan, dark |
|
Condition |
absent, broken, careful, dead |
|
Personality |
annoying, brave, complex, dizzy |
|
Quantity |
ample, bountiful, countless, deficient |
|
Sense |
aromatic, bitter, cold, deafening |
|
Size and Shape |
angular, broad, circular, deep |
|
Time |
ancient, brief, concurrent, daily |
Adjectives can be
a) Single word – eg. Warm,
sunny
b) Group of words – eg. A five-minute break please!
c) Clause – eg. interesting,
interested
