Study Notes - Adjective

Adjectives are words that modify (change) nouns, pronouns, and other adjectives. They qualify
or describe nouns. They are called noun-helper. For example:

Brazil is the world s largest producer of coffee.

Your English is good enough.

Kinds of Adjectives:
1. Adjective of Quality or Descriptive Adjective: Adjective showing the kind or quality of nouns
or pronouns is called Adjective of Quality. For example:
You look very smart in that suit.
2. Adjective of Quantity: The adjective which shows the quantity of noun or pronoun is called
the Adjective of Quantity. For example:
I didn t have enough clothes to last a week.
3. Adjective of Number/ Numeral Adjective: Adjective which expresses the number of persons
or things is called the Adjective of Number or Numeral Adjective. For example:
Students must enter in twos or threes.
4. Demonstrative Adjective: This Adjective straight away points out the person or thing
concerned. The four words this, that, these and those are called demonstratives. For example:
I think you ll find these more comfortable than those.
5. Possessive Adjective: The Adjective that expresses the state of possession of nouns is known
as a possessive adjective. Possessive adjectives show possession or ownership: my, her, his, its,
our, their, and your. For example:
Where s my passport?
6. Proper Adjective: An adjective that is formed from a proper noun is called proper Adjective.
For example:
He is an Australian citizen.
7. Indefinite Adjectives: An adjective which is not definite is known as the indefinite adjective.
For example:
Some of the players were tired after the match.

How to order adjectives in English:

Generally, the adjective order in English is:

1. Quantity or number
2. Quality or opinion
3. Size
4. Age
5. Shape
6. Color
7. Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
8. Purpose or qualifier
For example:
I love that big, old, green, antique car that is parked at the end of the street.
 Study Notes - Adjective

Degrees of Adjectives: There are three degrees of adjectives.

1. Positive Adjective
2. Comparative Adjective
3. Superlative Adjective

Positive Comparative Superlative

1 Big Bigger Biggest
2 Great Greater Greatest
3 Short Shorter Shortest
4 Old Older Oldest
5 Large Larger Largest
6 Happy Happier Happiest
7 Lucky Luckier Luckiest
8 Heavy Heavier Heaviest
9 Beautiful More beautiful Most beautiful
10 Horrible More horrible Most horrible
11 Good Better Best
12 Bad Worse Worst
13 Little Less Least
14 Far Farther Farthest

Rules for Usage of Adjective:

Rule 1: While making comparisons between two things the comparative degree is used and not
the superlative degree.
Example - He is the richest of the two brothers. (Incorrect)
He is the richer of the two brothers. (Correct)
Rule 2: If a choice has to be made between two persons or things the comparative degree will
be used. Article the will be used before the comparative degree and ( of the) will be used after
the comparative degree. The structure will be …….the + Co pa ati e + of the…………
Example - Lucknow is the better of the two cities.
Sachin is the better of the two players.
Similarly if the choice is to be made between more than two things or persons the superlative
degree will be used.
The structure will be …….the + Supe lati e deg ee + of the…………
Example- Rahul is the best of all the batsmen in the Indian cricket team.
 Study Notes - Adjective

English is the easiest of all the languages taught in the school.

Rule 3: In comparative degree (adjective + er ) + than is used. Than is used in case of
comparison between two persons or things and an adjective of comparative degree will be
used with it.
Example - Mary is taller than her sister.
Rule 4: If an adjective is to be used between as………as and so……….as the adjective should
be in positive degree.

As…..as is used to sho that so ethi g is e ually good o bad.

Example- Hisar is as hot as Ganganagar in May.

So…….as is used to sho so ethi g is ot as good o as bad.

Example- Bhopal is not so developed as Delhi.

This rule is also applicable in adverbs.

Example- Geeta danced as gracefully as Anita.
Rule 5: Article the is used before superlative degree as it becomes definite.
Example- Ludhiana is the most polluted city of Punjab.
Rule 6: If two qualities are to be compared of the same person or thing then we don t use the
comparative degree. Comparative degree is used for comparison between two different things
or persons. Instead of using the comparative degree more and positive degree will be used.
Example - Rahul is luckier than hardworking. (Incorrect)
(Two qualities of the same person that is Rahul are being compared (his luck and his hard
work). So, comparative degree can t be used.
Example: Rahul is more lucky than hardworking. (Correct)
Rule 7: Puneet is taller than any boy in the class. (Incorrect)
Puneet is taller than any other boy in the class. (Correct)
In both these sentences we are comparing Puneet to any boy in the class but one at a time. In
such sentences where we wish to state that someone or something is better or worse than the
rest but is to be taken one at a time any other will be used.
Rule 8: Certain adjectives can t be used in comparative and superlative degree.
Example - (a) The presentation was perfect. (Correct)
(b) Rahul s presentation was more perfect. (Incorrect)
(c) Her presentation was the most perfect. (Incorrect)
Both the sentences B and C are incorrect. Perfect means flawless. When we are already saying
something is perfect it means it is flawless so more perfect and most perfect can t be used. List
of such words that can t be used in comparative and superlative degree are - Supreme,
impossible, absolute, ideal, everlasting, eternal, triangular, square, round, major, minor,
complete, entire, chief, extreme, excellent, minor, ulterior, universal, unique, last and final.
a) Darjeeling tea is the most superior tea in India. (Incorrect)
b) Darjeeling tea is superior to any other tea grown in India. (Correct)
Rule 9: In comparative degree than is used. But for adjectives ending in ior than is not used,
instead to is used.
 Study Notes - Adjective

List of such adjectives is Superior, inferior, junior, senior, prior, anterior, posterior, exterior,
interior etc.
Example - He was junior than me in college. (Incorrect)
He was junior to me in college. (Correct)
Rule 10: The same word can be an adjective in a sentence and a noun in another sentence. For
certain words that are mostly used as nouns if they are used as an adjective in a sentence they
can t be used in the plural form.
Example - The tables cloth was washed, ironed and spread on the table.
Table is a noun but here it is used as an adjective. So tables can t be used but table will be used.
Rule 11: If two adjectives are being used for the same noun or pronoun then the adjective
should be in the same degree.
Example - India is the greatest and tolerant country. (Incorrect)
India is a great and tolerant country. (Correct)

Exercise:
1. He is now making matters (a) / a lot more worse (b) / by his almost daily apologies (c) / for
having done so. (d) / No error (e)
2. The latest chapter (a) / of this novel is the most comprehensive (b) / of all the chapters (c) /
in the book (d) / No error (e)
3. She ordered (a) / certain girl to (b) / make entry into (c) / the Manager's office. (d) / No Error
(e).
4. Could you (a) / give me any money (b) / to buy food? (c) / No error (d)
5. I requested him (a) / to lend me few books (b) / that might help me in my studies (c) / No
error (d).
6. Of the three ministers (a) / which do you think (b) / is going to prove more successful (c) / No
error (d)
7. I feel (a)/ a certain problems (b)/ in the execution (c)/ of his plan (d)/ no error (e)
8. This is a (a) / worth seeing sight (b) / after travelling for (c) / three hours. (d) / No error (e).
9. There were (a) / no less than fifty persons (b) / present in the room (c) / No error (d)
10. Few remarks (a) / that he made were (b) / offensive to my friend (c) / No error (d)

Answers and explanation:

1. (b) Remove more as worse is already a comparative degree of bad .
2. (a) Use the last instead of the latest .
3. (b) Replace 'certain' with 'a certain'.
4. (b) Replace any by some . Use some in affirmative and any in negative and interrogative
sentences.
5. (b) Add a before few .
6. (c) Replace more by most
7. (b) Write A certain problem instead of a certain problems to make the sentence
grammatically correct.
8. (b) Compound Adjectives formed by adding worth are placed after the noun they qualify.
Correct Sentence is This is a sight worth seeing after travelling for three hours .
 Study Notes - Adjective

9. (b) Replace less than by fewer than . Fewer refers to things that are countable and the
expression less than is used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of distance, amount,
or time.
10. (a) Add a before few . "A few" implies a small number of some that is greater than two,
"few" implies only a small number.