ADJECTIVES

Add some

WOW
to your sentences!

What is the adjectives job?

To modify a noun or pronoun

modify means to change in some wayin this case, to make more descriptive

FORM
Adjectives are invariable: do not change form depending on gender or number of the noun

A hot potato

Some hot potatoes

To emphasize or strengthen the meaning of an adjective use very or really

A very hot potato

Some really hot potatoes

FORM
Position of adjectives:
usually in front of a noun

A fat cat

after verbs like to be, to seem, to look, to taste

The cat is fat. You look tired.

FUNCTION
Adjectives tell us more about a noun. Describe feelings or qualities:

He is a lonely man. They are honest people.

Give nationality or origin:

Pierre is French. This clock is German. We live in the Victorian house.

 Tell more about a things characteristics:

A wooden table.
Tell us about age:

The knife is sharp.

Hes an old man.

The country was young.
Tell us about size and measurement:

Janet is a tall woman and Dave is a short man.

This is a very long movie.

 Tell us about color:

Angela wore a red dress.

The rose was a pale pink.
Tell us about shape:

A round button or A rectangular box

Express a judgment or a value:

A boring show Grammar is fun!

Bottom Line. . .
Adjectives answer these questions about the noun:

WHAT KIND of a noun is it?

WHICH noun is it? HOW MANY of that noun are there?

Special adjectives. . .
Articles tell us which one
There are only three articles. a, an, the

The woman pushed a cart full of groceries and an excited boy while walking a dog.

Adjectives or Pronouns?
Some words can be used as adjectives or pronouns. They are pronouns when they stand alone (replacing the noun).

Which did you buy? She likes those.

They are adjectives when they modify a noun or pronoun.

Which book did you buy? She likes those shoes.

Adjective or Noun?
Sometimes we use a noun to describe another noun.

The noun as adjective always comes first.

a race horse is a horse that runs in races a horse race is a race for horses a boat race is a race for boats a love story is a story about love a war story is a story about war

Some practice. . .
The two dark cats were walking on the fence.
Themodifies the noun cats and is an article Twomodifies the noun cats and answers the question HOW MANY

Darkmodifies the noun cats and answers the question WHAT KIND
Themodifies the noun fence and is an article

Some more practice. . .

The chocolate one is his last cookie.
Themodifies the pronoun one and is an article

Chocolatemodifies the pronoun one and answers the question WHAT KIND
Hisa possessive pronoun that modifies the noun cookie and answers the question WHICH ONE Lastmodifies the noun cookie and answers the question WHICH ONE