Adjectives are words that describe a noun, they give the reader a mental image of how a certain person or thing is like, whether in appearance or functionality. This is why it is important to know the different types of adjectives in order to correctly implement them in your writing, as they add all the critical details that help the reader picture everything exactly as you did.
There are three degrees of adjectives; absolute, comparative, and superlative.
Absolute adjectives are just one word used to describe one noun, such as “She is smart”.
Comparative adjectives, as hinted in its name, compares between two or more things, this can be applied either by adding “er” as a suffix to the adjective, or by adding the word “more” before it, for example “She is smarter than her sister”, or “She is more beautiful than her sister”.
Lastly, superlative adjectives show that something is the highest in ranking between several things. To use superlative adjectives just add “est” as a suffix to the adjective or add “most” beforehand. For instance “She is the smartest in her class” or “She is the most beautiful girl in her class”.
The types of adjectives
There are nine different types of adjectives; descriptive, quantitative, proper, demonstrative, possessive, interrogative, indefinite, article, and compound.
Descriptive Adjectives.
Descriptive adjectives, also called qualitative adjectives, give information and descriptions about the noun that they modify. They are the most common type of adjectives, most adjectives are descriptive. They are the most basic type of adjective.
Examples:
“I have a red car”
“This is a huge book”
“You have a beautiful handwriting”
Quantitative Adjectives
Quantitative adjectives provide information about the quantity of the noun, it answers the question “how many?/ how much?” It gives an accurate numerical description of the noun.
Examples:
“I have 30 pounds left in my allowance”
“I have two siblings”
Proper Adjective
Proper adjectives give a specific meaning to a concept, it is when a proper noun describes another noun or pronoun.
Examples:
“Chinese food is my favorite”
“I love the Arabian culture”
“I do not agree with Kantian ethics”
Demonstrative Adjectives
A demonstrative adjective refers to someone or something directly, demonstrative adjectives are; “this”, “that”, “these”, and “those”.
Examples:
“These kids are in my class”
“Those keys are mine”
“That hairstyle looks so good on you”
Possessive adjectives
Possessive adjectives show ownership, they tell you who this object belongs to. Possessive adjectives are “my”, “his”, “her”, “our”, “their”, and “your”.
Examples:
“My feet are hurting”
“Her car is brand new”
“Your business is growing fast!”
Interrogative Adjectives
Interrogative adjectives ask a question, and they must come before a noun or a pronoun. Interrogative adjectives are “what”, “which”, and “whose”.
Examples:
“Which project won the science fair this year?”
“Whose shoes are these?”
“What dessert would you like to order?”
Indefinite Adjectives
Indefinite adjectives provide an unspecified description to the noun, it gives incomplete or unclear information about the noun. Indefinite nouns are: “few”,”many”, “”much”, “most”, “all”, “any”, “any”, “each”, “every”, and “some”.
Examples:
“There are many reasons for my disapproval”
“A few cupcakes are still left”
“Most of you got an A on the test”
Articles
Articles indicate the noun’s specification, articles are “a”, “an”, and “the”. “A” and “an” are used when the noun is unspecified, while “the” indicates a specified noun.
Examples:
“A girl was walking down the street”
“An animal growled from behind the bush”
“The school looked beautiful on prom night”
Compound Adjectives
Lastly, compound adjectives are two or more words that together describe the noun. Compound adjectives are usually separated by a hyphen or are put in between quotation marks.
Examples:
“He gave me an “I am going to murder you after we leave” look as soon as I said what I said”
“It’s a 380-page book”
“You have to accept the job, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
Understand and Use Adjectives Like a Pro!
Understand and Use Adjectives Like a Pro!
Adjectives are an essential part of any written piece, which is why it is important to understand how to properly use them. Click here for more.
Adjectives are words that describe a noun, they give the reader a mental image of how a certain person or thing is like, whether in appearance or functionality. This is why it is important to know the different types of adjectives in order to correctly implement them in your writing, as they add all the critical details that help the reader picture everything exactly as you did. There are three degrees of adjectives; absolute, comparative, and superlative. Absolute adjectives are just one word used to describe one noun, such as “She is smart”. Comparative adjectives, as hinted in its name, compares between two or more things, this can be applied either by adding “er” as a suffix to the adjective, or by adding the word “more” before it, for example “She is smarter than her sister”, or “She is more beautiful than her sister”. Lastly, superlative adjectives show that something is the highest in ranking between several things. To use superlative adjectives just add “est” as a suffix to the adjective or add “most” beforehand. For instance “She is the smartest in her class” or “She is the most beautiful girl in her class”. The types of adjectives There are nine different types of adjectives; descriptive, quantitative, proper, demonstrative, possessive, interrogative, indefinite, article, and compound. Descriptive Adjectives. Descriptive adjectives, also called qualitative adjectives, give information and descriptions about the noun that they modify. They are the most common type of adjectives, most adjectives are descriptive. They are the most basic type of adjective. Examples: “I have a red car” “This is a huge book”“You have a beautiful handwriting”Quantitative AdjectivesQuantitative adjectives provide information about the quantity of the noun, it answers the question “how many?/ how much?” It gives an accurate numerical description of the noun. Examples: “I have 30 pounds left in my allowance” “I have two siblings” Proper Adjective Proper adjectives give a specific meaning to a concept, it is when a proper noun describes another noun or pronoun. Examples:“Chinese food is my favorite”“I love the Arabian culture” “I do not agree with Kantian ethics” Demonstrative Adjectives A demonstrative adjective refers to someone or something directly, demonstrative adjectives are; “this”, “that”, “these”, and “those”. Examples: “These kids are in my class”“Those keys are mine” “That hairstyle looks so good on you”Possessive adjectivesPossessive adjectives show ownership, they tell you who this object belongs to. Possessive adjectives are “my”, “his”, “her”, “our”, “their”, and “your”. Examples: “My feet are hurting”“Her car is brand new” “Your business is growing fast!” Interrogative AdjectivesInterrogative adjectives ask a question, and they must come before a noun or a pronoun. Interrogative adjectives are “what”, “which”, and “whose”. Examples: “Which project won the science fair this year?” “Whose shoes are these?” “What dessert would you like to order?”Indefinite Adjectives Indefinite adjectives provide an unspecified description to the noun, it gives incomplete or unclear information about the noun. Indefinite nouns are: “few”,”many”, “”much”, “most”, “all”, “any”, “any”, “each”, “every”, and “some”. Examples: “There are many reasons for my disapproval”“A few cupcakes are still left”“Most of you got an A on the test” Articles Articles indicate the noun’s specification, articles are “a”, “an”, and “the”. “A” and “an” are used when the noun is unspecified, while “the” indicates a specified noun. Examples: “A girl was walking down the street”“An animal growled from behind the bush” “The school looked beautiful on prom night”Compound Adjectives Lastly, compound adjectives are two or more words that together describe the noun. Compound adjectives are usually separated by a hyphen or are put in between quotation marks. Examples: “He gave me an “I am going to murder you after we leave” look as soon as I said what I said”“It’s a 380-page book” “You have to accept the job, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
