Adjectives What are adjectives?

Adjectives Q: What are Adjectives? A: Adjectives are words which are used to describe nouns or pronouns.

Descriptive Adjectives Types of Adjectives Descriptive Adjectives Q: What are Descriptive Adjectives? A: Descriptive Adjectives are Adjectives which tell us about the kind or quality of , nouns/ pronouns. Example: Betty is a clever girl.

Adjectives of Quantity Q: What are Adjectives of Number/Quantity? A: Adjectives of Number / Quantity are Adjectives which come before a noun showing how many or how much of the noun there is. Example: Mary gave me five oranges.

Demonstrative Adjectives Q: What are Demonstrative Adjectives? A: Demonstrative Adjectives are Adjectives which point out nouns and are followed by the nouns which they point out. Example : This house is bigger than that one.

Interrogative Adjectives Q: What are Interrogative Adjectives? A: Interrogative Adjectives are Adjectives which ask questions and come before a noun. Example: Which way shall we go?

Possessive Adjectives Q: What are Possessive Adjectives? A: Possesses Adjectives are Adjectives which are used to show possession. Example: I have given my book to your brother.

Comparison of Adjectives Q: What are the 3 Degrees of Comparison ? A: The 3 Degree of Comparison are (1) the Positive Degree. (2) the Comparative Degree. (3) the Superlative Degree.

(a) The Positive Degree of Comparison is used when we are speaking of or describing an object. Example: Peter is a short boy.

Example: Peter is taller than Paul. (b) The Comparative Degree of Comparison is used when we are speaking of or describing two objects. Example: Peter is taller than Paul.

Example: Mary is the tallest girl in her school. (c) The Superlative Degree of Comparison is used when we are speaking of or describing two or more than two objects. Example: Mary is the tallest girl in her school.

The formation of Comparative and the Superlative forms (a) The formation of Comparative and the Superlative forms by adding “ –er” and “-est” to the Positive. Positive Comparative Superlative clever cleverer cleverest dark darker darkest

(b) The formation of Comparative and the Superlative forms by dropping “-y” and “-iest” to the Positive. Positive Comparative Superlative dirty dirtier dirtiest lazy lazier laziest

(c) The formation of Comparative and the Superlative forms by doubling the last letter and adding “-er” and “-ier” to the Positive. Positive Comparative Superlative big bigger biggest hot hotter hottest

(d) The formation of Comparative and the Superlative forms by changing the spelling of the Positive. bad worse worst good better best

(e) The formation of Comparative and the Superlative forms by using the word “ more” or “most” with Adjectives of three or more syllables. Positive Comparative Superlative beautiful more beautiful most beautiful careful more careful most careful

(f) For a few two-syllable adjectives both kinds of comparative and superlative are possible. Positive Comparative Superlative common Commoner/ more common Commonest/ most common clever Cleverer/ more clever Cleverest/ most clever

Adjectives used as Nouns (a) “The + Adjectives” = a class of persons. Example: The welfare society organized a party for the poor.

(b) “The + Adjectives” = an abstract noun. Example: The future is unknown to us. (the future = futurity)

(c) Some adjectives have become nouns. Examples: Australians – Italians

Example: Mary is an eighteen-year-old girl. Compound Adjectives There are compound Adjectives formed by adding a “–” between the words. Notice that the noun in a compound Adjective should normally be in singular form. Example: Mary is an eighteen-year-old girl.

Credits Teacher Wagner Junior Grammar Adjective