Adjectives

Adjectives Describes a noun or pronoun. Special kinds of words used to make other words more definite. Modifiers provide additional information. Adjectives describes or limits the word it modifies.

Look at these sentences … The boat sank. (without modifier) The red boat sank. (with modifier)

Placement of adjectives Adjectives usually come before the nouns they modify. (towering cliffs) Sometimes they come after the words they modify. (Rainfall is plentiful here)

Adjectives … Answer questions such as: What kind? How many? How much? Which one? Which ones?

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Proper adjective Formed from a proper noun and is always capitalized. Example: A Chicago museum

Common adjective Any adjective that is not proper Examples: mammoth tiny his

Three types of adjectives Compound Demonstrative Indefinite Predicate

Compound adjective More than one word Example: scar-faced well-fed

Demonstrative adjective Points out a particular noun Examples: this these

Indefinite adjective An approximate number or quantity Examples: some many

Predicate adjective Follows linking verb and describes the subject Example: The frustrated kitten is unpleasant.

Forms of adjectives Positive Comparative Superlative Two-syllable Three or more syllables Nathan P. Wells Greenfield Elementary 4th Grade

Positive adjective Describes noun/pronoun without comparing it Example: Superman is tough. Superman is wonderful.

Comparative adjective Compares two persons, places, things, ideas Examples: Tarzan is tougher than Superman.

Superlative adjectives Compares three or more persons, places, things, or ideas Examples: But I, Big Bird, am the toughest of all!

Two-syllable adjectives Show comparisons either by their “er / est” suffixes or by modifiers, like more and most Examples: clumsy, clumsier, clumsiest clumsy, more clumsy, most clumsy

Three or more syllable adjectives Three or more syllables and usually require the words more/most, less/least to express comparison Example: ridiculous, less ridiculous, least ridiculous