1. ADJECTIVES
Add some
“WOW”
to your sentences!

2. What is the adjective’s job? To modify a noun or pronoun
modify means to change in some way—in this case, to make more descriptive

3. 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”
Some really hot potatoes
A very hot potato

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Tell more about a thing’s characteristics:
A wooden table.
The knife is sharp.
Tell us about age:
          
He’s 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.

7. A round button or A rectangular box
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!

8. 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?

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. Some practice. . . The two dark cats were walking on the fence.
The—modifies the noun cats and is an article
Two—modifies the noun cats and answers the question HOW MANY
Dark—modifies the noun cats and answers the question WHAT KIND
The—modifies the noun fence and is an article

13. Some more practice. . . The chocolate one is his last cookie.
The—modifies the pronoun one and is an article
Chocolate—modifies the pronoun one and answers the question WHAT KIND
His—a possessive pronoun that modifies the noun cookie and answers the question WHICH ONE
Last—modifies the noun cookie and answers the question WHICH ONE