Adjectives: What is An Adjective? Useful Rules & Examples
English Adjectives! What is An Adjective? Learn adjective definition and useful grammar rules in relation to English adjectives with examples and ESL printable worksheets.
What is An Adjective?
What is An Adjective? In English, an adjective is a word that describes a noun or pronoun such as person, place, thing or idea. Adjective is a part of speech which is common that people use it almost automatically, both in speech and in writing.
What is An Adjective? Adjective Definition with Examples
Adjective Examples:
English Adjectives can be identified by their endings. Common adjective endings are as follows:
- -able/-ible: credible, achievable, gullible, capable, illegible, sensible, remarkable, horrible
- -al: annual, functional, individual, logical, essential
- -ful: awful, cheerful, doubtful, faithful, forceful
- -ic: terrific, cubic, manic, rustic
- -ive: intensive, adaptive, attractive, dismissive, inventive, persuasive
- -less: doubtless, endless, fearless, helpless, homeless, breathless, careless, groundless, restless
- -ous: adventurous, famous, generous, courageous, dangerous, tremendous, fabulous
Though, a large number of adjectives are different…
- hot
- dark
- smart
- cool
- common
- complete
- large
- deep
- thin
- far
- atractive
- great
- doutful
- cold
- crowded
- careless
- noisy
- quiet
- real
- pink
- silent
- simple
- strange
- generous
- wide
- young
- …
Types of Adjectives in English
In general, two main types of adjectives are:
- Descriptive adjectives describe quality of the noun. In fact, descriptive adjectives can be attributive adjectives or predicate adjectives.
- While, Limiting adjectives limit the noun being described. There are nine types of limiting adjectives as follows:
- Definite & Indefinite Articles
- Possessive Adjectives
- Demonstrative Adjectives
- Indefinite Adjectives
- Interrogative Adjectives
- Cardinal Adjectives
- Ordinal Adjectives
- Proper Adjectives
- Nouns used as Adjectives
Types of Adjectives – Image
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession.
- Possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, their. Possessive adjectives occur before a noun (her hair) or a an adjective + noun (her new hair).
- Possessive adjectives have no singular or plural. They are used with both singular and plural nouns (his ball, his balls).
Here is a list of subject pronouns and their possessive adjectives:
- I – my
- You – your
- He – his
- She – her
- It – its
- We – our
- They – their
Demonstrative Adjectives
In English grammar, this, that, these, and those are demonstrative adjectives.
For example:
- This school is infinitely better than the last one I went to.
- I think that book is mine.
- These plants are particularly useful for brightening up shady areas.
- Let me give you a hand with those bags.
Order of Adjectives
Learn rules and examples for order of adjectives in English.
In general, the adjective order in English is:
- Determiner
- Observation (Opinion)
- Size and Shape
- Age
- Color
- Origin
- Material
- Qualifier (Purpose)
Comparison of Adjectives
Three forms of comparison of adjectives in English
- Positive: it is an ordinary form of adjectives
- Comparative: shows when two persons or objects being compared
- Superlative: indicates that the quality or quantity is at its highest or is most intense
Comparatives
Comparatives are used to compare and clarify the difference between two nouns. In other words, comparatives are used when two persons or objects being compared.
Learn Comparative Adjectives in English.
Superlatives
When an adjective compares three or more things, the superlative form of the adjective is used. Superlatives indicate that the quality or quantity is at its highest or is most intense.
Learn Superlative Adjectives in English.
Compound Adjectives
Compound adjectives are adjectives that are made up of two or more words usually with hyphens (-) between them.
Generally, compound adjectives can be formed as follows:
- Adjective + Past participle
- Adverb + Past Participle
- Noun + Past Participle
- Noun + Present Participle
- Adjective + Present Participle
- Adverb + Present Participle
- Noun + Adjective
- Adjective + Noun
- Noun + Noun
- Adjective + Adjective
Adjectives Ending in -ED and -ING
Some adjectives have the characteristic of ending in -ed and -ing.
Learn the difference between Adjectives Ending in -ED and -ING with useful rules and examples.
List of Adjectives Ending in -ED and -ING
- Amazing – Amazed
- Amusing – Amused
- Annoying – Annoyed
- Boring – Bored
- Challenging – Challenged
- Charming – Charmed
- Confusing – Confused
- Convincing – Convinced
- Depressing – Depressed
- Disappointing – Disappointed
- Disgusting – Disgusted
- Disturbing – Disturbed
- Embarrassing – Embarrassed
- Entertaining – Entertained
- Exciting – Excited
- Exhausting – Exhausted
- Depressing – Depressed
- Disappointing – Disappointed
- Fascinating – Fascinated
- Frightening – Frightened
- Frustrating – Frustrated
- Inspiring – Inspired
- Interesting – Interested
- Pleasing – Pleased
- Relaxing – Relaxed
- Relieving – Relieved
- Satisfying – Satisfied
- Shocking – Shocked
- Surprising – Surprised
- Terrifying – Terrified
- Threatening – Threatened
- Thrilling – Thrilled
- Tiring – Tired
- Touching – Touched
- Worrying – Worried
Adjective Suffixes
Learn Common Adjective Suffixes in English.
Common Adjective Suffixes in English
- -al, -ial, -ical
- -able, -ible
- -an, -ian
- -ary
- -full
- -ic
- -ive
- -ish
- -less
- -like
- -y
- -ous, -ose
- -ant, -ent
- -ile
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