Adjective, Its Definition and Types

Adjective

Definition: Adjective is a word that tells us about quality, quantity, shape, size, number, origin, kind and material of a noun or pronoun.

Quality: good, bad, bright, intelligent, dull, beautiful, old, young, ……..

Quantity: some, any, all, much, little, many, few, enough, ……..

Number: one, two, first, second, ……..

Size: long, short, thin, thick, ……..

Shape: oval, round, flat, square, ……..

Material: cotton, leather, golden, ……..

Origin: Indian, Chinese, Nepali, ……..

Kinds of Adjectives:

1.    Adjective of Quality:

-       shows the kind or quality of a person is

-       answers the answer the question ‘of what kind or thing’

Pokhara is a beautiful city.

She is an honest woman.

2.    Adjective of Quantity:  

-       shows the quantity of a thing

-       answers the question ‘how much?’

They ate some meat.

My brother showed much patience.

My friends have had enough exercise.

3.    Adjective of Number:  

-       shows the number of persons or things

-       answers the question ‘how many?’

My family has five members.

He has taught her many things.

Here are some unripe mangoes.

4.    Demonstrative Adjective:   

Example: this, that, these, those, etc.

-       indicates which person or thing is. 

-       answers the question ‘which?’

This boy is weaker than me.

That boy is laborious.

These mangoes are delicious.

5.    Interrogative Adjective: 

Examples: what, which and whose

-       are used with nouns to ask questions.

What manner of girl is she?

Which book do you want?

Whose pen is this?

Adjectives have three forms called degrees of comparison:

a.    Positive

b.    Comparative

c.    Superlative

The positive is the simple form of the adjective without expressing increase or decrease of the original quality. An adjective is in the positive form when it doesn’t express comparison.

Anu is a tall girl.

The comparative form of the adjective expresses a comparison between two or between one and a number taken collectively.

Anu is taller than Mona.

The superlative is that form which expresses a comparison between one and a number of individuals taken separately.

Anu is the tallest of all.

We add ‘-er’ for the comparative form and ‘est’ for the superlative form of one-syllable adjectives. If they end in ‘-e’ simply add ‘-r’ and ‘-st’.

cheap- cheaper (comparative)- cheapest (superlative)

fine- finer (comparative)- finest (superlative)

old- older (comparative) – oldest (superlative)

If one syllable adjectives end in a single vowel and consonant (except ‘-w’), double the last consonant.

sad- sadder (comparative) – saddest (superlative)

wet- wetter (comparative) – wettest (superlative)

fat- fatter (comparative) – fattest (superlative)

slim- slimmer (comparative) – slimmest (superlative)

With two- syllable adjectives ending in a consonant followed by ‘-y’, change the ‘-y’ to ‘-i’ and add ‘-er’ and ‘-est’.

dirty- dirtier (comparative) – dirtiest (superlative)

funny- funnier (comparative) – funniest (superlative)

heavy- heavier (comparative) – heaviest (superlative)

silly- sillier (comparative) – silliest (superlative)

We use ‘more’ for the comparative and ‘most’ for the superlative of most two-syllable adjectives and all longer adjectives.

beautiful- more beautiful (comparative) – most beautiful (superlative)

expensive – more expensive (comparative) – most expensive (superlative)

A few common adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:

bad – worse – worst

good- better – best

far- further or farther – furthest or farthest

many- more- most

old- elder- eldest

good- better- best

little – less- least

well- better- best