Adjective Types

• Definition
• Adjective of Quality
• Adjective of Quantity
• Adjective of Number
• Demonstrative Adjective
• Interrogative Adjective
• Possessive Adjective
• Distributive Adjective
• Proper Adjective
• Degrees of Adjective
• Exercises

THE ADJECTIVE IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Definition:
Adjectives are words qualifying nouns or describing words. They qualify or describe nouns. They 
are called noun‐helper.

Adjectives are a large class of words (for example, good, bad, new, accurate, careful) which define
more precisely the reference of a noun or pronoun. An adjective gives more distinct meaning to a noun
or a pronoun by describing or limiting it.
All adjectives answer three specific questions about the nouns or pronouns they are modifying:
e.g.

What kind?  strong, cheerful, red

Which one(s)  this, that, these, those

How many?  few, some, three, several

Adjectives That Follow Verbs

Pay special attention to adjectives that follow verbs. Sometimes, the adjective follows a verb, but it
describes a noun or pronoun that comes before the verb.
e.g.

These strawberries taste sour. 
The pickles are salty 

Adjectives are used either attributively or predicatively.

The boy is clever  The problem is easy

Adjectives have many different endings. Many adjectives are created simply by adding certain
suffixes to words that were previously nouns or verbs.
Some adjectives end in -ful. These adjectives describe noun or pronouns that are full of something or have a lot
of something.
a joyful smile  a beautiful face a careful student 

a cheerful baby  a powerful machine a wonderful time 

colorful clothes  a useful book a skillful player 

Some adjectives end in -ous.

a mountainous area  a famous writer a dangerous job 

a poisonous snake  a humorous film a generous gift 

Some adjectives end in -y.

a sunny day  a noisy car dirty hands

an easy test  a cloudy sky stormy weather 

Some adjectives end in -less. These adjectives describe a person or thing that does not have something.
a meaningless word  a sleeveless dress a fearless fighter 

a careless driver  a cloudless sky seedless grapes 

Some adjectives end in -al.

actual  final  general
mental  physical special

Here are some adjectives that end in -ic, -ish, -ible, -able, -ive and -ly.
enthusiastic shouting  comfortable clothes expensive jewelery 

a selfish act  a likeable child friendly teachers 

a fantastic singer  visible footprints an imaginative story 

Many adjectives end in -ing.

a smiling face  an outstanding swimmer chattering monkeys 

loving parents  a disappointing result a caring nurse 

Many adjectives end in -ed.

boiled eggs  satisfied customers wasted time 

excited students  reduced prices invited guests 

Many adjectives end in -ar.

familiar  particular popular

similar 
regular

ADJECTIVE OF QUALITY

(Descriptive Adjective)

Definition :
Adjective showing the kind or quality of nouns or pronouns are called Adjective of Quality

nice bold wonderful smart

heavy good wise clever

e.g.

He is a good boy

David is good

My friend is wise

Taj Mahal is wonderful

Sara is a smart girl

Rose is a beautiful flower

ADJECTIVE OF QUANTITY

(Quantitative Adjective)

Definition :
Adjective which shows the quantity of thing is called the Adjective of Quantity.

e.g.

He ate the whole apple

She spent all her moneys

I ate some rise

There was no milk in the jug.

We have had enough exercise

ADJECTIVE OF NUMBER

(Numeral Adjective)

Definition :
Adjective which expresses the number of persons or things is called the Adjective of Number or 
Numeral Adjective

Adjectives of Number (or Numeral Adjectives) are of three kinds :-

Definite Numeral Adjectives, which denote an exact number; as,

Definite Numeral Adjectives,

Cardinals One Two Three

Ordinals First Second Third

Indefinite Numeral Adjectives, which do not denote an exact number; as,

Indefinite Numeral Adjectives,

All No Many

Few Some Any

Certain Several Sundry

Distributive Numeral Adjectives, which refer to each one of a number; as.,

Each boy must take his turn

India expects every man to do his duty.

Every word of it is false.

Either pen will do

e.g.

I wrote two letters

The hand has five fingers

Few dogs look well

All men must die

Most boys like football

There are ten class rooms in our school

Differents between Adjectives of Quantity and Adjectives of Number

Adjectives of Quantity Adjectives of Number

I have enough sugar There are not enough spoons

He did not eat any rice Are there any mango-trees in this garden?

You have no sense There are no pictures in this book

I ate some rice Some boys are clever

DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE

Definition :
This Adjective straight=away points out the person or thing concerned
The four words this, that, these and those are called demonstratives. When they are followed by some
other word (especially a noun) in a noun phrase, they are demonstrative determiners. We
use this and these to point to people or things near us. You use that and those to point to people or
things that are farther from us.

Singular Plural

This These

That Those

They are used to tell which thing or person you mean.

e.g.

I am ready to buy this house

I want to look at that house

These are the times that try men’s souls

That boy is intelligent

Those cows are white

INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVE

Definition :
Interrogative Adjectives are used with nouns to ask questions.

What Which Whom Whose

These words are called interrogative determiners or interrrogative adjectives.

e.g.

What color is her hair?

Whose car is this?

Which road leads to the zoo?

Whome do you want to meet?

Whose shop is closed?

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE

Definition :
This Adjective expresses the state of possession of nouns.

Possessive adjectives show possession or ownership: my, her, his, its, our, their, your. because they are
used with nouns and do the work of Adjectives. When placed before nouns function like adjectives;
they qualify the noun directly.
e.g.

My aim in life is to become a doctor

Is this your desk?

Mike crashed his bike into a wall

Her sister sings in a sweet voice

The dog was licking its paws

Mike and Peter have invited me to their party

These possessive adjectives are used according to the number, gender, and person of the noun 
instead of which they are used and they can be classified as follows:

Person Number
 Singular Plural

First Person my (Masculine or Feminine) our (Masculine or Feminine)

Second Person your (Masculine or Feminine) your (Masculine or Feminine)

his (Masculine)
her (Feminine)
Third Person its (Neuter or Common) their (All genders)

Possessive Adjectives are somethings called Pronominal Adjectives, as they are formed from Pronouns.
The word his is used both as an Adjective and as a Pronoun; as

Possessive Adjective This is his pen

Possessive Pronoun This pen is his

DISTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVE

Definition :
This Adjective expresses the distributive state of nouns.

e.g.

On either side of the canal there were long fields of barley

Every boy has one or the other pet

Neither of the tow men is trustworthy

Each girl in our class is well-versed in music

PROPER ADJECTIVE

Definition :
Adjective that is formed from proper noun is called proper Adjective.

Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns and are almost always capitalized
e.g.

An Indian girl

An English woman

An American dollar

They stole a priceless Elizabethan watch

DEGREES OF ADJECTIVE

Definition :
Every adjective has three degrees of its own. They are : Positive, Comparative, Superlative 
degrees.

There are two types of Adjectives :

Regular Adjectives

Definition :
Regular adjectives make their comparative and superlative forms by adding ‘er’ and ‘est’.

e.g.

Positive Comparative Superlative

bold bolder boldest

bright brighter brightest

black blacker blackest

great greater greatest

old older oldest

proud prouder proudest

warm warmer warmest

mean meaner meanest

Some adjectives are added with only ‘r ’ to form comparative and ’st ‘ to form superlative degree.
e.g.

Positive Comparative Superlative

able abler ablest

true truer truest

simple simpler simplest

nice nicer nicest

Some adjectives are added with ‘consonant + er ’ to form comparative and ‘consonant + est ’ to form
superlatie degree
e.g.

Positive Comparative Superlative

fat fatter fattest

red/td> redder reddest

sad sadder saddest

Some adjectives add ‘er ’ and ‘est ’ to form comparative and superlative by replacing the last letter ‘y ’
into ‘i ’
e.g.

Positive Comparative Superlative

dry drier driest

busy busier busiest

early earlier earliest

ugly uglier ugliest

If an adjective has two or more than tow syllables we use more or most to form comparative and
superlative degree
e.g.

Positive Comparative Superlative

active more active most active

beautiful more beautiful most beautiful

careful more careful most careful

proper more proper most proper

faithful more faithful most faithful

Irregular Adjectives

When there is a complete change in comparative and superlative degrees, they are called irregular
adjectives.
e.g.

Positive Comparative Superlative

good better best

bad worse worst

little less least

old older oldest

far farther farthest

ADJECTIVE - EXERCISES

Adjectives of Quality Exercise

Fill each blank with adjectives of quality in the following sentences :

(good, ripe, fine, sweet, small, big, bright, red)

1. The girl has a   voice.  Answer  

2. Akbar is a   batsman.  Answer  

3. That is a   house  Answer  

4. I like   roses.  Answer  

5. It is a   day.  Answer  

6. You may eat   mangoes.  Answer  

7. Owis eat rats and   birds.  Answer  

8. The milk is not   .  Answer  

Adjectives of Quantity Exercise

Fill up the blanks with suitable adjectives of quantity in the following sentences :

1. Step back   paces.  Answer  

2. I have told you this   times already.  Answer  

3. I speak these   words to all men.  Answer  

4. He is   years of age.  Answer  

5. He has   money in his purse.  Answer  

Adjectives Exercise on Story

Write out the story, putting one of the adjectives from the list in each blank :

(long, delightful, high, sour, ripe, warm, hungry)

It was a   day. A fox had just entered a garden. Among the many   things in the 

garden was a vine laden with bunches of grapes. One of them was a   bunch which hung 
Answer  

invitingly over the fox’s head. The very sight of it made the fox feel   . He leapt up at the 
grapes several times. But they were too   for him to reach. After a  time he 

decided to give up trying. He went away declaring that the grapes were  . This is the orign of 
the expression ‘sour grapes’.