ADJECTIVES

An adjective serves as a modifier of a noun or a pronoun to denote the quality or

condition of a person, place, or thing named or to indicate its quantity. An adjective usually
precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.

CLASSIFICATION OF ADJECTIVES

A. A DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVE denotes a feature, quality, or a condition of a person, a place, or a

thing.

Types of Descriptive Adjective:

1. Proper adjective – adjective that is formed from a proper noun
2. Common adjective – adjective that expresses the ordinary qualities of a noun or
pronoun.

Example:
American literature
English poet
Filipino inventor
kinetic energy
overt behavior

B. A LIMITING ADJECTIVE either points out an object or denotes number. It specifies which,
how much or how many.
1. Article shows whether a noun is used definitely or indefinitely.
 Definite article “the” The learner is not a blank slate.
The learner must be allowed to learn at his/her
own pace.
 Indefinite article “an” and “a” Meta-attention is an awareness of specific
strategies so that you can keep your
attention focused on the topic or task
at hand.
A novice learner has limited knowledge in the
different subject areas.
An expert learner, first, try to understand the
problem, look for boundaries, and create a
mental picture of the problem.
2. A numerical adjective has to do with numbers, as:
a. Cardinal numbers show how many are meant.
 Cognitive psychologists have studied the distinctions among two types of
learners, namely, the novice and the expert.
 There fourteen learner-centered psychological principles.

b. Ordinal numbers show order or position in a series.

 The first principle in the learner-centered principles is to consider the nature of
the learning process.
 Thinking about thinking is the fifth principle in the LCP.

3. A pronominal adjective is an adjective that is used as a pronoun.

a. The Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) is similar to a possessive
pronoun; however, it is used as an adjective and modifies a noun or a noun phrase.

 I can’t finish my report on the gross motor skills, for I don’t have the complete data.
 After two years of studying Spanish Language in Spain, Lyndon returned to his native
land.
 In the first sentence, the possessive adjective “my” modifies “report” and the noun
phrase “my report” functions as a direct object. Note that the possessive pronoun form “mine”
is not used to modify a noun or noun phrase.

In the second example, the possessive adjective “his” modifies the noun “nativeland”
and the noun phrase “his nativeland” is the object of the preposition “to.”

b. The Demonstrative Adjectives (this, these, that, and those) are identical to the
demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives when these are found beside the nouns or
noun phrases they modify.

 When Brenda returned those professional education books, she was penalized for not
returning on time.
 These research questionnaires need to be tested first.

In the subordinate clause, “those” modifies “books” and the noun phrase “those books
is the object of the verb “returned.”

In the second example, “these” modifies “research questionnaires” and the noun phrase
“these research questionnaires” is the subject of the sentence.

c. The interrogative Adjectives (which, whose and what) is like an interrogative

pronoun, except that is modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own.

 Which book should be reviewed for the final exam?

 What learners exceptionalities are you studying?

Like other adjectives, “which” can be used to modify a noun or noun phrase. In this
example, “which” modifies “book” and the noun phrase “which book” is the subject of the
compound verb “should be reviewed.”

In the second sentence, “what” modifies “topic” and the noun phrase “what topic” is
the direct object of the compound verb “are looking forward to.”

d. The Indefinite Adjectives is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that is modifies a

noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.

 Many students believe that failure is a challenge.

 I will give some considerations if you could provide explanation for your absence.

The indefinite adjective “many” modifies the noun “students” and the noun phrase
“many students” is the subject of the sentence.

The indefinite adjective “some” in the second example modifies the noun
“considerations” and the noun phrase “some considerations” is the direct object of the
compound verb “will give.”

POSITIONS OF THE ADJECTIVE

1. One-word adjectives usually come before a noun.

 Learning is sometimes a painful process.

2. If used as an apposition, adjectives in phrase come after the non or the pronoun they modify.
 Progressivist’s view in curriculum, old yet effective, is being used presently by the
schools.

3. Adjectives may complete linking verbs and function as predicate adjectives, and they are
placed after a linking verb.
  Modification of one’s own metacognition is important.

4. They are sometimes positioned in the objective complement.

 Present educational principles consider the teacher-centered approach ineffective.

5. An adjective is sometimes hyphenated. Hyphenated adjectives are generally placed before

the nouns they describe.
 A reddish-orange section in the histogram indicates a problem in the item analysis.

ADJECTIVE FORMING SUFIXXES

Word Suffix Adjective
Understand -able Understandable
Vision -ary Visionary
Fortune -ate Fortunate
Dedicate -d Dedicated
Hero -istic Heroistic
Amaze -ing Amazing
Gold -en Golden
Cheer -ful Cheerful
Rhythm -ic Rhythmic
Study -ious Studious
Green -ish Greenish
Excel -lent Excellent
Child -like Childlike
Week -ly Weekly
Fun -ny Funny
Marvel -ous Marvelous
Meat -y Meaty

ADJECTIVES IN A SERIES

Sometimes, more than one adjective is used to describe a noun. In this case, English
speakers and writers use a specific adjective order when placing each adjective. Usually no
more than three adjectives is used preceding a noun.

Here are some examples of nouns modified with three adjectives in the correct order.
The adjectives are not separated by commas.

 An effective old Greek contribution in education (opinion – age – origin)

 A colorful round paper for humanities (opinion – shape – material)
 A new black writing board (age – color – purpose)
 The gigantic old wooden table for the classroom (dimension – age – material)

The arrangement of descriptive adjectives should be:

1. Opinion. An opinion adjective explains what you think about something (other people
may not agree with you).
Examples: best teaching method
difficult collaborative activity
remarkable teaching strategies

2. Size/Dimension. A size adjective, of course, tells you how big or small something is.
Examples: large envelope for portfolio
wide chalkboard
enormous pile of journalism work

3. Age. An age adjective tells you how young or old something or someone is.
Example: new teaching strategy
old traditional teaching
 modern views in teaching principles

4. Shape. A shape adjective describes the shape of something.

Example: triangular Maslow’s table of hierarchy needs
circular color combinations
flat earth conspiracy theory

5. Color. A color adjective describes the color of something.

Example: bluish grammar book
dark unconducive classroom
green colored pencil

6. Origin. An origin adjective describes where something comes from.

Examples: Gardner’s multiple intelligences
Dunn and Dunn’s learning style theory
Kohlberg’s Moral theory

7. Material. A material adjective describes what something is made from.

Example: wooden table
plastic chair
concrete classroom

8. Purpose. A purpose adjective describes what something is used for. These adjectives
often end with “-ing”.
Example: holding (like “test tube holding equipment”)
cultivating (like “bacteria cultivating petri dish”)
reading (like “reading kiosk”)

Order in a Series of Adjectives Examples

1. Determiners That The Five A
a. demonstrative pronoun (was)
b. article
2. Possessive pronouns My school’s
3. Intensifiers very rather
4. Ordinal Numbers first First
Adjectives of time and place
5. Cardinal number lone three
Indefinite adjective
6. Adjectives of Quality competent strict,fat,
7. Noun modifier research priority AACUP English
8. head noun output Projects accreditor instructor
s

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

1. Most adjectives of one syllable and some adjectives of two syllables are compared by
adding to the positive the ending er to form the comparative and est to form the
superlative.

Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree

big bigger biggest
kind kinder kindest
merry merrier merriest
smooth smoother smoothest
tall taller tallest

2. Adjectives of more than two syllables and others that would be difficult to pronounce
with the ending er and est compared by using more or most, and less or least.
 Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree
arrogant more arrogant most arrogant
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
caring more caring most caring
delicious more delicious most delicious
greasy less greasy most greasy

3. Some adjectives are compared irregularly.

Positive Degree Comparative Degree Superlative Degree

bad, evil, ill worse worst
far farther farthest
good, well better best
late later, latter latest, last
little less, lesser least
many, much more most
old older, elder oldest, eldest
top topmost
up upper upmost

4. A few adjectives, because of their meaning, do not admit comparison. Some of these
are:

Absolute Devoid Faultless Infinite Supreme

Alive Empty Final Level Square
Almighty Entire First Parallel Straight
American Equal Full Perfect Unanimous
Circular Essential Hawaiian Perpetual Unique
Complete Eternal Heavenly Proven Universal
Correct Everlasting Horizontal Round
Dead Fatal Immaculate Single

Points to Remember:
 Use an expression like more nearly square or less nearly round to express a difference of
degree.
 Avoid double comparison. Do not use the double comparative or the double superlative.
Incorrect: Our final performance is more better than yours.
Correct: Our final performance is better than yours.
 In comparing two persons, places, or things, use the comparative degree; for three or
more, use the superlative degree.
Incorrect: SCC-Jaguars has the most biggest number of contingents.
Correct: SCC-“Jaguars” has the most number of contingents.
SCC-“Jaguars” has the biggest number of contingents.

TROUBLESOME ADJECTIVES

1. small vs. little

Small is used for size (can be counted) while little is for mass or amount (cannot be counted)
 small glass
 little sugar
2. tall vs. high
Tall is for the idea of growth while high is for stature.
 tall trees
 high positions
3. good vs. well
Good is used in modifying noun or pronoun while well is for modifying verbs.
 good grades
  well nourished
4. less vs. few
Less is used to modify non count nouns while few is used to modify count nouns.
 less talk
 few words
5. much vs. many
Much is used to indicate amount (non count nouns) while many is used to indicate count
nouns.
 Much information
 Many books