Adjective and Its Types

Lecture No. 4 (i)

Zafar Ullah, zafarullah76@gmail.com
 Adjective

Definition: An adjective is a word that

modifies (describes) a noun or a pronoun.

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 8 Types of Adjective
1. Adjective of Quality
2. Adjective of Quantity
3. Adjective of Number
4. Proper Adjective
5. Demonstrative Adjective
6. Interrogative Adjective
7. Emphasizing Adjective
8. Exclamatory Adjective

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 TYPES OF ADJECTIVE
1. Adjective of Quality

It shows the kind and quality of a

person or thing.

Lahore is a large city.

Quaid-e-Azam was an honest man.

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 2. Adjectives of Quantity

It shows how much of a thing

is meant
He ate some rice.

He showed much patience.

He has lost all his wealth.
Shelly recommends a light blue venetian blind.
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3. Adjectives of Number/ Numeral Adjective

It shows how many persons or

things are meant

The hand has five fingers.

.I have taught you seven points.

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 i. Definite Numeral Adjective
It denotes an exact number
Cardinals: One, two, three
Ordinals: First, Second
ii. Indefinite Numeral Adjective
Which don’t denote an exact number
.All, no, many, few, some, any
iii. Distributive Numeral Adjective:
which refers to each one of a number
Shelly recommends a light blue venetian blind.
Each ,every, either, neither. PP 12-7
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 4. Proper Adjectives

Proper adjectives are proper nouns or

words derived from proper nouns that
function as adjectives.

We selected the Italian desk lamps.

Pakistani rice is famous all over the world.

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 5. Demonstrative Adjectives

The four demonstrative adjectives that

modify nouns are this, that, these,
those. These adjectives answer the
question which one? or which ones?

We recommend this computer monitor.

We will follow that safety regulation.
Many of these injuries are unnecessary.
Those keyboards cause discomfort.
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 6. Interrogative Adjectives

What, which, whose, when they are used with

nouns to ask questions

What manner of man is he?

Which way shall we go?
Whose book is this?
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 7. Emphasizing Adjectives

The words own and very are

used to emphasize nouns
I saw it with my own eyes.

That is the very thing I want.

My very friend deceived me.

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 8. Exclamatory Adjectives

The word what is sometimes used as an

Exclamatory Adjective
What a genius!
What an idea!

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 Form vs Degree
• Verb has forms
Watch, watched, watched, watching

• Adjective has degrees

Poor, poorer, poorest
Positive degree, comparative degree,
superlative degree
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Positive Degree

Use the positive degree as the base form of

the adjective to describe one person, place,
thing, quality, idea, or one group of things.
bright colour tall building
quiet printer high bid
This turquoise fabric is a bright colour.
He submitted a high bid. 14
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 Comparative Degree (+er)

Use the comparative degree to compare two

people, places, ideas, qualities, or things.
brighter colour taller building
quieter printer higher bid
This turquoise fabric is a brighter colour than
the gray fabric.
He submitted a higher bid on the computer
chairs than her.
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 Superlative Degree (+est)

Use the superlative degree to compare more

than two persons, places, or things.
brightest colour, tallest building
quietest printer ,highest bid
This turquoise fabric is the brightest colour of all
the fabric samples.
He submitted the highest bid of all the vendors.
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Three-Syllable Adjectives (more, most)

Positive Comparative Superlative

attractive more attractive most attractive

essential more essential most essential

efficient less efficient least efficient
complicated less complicated least complicated

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 Words Ending in y

Change the y to i and add er or est to form the

comparative and superlative degrees.
Positive Comparative Superlative

friendlier friendliest
friendly
busy busier busiest
heavier heaviest
heavy
happy happier happiest

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 Special Forms, Memorize

Some irregular adjectives change forms in their

comparative and superlative forms.
Positive Comparative Superlative
good better best
bad worse worst
little less, lesser littlest, least
many more most
much more most
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 Absolute Adjectives

They expresses the highest degree.

circular horizontal straight

complete ideal supreme
correct instantaneous unanimous
dead perfect unique
empty single vertical
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 Latter/Later/Last/Latest

Use latter to refer to the second of two

persons, places, or things mentioned.
Pakistan and India are neighbouring
countries. Former is my homeland and the
latter is my enemy.
The later time is suitable for me.
“Z” is the last letter of English alphabet.
Teenagers like the latest cell phones.

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 Order of Adjectives in a Sentence
Order Relating to Examples
1 opinion unusual, lovely, beautiful
2 size big, small, tall
3 Physical quality thin, rough, untidy
4 shape round, square, rectangular
5 age young, old, youthful
6 colour blue, red, pink
7 origin Dutch, Japanese, Turkish
8 material metal, wood, plastic
9 Type general-purpose, four-sided, U-shaped
10 Purpose cleaning, hammering, cooking
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 Examples
She was a 1beautiful, 2tall, 3thin, 5young, 6black-haired, 7Scottish woman.

What an 1amazing, 2little, 5old, 7Chinese cup and saucer!

It was made of a 1strange, 6green, 8metallic material.

It’s a 2long, 4narrow, 8plastic brush.

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