Warning: This Content is HIGHLY COPYRIGHT MATERIAL and part of the book Syntax by Abirlal Mukhopadhyay, and must not be reproduced.
An adjective is a word used to add some information to the meaning of a noun. In other words we may say an adjective is the qualifier of a noun. Adjectives serve as the head of an adjective phrase. Used alone or with one or more modifiers. Adjectives have two characteristic features: pre-modifier of a noun and subject predicative.
Examples:
He is a brave boy.
The girl has red hair.
He came with a blue car.
The moon is red today.
There are twenty boys in the room.
Kinds of Adjectives
Adjective of Quality or Descriptive Adjective
The adjectives showing the qualities or describing the qualities of a noun. Adjectives which are formed from proper nouns ( e.g. English man, Japanese mom, Indian tea) are called proper adjectives. They come under the Descriptive Adjective or Adjective of Quality.
For example:
I have a small room.
He is a nice man.
Kolkata is a large city.
Krish is an intelligent boy.
Adjective of Quantity
It shows the amount of a thing or how much a thing is meant.
For example:
I have no money.
Take great care of your health.
Give me some time.
They have little time.
He has a lot of patience.
I ate some fruits.
Numeral Adjectives or Adjective of Number
It denotes the ordinal or cardinal number to specify a noun. Adjectives of number are of three kinds:
Which denotes the exact number, is called definite numeral adjective; as One, Two, Three, Four…
Which does not denote an exact number, is called indefinite numeral adjectives. Adjective of quantity and indefinite numeral adjective are much similar; as Many, Some, Few, All, Much, Any, Certain, Several, Sundry…
Which refers to each one of a number, is called distributive numeral adjective; as Each, Either, Neither, Every…
For example:
We have two hands.
Few people care for others.
All men must die.
There is no coin in my bag.
Most people like tea.
Demonstrative Adjective
Demonstrative adjective demonstrates which person or thing it means.
For example:
We love such festivals.
This book is old.
That forest we visited.
Interrogative Adjectives
When an adjective asks a question about a noun, it is called an interrogative adjective.
For example:
What manner of teacher is he?
Whose mobile is this?
Which way shall we go?
Comparison of Adjective/ Degree
In syntactic practice when we compare adjectives according to their qualities, it is known as degree in English grammar. We are well acquainted with the practice of degree changing. The word degree is derived from Latin demeaning down and gradus meaning a step. In English grammar, degree is one of the three major forms used in the qualitative comparison of adjectives and adverbs. Three types of degree are:
Positive Degree or Base Degree
We call it base degree as the adjective does not involve itself to any comparison and stands with its original form and modifies a subject.
Examples:
I got a nice keyboard.
He is a smart boy.
Give me a good toy.
It is a small mouse.
She is a nice sister.
Comparative Degree
In comparative degree we compare one adjective to another one in terms of quality. In simple words we make the comparison between two adjectives. In most of the cases ‘-er’ is suffixed after the adjective, but when it can’t be suffixed, we add the word ‘more’ before the adjective. Now follow the examples.
Example:
He is stronger than his father.
My watch is smarter than yours.
She is more beautiful than a goddess.
It is more tasty than the mango.
Superlative Degree
Superlative degree compares itself to all others and asserts itself as superior to them. In most of the cases ‘-est’ is added after the adjective, but when it can’t be suffixed, we add the word ‘most’ before the adjective.
Example:
He is the strongest player on our team.
My watch is the smartest in this generation.
She is the most beautiful woman in the world.
It is the most tasty mango I have ever eaten.
I saw the most attractive bird in the forest.
Regular Adjectives
The adjectives which can be switched from positive/superlative to comperative by using ‘-er’ or ‘more’ and from positive/comparative to superlative by using ‘-est’ or ‘most’.
angry-angrier-angriest
beautiful-more beautiful-most beautiful
big-bigger-biggest
boring-more boring-most boring
cheap-cheaper-cheapest
clean-cleaner-cleanest
clever-clevere-rcleverest
close-closer-closest
cold-colder-coldest
cool-cooler-coolest
crazy-crazier-craziest
crispy-crispier-crispiest
cute-cuter-cutest
dark-darker-darkest
deep-deeper-deepest
dirty-dirtier-dirtiest
dry-drier-driest
early-earlier-earliest
easy-easier-easiest
expensive-more expensive-most expensive
fast-faster-fastest
fat-fatter-fattest
few-fewer-fewest
fit-fitter-fittest
flat-flatter-flattest
fresh-fresher-freshest
funny-funnier-funniest
great-greater-greatest
hairy-hairier-hairiest
happy-happier-happiest
healthy-healthier-healthiest
heavy-heavier-heaviest
high-higher-highest
hot-hotter-hottest
hungry-hungrier-hungriest
interesting-more interesting-most interesting
kind-kinder-kindest
large-larger-largest
late-later-latest
light-lighter-lightest
little-littler-littlest
long-longer-longest
loud-louder-loudest
low-lower-lowest
modern-more moder-nmost modern
near-nearer-nearest
new-newer-newest
nice-nicer-nicest
old-older-oldest
poor-poorer-poorest
popular-more popular-most popular
quick-quicker-quickest
rich-richer-richest
sad-sadder-saddest
salty-saltier-saltiest
scary-scarier-scariest
short-shorter-shortest
skinny-skinnier-skinniest
slow-slower-slowest
small-smaller-smallest
smart-smarter-smartest
soft-softer-softest
strong-stronger-strongest
tall-taller-tallest
thick-thicker-thickest
tired-more tired-most tired
ugly-uglier-ugliest
warm-warmer-warmest
weak-weaker-weakest
wet-wetter-wettest
wide-wider-widest
young-younger-youngest
Irregular Adjectives
The adjectives that do not follow the same rules of regular adjectives.
good-better-best
bad-worse-worst
much-more-most
far-further-furthest
less-lesser-least
many-more-most
well-better-best
Exercises
A. Answer the following questions.
a. Write the use of adjective with supporting examples.
b. Name all the possible kinds of adjectives.
c. What is an adjective of quality or descriptive adjective. Give examples.
d. How demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns are different from each other? Explain with examples.
e. What are the degrees of comparison? Name the three degrees.
f. What is positive degree? How it is used?
g. What is superlative degree? Give example.
h. What is comperative degree? Give example.
B. Identify the adjectives from the following sentences and name them.
a. I ate some rice.
b. Kolkata is a large city.
c. He has no sense.
d. The hand has five fingers.
e. He has little intelligence.
f. Sunday is the first day of the week.
g. He is an honest man.
h. This is my car.
i. Which way shall you go?
j. I hate such things.
k. Whose book is this?
l. He is a man of few words.
m. What time is it?
n. He comes here every day.
o. Every man has his duties.
p. I have called several times.
