English Grammar Parts of Speech – Adjective | Exercises | Notes
ADJECTIVES
An adjective is a word that qualifies or adds something to the meaning of a noun.
1. The lazy boy was punished.
2. The boy is lazy.
In sentence 1, the adjective lazy is used along with the noun boy as an epithet or attribute. It is therefore, said to be used attributively.
In sentence 2, the adjective lazy is used along with the verb is, and forms part of the predicate. It is therefore, said to be used predicatively.
Some adjectives can be used only predicatively.
e.g. She is afraid of ghosts.
I am quite well.
See Also:
Types of Adjectives
Adjective of Quality (Descriptive adjective)
It shows the kind or quality of a person or thing, e.g.jKolkata is a large city.
He is an honest man.
Note : Adjectives of quality answer the question : of what kind?
Adjectives of Quantity
It shows how much of a thing is meant, e.g.1 ate some rice.
He has little intelligence.
Adjective of Number (Numeral adjectives)
It shows how many persons or things are meant, or in what order a person or thing stands.
e.g. The hand has five fingers.
There are no pictures in this book.
Types of Numeral Adjectives :
(i) Definite numeral adjectives :
This denotes an exact number.
Cardinals : One, two, three, etc.
Ordinals : First, second, third, etc.
(ii) Indefinite numeral adjectives :
Which do not denote an exact number. All, no, many, few, some, any, certain, several, sundry.
(iii) Distributive numeral adjectives : They refer to each one of a number.
e.g. Each boy must take his turn.
Every word of it is false.
Either pen will do.
Adjectives of quantity:
e.g. I ate some rice.
He has lost all his wealth.
You have no sense.
Adjectives of Number
e.g. Some boys are clever.
All men must die.
There are no pictures in this book.
Demonstrative adjectives
They denote which person or thing is meant.
e.g. This boy is stronger than Hari.
These mangoes are sour.
Interrogative adjectives
What, which, and whose are used with nouns to ask questions and are called interrogative adjectives.
e.g. What manner of man is he?
Which way shall we go?
Emphasizing adjectives
In the following sentences, the words own and very are used as emphasizing adjectives, e.g. I saw it with my own eyes.
Exclamatory adjectives
The word what is sometimes used as an exclamatory adjectives.
e.g .What a genius !
What an idea!
9. This and that are the only Adjectives which are inflected or changed in form to show number.
e.g. This girl sings. .
These girls sing.
This, these indicate something near to speaker. That, those indicate more distant object.
| Noun | Adjective | Noun | Adjective |
| boy | boyish | dint | dinty |
| fool | foolish | gift | gifted |
| play | playful | hope | hopeful |
| Some Adjectives are formed from verbs. | |||
| Verb | Adjectives | Verb | Adjectives |
| tire | tireless | cease | ceaseless |
| talk | talkative | move | moveless |
| Some Adjectives are adjectives formed from other. | |||
| Adjective | Adjective | Adjective | Adjective |
| tragic | tragical | black | blackish |
| whole | wholesome white | whitish | |
| three | threefold | sick | sickly. |
Comparison of Adjectives
Adjectives have three degrees of comparison.
1. Positive degree
It express the common form of an adjective, e.g. Rahul is a tall boy.
In the above sentence, tall is an adjective and expresses the common form.
2. Comparative degree
It express the more of the same form, e.g. Rahul is taller than Himanshu.
In the above sentence, taller is an adjective that expresses the more of the common form of the adjective tall.
The comparative degree of an adjective denotes a higher degree of the quality than the positive, and is used when two things are compared.
3. Superlative degree
It expresses the most of the common form of an adjective.
e.g. Rahul is tallest of all.
The superlative degree of an adjective denotes the highest degree of the quality, and is used when more than two things are compared. The superlative with most is sometimes used where there is no idea of comparison, but merely a desire to indicate the possession of a quality in a very high degree. e.g. This is most unfortunate.
This usage is called superlative of eminence or absolute superlative.
Formation of Comparative and Superlative
1. Most adjectives of one syllable, and some of more than one, form the comparative by adding er and the superlative by adding est to the positive degree.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Sweet Sweeter Sweetest
Tall Taller Tallest
Young Younger Youngest
(i) When the positive degree ends in ‘e’, only ‘r‘ is added to make it comparative and only st is added to make it superlative.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Brave Braver Bravest
White Whiter Whitest
Large Larger Largest
(ii) When the positive ends in y, preceded by a consonant, they is changed into i before adding er and est.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Happy Happier Happiest
Easy Easier Easiest
Heavy Heavier Heaviest
(iii)When the positive is a word of one syllable and ends in a single consonant, preceded by a short vowel, this consonant is doubled before adding er and est.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Red Redder Reddest
Big Bigger Biggest
Hot Hotter Hottest
2. Adjectives of more than two syllables, and many of those with two, form the comparative by using the adverb more with the positive, and the superlative by using the adverb most with the positive.
Positive Comparative Superlative
Splendid more splendid most splendid
Difficult more difficult most difficult
Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
Proper more proper most proper
3. The comparative in er is not used when we compare two qualities in the same person or thing.
If we wish to say that courage of Rahul is greater than the courage of Himanshu, we say, Rahul is braver than Himanshu.
But if we wish to say that the courage of Rahul is greater than his prudence, we must say, Rahul is more brave than prudent.
4. When two objects are compared with each other, the latter term of comparison must exclude the former.
e.g. Iron is more useful than any other metal.
Irregular Comparison
1. The following Adjectives are compared irregularly, i.e. their comparative and superlative are not formed from the positive.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Good, well | better | best |
| Bad, evil, ill | worse | worst |
| Little | less, lesser | least |
| Much | more | most(quantity) |
| Many | more | most(number) |
2. The double form of the comparative and superlative of the adjectives are used in different ways.
(i) Later, Latter, Latest, Last
Later and latest refer to time; latter and last refer to position.
e.g. He is later than I expected.
I have not heard the latest news.
The latter chapters are lacking in interest.
Ours is the last house in the street.
(ii) Elder, older, eldest, oldest
Elder and eldest are used only of persons, not of animal or things; and are now confined to members of the same family.
Elder is not used with than following. Older and oldest are used of both persons and things.
e.g. John is my elder brother.
Tom is my eldest, son.
He is older than his sister.
– Rahul is the oldest boy in the seven.
(iii) Farther, Further
Farther means more distant or advanced. Further means additional. e.g. Delhi is farther from the equator than Chennai.
After this he made no further remarks.
(iv) Nearest, next
Nearest denotes distance; next denotes position.
e.g. Mumbai is the seaport nearest to Europe.
My uncle lives in the next house.
3. Certain English comparatives have lost their comparative meaning and are used as positive. They cannot be followed by than. These are :
Former, latter, elder, hinder, upper, neither, inner, outer, utter.
e.g. My elder brother is an engineer.
This man is an utter fool.
4. Certain comparatives borrowed from Latin have no positive or superlative degree. They all end in or, not, er. They are twelve in all. Five of them have lost their comparative meaning, and are used as positive adjectives. These are :
Interior, exterior, ulterior, major, minor.
e.g. The exterior wall of the house is made of stone.
His age is a matter of minor importance. Other seven are used as comparative adjectives but are followed by to instead of than.
5. The comparative degree is generally followed by than, but comparative Adjectives ending in or are followed by the preposition to inferior, superior, prior, anterior, posterior, senior, junior.
e.g. Rahul’s intelligence is superior to Hari’s. He is junior to all his colleagues.
6. Adjectives expressing qualities that do not admit of different degrees cannot, strictly speaking, be compared.
e.g. Square, round, perfect, eternal, universal, unique.
Strictly speaking, a thing can not be more perfect.
But we use that word in daily usage.
e.g. This is the most perfect specimen I have seen.
Interchange of the Degree of Comparison
It is possible to change the degree of comparison of an adjective in a sentence, without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Superlative.
Lead is the heariest of all metals.
Comparative.
Lead is heavier than all other metals.
Comparative.
Bangalore is cooler than Hyderabad.
Positive.
Hyderabad is not as cool as Bangalore.
Adjectives used as Nouns
1. Adjectives sire often used as Nouns
(i) As plural nouns denoting a class of persons.
e.g. The cautious are not always cowards.
The rich know not how the poor live.
(ii) As singular nouns denoting some abstract quality.
e.g. The future is unknown to us.
He is a lover of the beautiful.
2. The use of Nouns as Adjectives is very common in English.
e.g.I met a little cottage girl.
The Rajan lives in a marble palace.
Position of the Adjectives
1. A single Adjective used attributively is generally placed immediately before the noun.
e.g. a great nobleman’s son. a nobleman’s great son.
2. In poetry, however, the Adjective is frequently placed after the noun.
e.g. Children dear, was it yesterday.
We heard the sweet bells over the bay.
3. When several Adjectives are attached to one noun they are generally placed after it for emphasis.
e.g. There dwelt a miller hale and bold.
4. When some word or phrase is joined to the Adjective to explain its meaning, the Adjective is placed after its noun.
e.g. He was a man fertile m resource.
5. In certain phrases the Adjective always come after the noun.
e.g. Heir apparent, time immemorial, lord – paramount, viceroy elect, letters patent, notary public.
Correct Use of some Adjectives
1. Some, any
To express quantity or degree some is used in affirmative sentences, any in negative or interrogative sentences.
e.g. I shall buy some mangoes.
I shall not buy any mangoes.
Have you bought any mangoes?
But some is correctly used in questions which are really commands or requests.
e.g. Will you please lend me some money?
2. Each, Every
Each and every are similar in meaning, but every is a stronger word than each; it means, ‘each without exception’.
Each is used in speaking of two or more things; every is used only in speaking of more than two. Each directs attention to the individuals forming any group, every to the total group. Each is used only when the number in the group is limited and definite; every when the number is indefinite.
e.g. Every seat was taken.
Leap year falls in every fourth year.
3. Little, a little, the little
Little : not much (i.e. hardly any). , Thus, the adjective little has a nega ive meaning. –
e.g. There is little hope of his recovery.
He has little influence with his old followers.
A little : Some though not much.
A little has a positive meaning.
e.g. There is a little hope of his recovery.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The little : not much, but all there is.
e.g.The little information he had was not quite reliable.
4. Few, A few, The few Few : not many, hardly any.
Few has a negative meaning.
e.g. Few persons can keep a secret.
Few men are free from faults.
A few : some.
A few has a positive meaning, and is opposed to none.
e.g. A few words spoken in earnest will convince him.
A few parsees write Gujrati correctly.
The few : not many, but all there are. .
e.g. The few remarks that he made were very suggestive.
The few friends he has are all very poor