Proper adjectives, collective adjectives, demonstrative adjectives, attributive adjectives, predictive adjectives, interrogative adjectives, compound adjectives, quality and number adjectives are the major types of adjectives. In this blog, I’m describing types of adjectives.
Describing types of adjectives with examples
When a word described the quality, quantity, number, distance, and possession of given noun, is called adjective. Simply, adjective adds meanings or describes noun as per its nature.
Position of adjectives in sentence
Usually, adjectives are placed before noun or adjectives it qualify.
The Poor person, the rich man, a cleaver boy, the ruling party etc.
Grammatically, adjective is used to qualify or add information to “Nouns and Adjectives” but it cannot do so in terms of adverb or verb. Let’s see the major types of adjectives with usages in sentence.
- Himalaya is a lofty mountain.
- London is a capital city.
- He is a famous cricketer.
- I have gifted two footballs.
- Every student has applied for picnic.
- That park is far away.
In the above examples, lofty, capital, famous,two,every, that are used to describe, add meaning or qualify given nouns.
Except quality adjective, all other types of adjectives are derived from types of pronouns. Let’s see in detail the various types and examples of adjectives.
Understanding major types of adjectives
Here, I’m going to provide classification or major types of adjectives. Just take a look at the following classification.
1.Proper adjectives
Indian, Pakistani, American, Italian, Nordic, Gandhian, Arabian are the examples and types of proper adjectives. Proper adjectives are formed on the basis of proper nouns. It may be proper nouns of person, regions, countries, or things.
“Gandhian principles “truth and non-violence” are essential for global peace”.
“Indian Ocean has lots of marine resources”.
2. Compound types of adjectives
Top-right, last-minute, sugar-free, record-breaking, bottom-left, blue-green, Stress-free, are the examples and types of adjectives, especially, compound.
“Sugar-free food items are beneficial for diabetic patients”.
“Blue-green alage are autotrophic organisms”.
3. Demonstrative types of adjectives
This, these, that, those are the types of adjectives especially demonstrative.
“This attempt is my last chance to win the trophy”.
“These boys are my friends who were present in my marriage ceremony”.
“That bird is peacock I found in India”.
4. Interrogative types of adjectives
What, which, whose, are we use as interrogative adjectives.
Whose cell phone is this?
Which bird is this?
What book do you like?
5. Collective adjectives
The rich, poor, are called collective adjectives. Collective adjectives are used to indicate whole class.
The rich people always prefer top brands shoes.
The poor people depend on government policies and schemes.
6.Adjectives describing quality
Word used to describe nature, features and characteristics of given noun is termed as adjective of quality.
- Einstein was a great scientist.
- She is a smart and intelligent girl.
- Indonesia is a tropical country.
- Kenya has a Savannah grassland.
- Tom is a creative artist.
Great, smart, tropical, Savannah, and creative, all are the descriptions of given nouns — scientist, girl, country, grassland, artist etc.
7.Quantity showing adjective
If you describe how much about given things but in indefinite sense.
- Some colour is required to finish this building.
- Enough food is left for them.
- All people are excited.
- The place receives sufficient amount ofsunshine.
Some, enough, all sufficient are used to describe the indefinite quantity of given nouns.
8.Numbers showing adjectives
When a word is used to describe numbers whether they are definite or indefinite like few, many, several, each, either are called adjectives of numbers. To know better, just ask how many.
- We have two mobile phones. (Countable number)
- My brother is the first student who got masters degree. (Ordinal number)
- Several people are waiting for tickets. ( Indefinite numerical number)
- Every student is well prepared. (Distributive adjective)
Two, first, several, every, each are adjectives describing numbers.
9.Attributive and predictive types adjectives
In english grammar, adjective is a word used to describe or qualify person, things or any form of noun. Usually, it precedes other adjectives or noun that is described. Like other parts of speech, adjective too have many forms. Here, I’m going to explain the difference between attributive and predicative adjectives in detail.
Attributive adjective meaning and examples
Attributive adjective describes the qualities, nature, characteristics of persons, things, and animals that it qualify. It helps to make noun in question more specific and understandable.
- Honda launches a sporty, stylish bike.
Here, sporty and stylish attributes describe the bike that Honda is planning to launch.
- Tiger is a ferocious, solitary, and carnivorous animal.
In this example, ferocious, solitary, carnivorous are the specific attributes of tiger, and these are usually taken as subject or object in the form of noun phrase.
If you go through the above examples, you will get the understanding about attributive adjective.
Predicative adjective meaning and examples
Predicative adjective is a word that qualify noun and is linked by linking verb. It is also called subject complement as it is used in the predicative part connected with linking verb. Unlike, other forms of adjectives that appear anywhere, predicative adjectives only used in the predicate.
- He is alone.
- They are alike.
- Child is afraid.
- John is upset.
- Now, Maria is well.
- We are quite aware now.
Alone, alike, afraid, upset, well, aware, asleep etc. are the common examples of predicative adjectives found in predicate of sentence.
Collective adjectives and definite article
Collective adjective is a word that represents whole class of similar characteristics of person or thing.
Usually, definite article”The” is used to point out collective adjectives. Let’s see some examples of collective adjectives and definite article.
- The rich are influential people.
- The common people are struggling to earn daily livelihood
- The homeless demand government help.
So far, we have learnt something about the major difference between attributive and predicative adjectives. Attributive adjectives are free to use irrespective of compulsion but predicative has.
Apart from these, demonstrative adjectives like that, this, those, these are to describe noun that is near or far away.
Interrogative adjectives used with noun to ask questions such as whose pen, which student..?
And, finally, possessive adjective describes possession of the noun has. All the above knowledge regarding.
Order of adjectives in English grammar
When you use more than one adjectives in a single sentence, certain order is followed. Here are the order of adjectives I’m going to provide here.
a) Opinion (good, bad, lovely)
b) Measurements (big, small, tiny, huge)
c) Shape (curved, straight, round)
d) Condition (wet, dry, clean, sad, happy)
e) Age (,old, young, new, ancient)
f) Color (Red, blue, transparent,)
g) Pattern (,checked, stripped, plaid)
h) Origin (American, British, eastern,)
i) Material (Wooden, plastic, steel)
j) Purpose (sleeping, shoping, work, gardening)
These are the order of adjectives you should use it there is more than one adjectives in a single sentence. This is all about the describing types of adjectives.
Explaining role of complements
Describing correct use of adverb
Describing subject verb agreement