Classifications of Adjectives.
11 Types of Adjectives in English with Examples
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns.
In general, two main types of adjectives are:
1. Descriptive adjectives describe quality of the noun.
While,
2. Limiting adjectives limit the noun being described.
Table of Contents
1. Descriptive Adjectives
i. Attributive Adjectives
ii. Predicate Adjectives
2. Limiting Adjectives
i. Definite & Indefinite Articles
ii. Possessive Adjectives
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives
iv. Interrogative Adjectives
v. Indefinite Adjective
vi. Cardinal Adjectives
vii. Ordinal Adjectives
viii. Proper Adjectives
ix. Nouns Used as Adjectives
1: Descriptive Adjectives
What is a descriptive adjective in English?
Generally, a descriptive adjective is probably what you think of when you hear the word “adjective.” Descriptive adjectives describe nouns and pronouns.
In fact, descriptive adjectives can be attributive adjectives or predicate adjectives.
i. Attributive Adjectives
Adjectives which appear directly beside the noun, most commonly before, are called attributive, because they attribute a quality to the noun they modify. And, more than one adjective can modify the same noun.
Examples:
The flowers have a nice smell. (“Nice” is an attributive adjective, as it is placed).
The chatter made the room noisy. (This is an instance in which the attributive adjective appears directly behind the noun. “Noisy” is describing the “room.”)
ii. Predicate Adjectives
Adjectives which appear after a linking verb are predicative adjectives, because they form part of the predicate. Hence, they modify the subject of the sentence or clause (a clause is a portion of a sentence which contains a subject and a predicate).
Examples:
The pickles are salty. (noun: pickle, linking verb: are, adjective: salty (describing the noun”pickles”)
Tornadoes appear menacing. (noun: tornadoes, linking verb: appear, adjective: menacing (describing the noun “tornadoes”)
2: Limiting Adjectives
Limiting adjectives do as their name suggests, they limit the noun being described. Generally, there are nine types of limiting adjectives as follows:
i. Definite & Indefinite Articles
ii. Possessive Adjectives
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives
iv. Interrogative Adjectives
v. Indefinite Adjective
vi. Cardinal Adjectives
vii. Ordinal Adjectives
viii. Proper Adjectives
ix. Nouns Used as Adjectives
i. Definite & Indefinite Articles
There is only one definite article, the. When used before a noun, it specifies a particular noun as opposed to any one.
Examples:
The cat (a specific, identifiable cat)
The cottages (specific, identifiable cottages)
There are two indefinite articles, a and an. These are used with a noun when a specific noun is not being pointed at.
Examples:
A lion (any lion)
An ant (any ant)
ii. Possessive Adjectives
The possessive adjectives my, your, his, her, its, our, and their modify nouns by showing possession or ownership.
Examples:
I forgot my key at home.
What is your phone number?
The bookstore sold his favorite book.
After many years, they returned to their homeland.
We’ll make our decision and contact the people involved.
The cat chased its ball down the stairs and into the backyard.
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives
What are demonstrative adjectives in English?
The demonstrative adjectives “this,” “these,” “that,” “those,” and “what” are identical to the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases.
Examples:
That dog is so adorable.
He lives in this house.
My friend preferred those plates.
These books are too expensive.
The relationship between a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that between a interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun.
iv. Interrogative Adjectives
What is an interrogative adjective in English?
An interrogative adjective (“which” or “what”) is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own (see also demonstrative adjectives and possessive adjectives).
Examples:
Which method is likely to produce the best results?
What subject did you enjoy most?
v. Indefinite Adjectives (quatifiers)
What is an indefinite adjective in English?
An indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.
Examples:
Many people continue to ignore warnings about the dangers of sunbathing.
The examiners can pitch on any student to answer questions.
There were a few people sitting at the back of the hall.
All children should be taught to swim.
vi. Cardinal Adjectives
Adjectives that modify the noun by numbering it (stating how many) are cardinal adjectives.
Examples:
Five pens
Six tables
vii. Ordinal Adjectives
An ordinal adjective indicates the position of a noun in a series.
Examples:
The first date
The third month
viii.Proper Adjectives
Adjectives derived from proper names are called proper adjectives. They are easily recognizable in that they are always capitalized.
Examples:
Japanese food
Russian opera
ix. Nouns Used as Adjectives
Sometimes nouns can be used as adjectives to define or describe another noun.
Examples:
The computer exhibition
A history teacher
List of Adjectives.
11 Types of Adjectives in English with Examples
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns.
In general, two main types of adjectives are:
1. Descriptive adjectives describe quality of the noun.
While,
2. Limiting adjectives limit the noun being described.
Table of Contents
1. Descriptive Adjectives
i. Attributive Adjectives
ii. Predicate Adjectives
2. Limiting Adjectives
i. Definite & Indefinite Articles
ii. Possessive Adjectives
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives
iv. Interrogative Adjectives
v. Indefinite Adjective
vi. Cardinal Adjectives
vii. Ordinal Adjectives
viii. Proper Adjectives
ix. Nouns Used as Adjectives
1: Descriptive Adjectives
What is a descriptive adjective in English?
Generally, a descriptive adjective is probably what you think of when you hear the word “adjective.” Descriptive adjectives describe nouns and pronouns.
In fact, descriptive adjectives can be attributive adjectives or predicate adjectives.
i. Attributive Adjectives
Adjectives which appear directly beside the noun, most commonly before, are called attributive, because they attribute a quality to the noun they modify. And, more than one adjective can modify the same noun.
Examples:
The flowers have a nice smell. (“Nice” is an attributive adjective, as it is placed).
The chatter made the room noisy. (This is an instance in which the attributive adjective appears directly behind the noun. “Noisy” is describing the “room.”)
ii. Predicate Adjectives
Adjectives which appear after a linking verb are predicative adjectives, because they form part of the predicate. Hence, they modify the subject of the sentence or clause (a clause is a portion of a sentence which contains a subject and a predicate).
Examples:
The pickles are salty. (noun: pickle, linking verb: are, adjective: salty (describing the noun”pickles”)
Tornadoes appear menacing. (noun: tornadoes, linking verb: appear, adjective: menacing (describing the noun “tornadoes”)
2: Limiting Adjectives
Limiting adjectives do as their name suggests, they limit the noun being described. Generally, there are nine types of limiting adjectives as follows:
i. Definite & Indefinite Articles
ii. Possessive Adjectives
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives
iv. Interrogative Adjectives
v. Indefinite Adjective
vi. Cardinal Adjectives
vii. Ordinal Adjectives
viii. Proper Adjectives
ix. Nouns Used as Adjectives
i. Definite & Indefinite Articles
There is only one definite article, the. When used before a noun, it specifies a particular noun as opposed to any one.
Examples:
The cat (a specific, identifiable cat)
The cottages (specific, identifiable cottages)
There are two indefinite articles, a and an. These are used with a noun when a specific noun is not being pointed at.
Examples:
A lion (any lion)
An ant (any ant)
ii. Possessive Adjectives
The possessive adjectives my, your, his, her, its, our, and their modify nouns by showing possession or ownership.
Examples:
I forgot my key at home.
What is your phone number?
The bookstore sold his favorite book.
After many years, they returned to their homeland.
We’ll make our decision and contact the people involved.
The cat chased its ball down the stairs and into the backyard.
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives
What are demonstrative adjectives in English?
The demonstrative adjectives “this,” “these,” “that,” “those,” and “what” are identical to the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases.
Examples:
That dog is so adorable.
He lives in this house.
My friend preferred those plates.
These books are too expensive.
The relationship between a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that between a interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun.
iv. Interrogative Adjectives
What is an interrogative adjective in English?
An interrogative adjective (“which” or “what”) is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own (see also demonstrative adjectives and possessive adjectives).
Examples:
Which method is likely to produce the best results?
What subject did you enjoy most?
v. Indefinite Adjectives (quatifiers)
What is an indefinite adjective in English?
An indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.
Examples:
Many people continue to ignore warnings about the dangers of sunbathing.
The examiners can pitch on any student to answer questions.
There were a few people sitting at the back of the hall.
All children should be taught to swim.
vi. Cardinal Adjectives
Adjectives that modify the noun by numbering it (stating how many) are cardinal adjectives.
Examples:
Five pens
Six tables
vii. Ordinal Adjectives
An ordinal adjective indicates the position of a noun in a series.
Examples:
The first date
The third month
viii.Proper Adjectives
Adjectives derived from proper names are called proper adjectives. They are easily recognizable in that they are always capitalized.
Examples:
Japanese food
Russian opera
ix. Nouns Used as Adjectives
Sometimes nouns can be used as adjectives to define or describe another noun.
Examples:
The computer exhibition
A history teacher
List of Adjectives.
Character and Personality
Character traits are qualities or characteristics that describe what a person is like. Here is a list of adjectives to describe character and personality in English.
List of Adjectives that Describe Personality
- Anxious
- Naughty
- Stubborn
- Sensitive
- Intelligent
- Nice
- Emotional
- Bad-tempered
- Nervous
- Mean
- Distracted
- Dishonest
- Rude
- Discreet
- Crazy
- Cheeky
- Cheerful
- Energetic
- Untidy
- Pessimistic
- Optimistic
- Unpleasant
- Talkative
- Calm
- Passionate
- Proud
- Sincere
- Lazy
- Lively
- Funny
- Silly
- Shy
- Determined
- Versatile
- Sociable
- Worried
- Thoughtful
- Humble
- Friendly
- Frank
- Obedient
- Honest
- Fearless
- Unfriendly
- Generous
- Compassionate
- Warm-hearted
- Disobedient
- Straightforward
- Selfish
- Imaginative
- Placid
- Jealous
- Helpful
- Enthusiastic
- Persistent
- Sensible
- Rational
- Reserved
- Self-confident
- Bossy
- Plucky
- Patient
- Impatient
- Easygoing
- Careless
- Messy
- Hard-working
- Creative
- Broad-minded
- Faithful
- Kind
- Courageous
- Loyal
- Modest
- Tidy
- Confident
- Attentive
- Loving
- Reliable
- Scared
- Conscientious
- Good-tempered
- Careful
- Gentle
- Neat
- Dynamic
- Fair-minded
- Impartial
- Supportive
- Timid
- Intellectual
- Brave
- Ambitious
- Polite
- Happy
- Romantic
- Diplomatic
- Courteous
- Humorous
- Self-disciplined
- Popular
- Smart
- Serious
- Hypocritical
- Adventurous
Feelings and Emotions Adjective List
- Happy
- Afraid
- Sad
- Hot
- Amused
- Bored
- Anxious
- Confident
- Cold
- Suspicious
- Surprised
- Loving
- Curious
- Envious
- Jealous
- Miserable
- Confused
- Stupid
- Angry
- Sick
- Ashamed
- Withdrawn
- Indifferent
- Sorry
- Determined
- Crazy
- Bashful
- Depressed
- Enraged
- Frightened
- Interested
- Shy
- Hopeful
- Regretful
- Scared
- Stubborn
- Thirsty
- Guilty
- Nervous
- Embarrassed
- Disgusted
- Proud
- Ecstatic
- Lonely
- Frustrated
- Hurt
- Hungry
- Tired
- Smug
- Thoughtful
- Pained
- Optimistic
- Relieved
- Puzzled
- Shocked
- Joyful
- Sleepy
- Excited
- Skeptical
- Bad
- Worried
describing people‘s looks and appearance.
Physical Appearance Adjectives List
Describing General Appearance
- Beautiful
- Pretty
- Elegant
- Funny
- Cute
- Handsome
- Gorgeous
- Ugly
- Attractive
Describing Someone’s Age
- Young
- Middle-aged
- Old
Describing Someone’s Build
- Well-Built
- Plump
- Thin
- Fat
- Slim
Describing Someone’s Height
- Short
- Medium-height
- Tall
Describing Someone’s Eyes
- Blue
- Brown
- Small
- Big round
- Oval
- Wear glasses
Describing Someone’s Face
- Round
- Oval
- Square
- Long
Describing Someone’s Nose
- Straight
- Hooked
- Long
- Small
- Turned-up
- Describing Someone’s Mouth
- Large
- Small
Describing Someone’s Lips
- Full
- Curved
- Thin
Describing Someone’s Ears
- Large
- Small
Common Opposite Adjectives Examples
- Slow – Fast
- Thick – Thin
- Straight – Curly
- Light – Heavy
- Loose – Tight
- Beautiful – Ugly
- Big – Small
- Strong – Weak
- Healthy – Sick
- Low – High
- Poor – Wealthy
- Short – Tall
- Thin – Fat
- Insane – Sane
- Bad – Good
- Straight – Crooked
- Deep – Shallow
- Dark – Light
- Lazy – Hard-working
- Brave – Cowardly
- Cheap – Expensive
- Distant – Near
- Modern – Ancient
- Delicious – Awful
- Wide – Narrow
- Talkative – Taciturn
- Healthy – Sick
- Careful – Careless
- Pessimistic – Optimistic
- Tidy – Messy
- Patient – Impatient
- Friendly – Unfriendly
- Cold – Hot
- Dishonest – Honest
- Happy – Unhappy
- Selfish – Generous
Forming Compound Adjectives | Image
Compound adjectives can be formed as follows:
Adjective + Past participle
- narrow-minded
He was too narrow-minded and prejudiced and bigoted.
- high-spirited
Sophie’s a high-spirited young girl.
- old-fashioned
An old-fashioned bell tinkled as he pushed open the door.
- short-haired
He was dancing with a short-haired woman.
- absent-minded
The actress was so absent-minded that she fluffed her lines.
- strong-willed
She’s very strong-willed and if she’s decided to leave school, nothing will stop her.
- quick-witted
He proved himself a quick-witted negotiator.
- kind-hearted
Everyone says he is a kind-hearted man.
Adverb + Past Participle
- well-behaved
He is an obedient and well-behaved child.
- well-educated
I come from a well-educated family.
- densely-populated
The Republic of Malta is a small and densely-populated island nation in southern Europe.
- widely-recognized
She’s a widely-recognized expert in technology.
- highly-respected
Our speaker tonight is a highly-respected scholar.
- brightly-lit
He walked into the brightly-lit kitchen, opened the fridge, took out a bottle of water.
Noun + Past Participle
- sun-baked
We strolled along the sun-baked streets of Naples.
- child-wanted
I wanted to buy my daughter the most child-wanted toy.
- middle-aged
I noticed two middle-aged passengers.
Noun + Present Participle
- English-speaking
United Kingdom is an English-speaking country.
- time-saving
We spend a fortune on the latest time-saving gadgets.
- record-breaking
The show had a record-breaking run in the London theatre.
- mouth-watering
The waitress came round with a tray of mouth-watering cream cakes.
- thought-provoking
The film had a thought-provoking message.
Adjective + Present Participle
- good-looking
He was tall and quite good-looking.
- long-lasting
The impact of divorce on children can be long-lasting.
- slow-moving
He was stuck in a line of slow-moving traffic.
- far-reaching
Our findings have far-reaching consequences for researchers.
Adverb + Present Participle
- never-ending
Writing a dictionary is a never-ending task.
- forward-thinking
Some forward-thinking politicians are proposing reforms to the educational system.
Noun + Adjective
- world-famous
His books are world-famous.
- ice-cold
I’d love an ice-cold beer.
- smoke-free
This is a smoke-free restaurant.
Adjective + Noun
- full-length
A full-length portrait of the Queen hung on the wall.
- last-minute
It was a last-minute decision.
Noun + Noun
- part-time
We have 20 part-time members of staff .
Adjective + Adjective
- fat-free
You can put it over frozen yogurt, fat-free ice cream, whatever you like.
What is an adjective clause? Learn the adjective clause definition and useful grammar rules to use adjective clauses in English sentences with useful examples.
Table of Contents
Adjective Clause
What Is an Adjective Clause?Relative Pronouns Can Introduce Adjective ClausesEssential and Non-essential Adjective ClausesEssential Adjective ClausesNon-essential Adjective ClauseAdjective Clauses
Adjective Clause
What Is an Adjective Clause?
To understand what an adjective clause is, we need to define the two words separately.
An adjective is a word that tells more information about a noun. A clause is a multi-word that features a subject and a verb. A sentence is considered complete if the clause expresses a complete thought. If it doesn’t, then it is referred to as dependent a clause because it depends on the main clause of the sentence to express a complete thought. In other words, an adjective clause is a multi-word that contains a subject and a verb that tells more information about a noun in a sentence. Adjective clauses depend on other clauses in a sentence to express a complete thought, and that’s why they are referred to as dependent clauses.
Relative Pronouns Can Introduce Adjective Clauses
All adjective clauses begin with a relative pronoun. Some of the most used relative pronouns include: who, whose, which, whoever, whomever, that, and where.
Relative pronouns mark the beginning of an adjective clause in a sentence. Here the most important thing is to spot a relative pronoun because adjective clauses follow them. They function as actual subjects and at times the objects in the adjective clauses.
Examples of adjective clauses in a sentence include:
People who are true patriots love their country unconditionally.I can recall the time when there were no mobile phones.Jason has a relative whose daughter pursues a career in nursing.Dancing, which many people love, is tiresome.The reason why David skips mathematics lessons is that he doesn’t love the subject.The reason why Nicolas prefers to watch football matches is that he doesn’t like to watch basketball.Weddings, which are hosted in secluded areas, are very jovial.
Note that all the adjective clauses in the above examples begin with a relative pronoun. This links them to the nouns being modified, which comes at the start followed by a relative pronoun in the sentence.
Each of the adjective clauses in the above examples has a subject and a verb, and the two work together to modify the original noun. For instance, the clause which many people love has the subject “people” and the verb “love,” yet it is not a complete sentence by itself. Instead, its primary function is to give more information about the noun “dancing.”
There are some cases where the relative pronoun acts as a subject of the clause. In the adjective clause who are true patriots “who” is the relative pronoun and at the same time functions as the subject that is patriots.
Essential and Non-essential Adjective ClausesEssential Adjective Clauses
Essential adjective clauses are clauses that contain information that when removed the sentence ceases to hold the same meaning. An example of this might be:
I don’t like people who drink soda without a straw.
Here the adjective clause gives vital information to describe the people. If you can remove the adjective clause, then the remaining sentence would state “I don’t like people” which is different from not liking people who drink soda without a straw. An essential adjective clause can do without any additional clause.
Non-essential Adjective Clause
A non-essential adjective clause is a clause that gives an additional description that does not necessarily need to understand the intentions of the writer. The following is an example:
The boy, who had been abandoned by his parents, finally found a foster home.
Here the adjective clause gives additional information, but it is not necessarily important to get the essence of the sentence about the boy finding a home.
Unlike essential adjective clauses that are not set off with commas, non-essential adjective clauses are set off with commas to signify that they are partially connected to the other parts of the sentence.
The addition of adjective clauses to your writing is an effective way of providing extra information about the pronouns and nouns in your writing. The additional description is meant to enhance your writing and help the readers quickly grasp the message you are trying to pass.
When informed about the relative pronouns and how to differentiate essential clauses from non-essential clauses, you will find it easy to identify adjective clauses and punctuate them appropriately in your writing. You should also be in a position to differentiate between dependent and independent adjective clauses.
List of useful adjective and preposition collocations in English.
List of Adjectives Ending in -ED and -ING
Amazing – Amazed
Amusing – Amused
Annoying – Annoyed
Boring – Bored
Challenging – Challenged
Charming – Charmed
Confusing – Confused
Convincing – Convinced
Depressing – Depressed
Disappointing – Disappointed
Disgusting – Disgusted
Disturbing – Disturbed
Embarrassing – Embarrassed
Entertaining – Entertained
Exciting – Excited
Exhausting – Exhausted
Depressing – Depressed
Disappointing – Disappointed
Fascinating – Fascinated
Frightening – Frightened
Frustrating – Frustrated
Inspiring – Inspired
Interesting – Interested
Pleasing – Pleased
Relaxing – Relaxed
Relieving – Relieved
Satisfying – Satisfied
Shocking – Shocked
Surprising – Surprised
Terrifying – Terrified
Threatening – Threatened
Thrilling – Thrilled
Tiring – Tired
Touching – Touched
Worrying – Worried
Adjectives Suffixes in English: Useful List & Examples
A suffix is a letter/a group of letters attached to the end of a word to form a new word or to change the grammatical function (part of speech) of the original word.
Table of Contents
Common Adjective Suffixes in English-al, -ial, -ical-able, -ible-an, -ian-ary-full-ic-ive-ish-less-like-y-ous, -ose-ant, -ent-ileCommon Adjective Suffixes in English | PicturesAdjectives in English Grammar
Common Adjective Suffixes in English
-al, -ial, -ical
Meaning:
Relating to, having the quality of
Examples:
Accidental, educational, brutal, historical, regional, social, universal, personal…
-able, -ible
Meaning:
Capable or worthy of, tending to
Examples:
Flammable, discernible, culpable…
-an, -ian
Meaning:
One who is or does, related to
Examples:
Agrarian, simian…
-ary
Meaning:
Relating to quality or place
Examples:
Customary, momentary, cautionary, dietary…
-full
Meaning:
Full of, tending or liable to
Examples:
Beautiful, wonderful, awful, skillful, successful…
-ic
Meaning:
Pertaining or relating to
Examples:
Athletic, historical, scenic, fantastic…
-ive
Meaning:
Performing or tending toward
Examples:
Cooperative, supportive, sensitive…
-ish
Meaning:
Origin, nature
Examples:
Foolish, childish, selfish, sheepish, pinkish…
-less
Meaning:
Without, lacking, unable to act
Examples:
Powerless, friendless, worthless, useless, homeless…
-like
Meaning:
Like
Examples:
Lifelike, ladylike, warlike, childlike, birdlike…
-y
Meaning:
Characterized by, tending to
Examples:
Rainy, funny, dirty, messy, dirty…
-ous, -ose
Meaning:
Full of, relating to
Examples:
Poisonous, dangerous, nervous, mysterious, victorious, bellicose…
-ant, -ent
Meaning:
Performing or being
Examples:
Important, incessant, independent…
-ile
Meaning:
Tending to, capable of
Examples:
Futile, senile, fragile…
Adjective Phrase Definition and Useful Examples
What is an adjective phrase? Most people are well-informed about what an adjective is, but there may be a bit of confusion when it comes to defining an adjective phrase.
Table of Contents
Adjective Phrase
What Is an Adjective Phrase?What Does an Adjective Phrase Comprise of?
The Role Played by Adjective Phrases in a Sentence
Examples of Adjectival Phrases
Adjectival Phrase.
Adjective Phrase
What Is an Adjective Phrase?
An adjective phrase, also known as an adjectival phrase, refers to a group of words comprising of an adjective. An adjective phrase tells more information about a noun or a pronoun.
You don’t need to have perfect grammar to master how adjective phrase works. We often use these phrases from time to time, without even our consent.
How Do You Recognize an Adjective Phrase?
The secret to finding an adjective phrase within a sentence is to first look at the first word. If you discover that the sentence starts with an adverb or preposition, then there is a possibility that you are looking for an adjective phrase.
What Does an Adjective Phrase Comprise of?
An adjective and an intensifier when used together in a sentence form an adjective phrase. An example of this could be:
The brilliant, handsome man was spotted at the airport.
There are times when one adjective cannot be used to describe something fully. In such a scenario, an array of adjectives can be used together to give more information about a noun. An example of this might be: She wore a red, black, and white watch during her brother’s wedding.
In the sentence, “David is a nice boy”, we have only one adjective, namely, nice. Nevertheless, in the sentence, “David is a nice, intelligent, handsome boy,” we have an adjectival phrase describing more information about David.
The Role Played by Adjective Phrases in a Sentence
Adjective phrases do not only modify nouns but also pronouns. Let’s look at the following examples:
She is from California.Ann is from California.
Every sentence contains an adjectival phrase. In the first sentence, the adjective phrase “from California” describes more information about the pronoun and the subject “She”. In the second sentence, the adjectival phrase “from California” describes more information about the noun and subject “Ann.”
The working of the adjective phrase is the same, even if the noun is a pronoun or not. So, if you intend to mitigate a noun to be more descriptive, you should opt for an adjective phrase. You can use multiple adjectives within a sentence. You can mitigate a noun by either starting a phrase with a preposition or an adverb.
Examples of Adjectival Phrases
The most effective way to learn such a phrase is by going through examples. Let’s look at an example of a sentence composed of an adjective and the other one composed of an adjectival phrase:
The beautiful girl is from London.The girl who is so beautiful is from London.
The two sentences have the same meaning. The first sentence comprises of an adjective, while the second one comprises of an adjectival phrase.
Choosing adjective phrases correctly can make sentences more lively and bring on personality. A single adjective may not be descriptive enough, thus the need for an adjective phrase.
When planning to include some adjectival phrases in your writing, you should first go through a list of adjective phrases for more detailed information.
Adjectives Suffixes in English: Useful List & Examples
A suffix is a letter/a group of letters attached to the end of a word to form a new word or to change the grammatical function (part of speech) of the original word.
Table of Contents
Common Adjective Suffixes in English-al, -ial, -ical-able, -ible-an, -ian-ary-full-ic-ive-ish-less-like-y-ous, -ose-ant, -ent-ileCommon Adjective Suffixes in English | PicturesAdjectives in English Grammar
Common Adjective Suffixes in English
-al, -ial, -ical
Meaning:
Relating to, having the quality of
Examples:
Accidental, educational, brutal, historical, regional, social, universal, personal…
-able, -ible
Meaning:
Capable or worthy of, tending to
Examples:
Flammable, discernible, culpable…
-an, -ian
Meaning:
One who is or does, related to
Examples:
Agrarian, simian…
-ary
Meaning:
Relating to quality or place
Examples:
Customary, momentary, cautionary, dietary…
-full
Meaning:
Full of, tending or liable to
Examples:
Beautiful, wonderful, awful, skillful, successful…
-ic
Meaning:
Pertaining or relating to
Examples:
Athletic, historical, scenic, fantastic…
-ive
Meaning:
Performing or tending toward
Examples:
Cooperative, supportive, sensitive…
-ish
Meaning:
Origin, nature
Examples:
Foolish, childish, selfish, sheepish, pinkish…
-less
Meaning:
Without, lacking, unable to act
Examples:
Powerless, friendless, worthless, useless, homeless…
-like
Meaning:
Like
Examples:
Lifelike, ladylike, warlike, childlike, birdlike…
-y
Meaning:
Characterized by, tending to
Examples:
Rainy, funny, dirty, messy, dirty…
-ous, -ose
Meaning:
Full of, relating to
Examples:
Poisonous, dangerous, nervous, mysterious, victorious, bellicose…
-ant, -ent
Meaning:
Performing or being
Examples:
Important, incessant, independent…
-ile
Meaning:
Tending to, capable of
Examples:
Futile, senile, fragile…
Adjective Phrase Definition and Useful Examples
What is an adjective phrase? Most people are well-informed about what an adjective is, but there may be a bit of confusion when it comes to defining an adjective phrase.
Table of Contents
Adjective Phrase
What Is an Adjective Phrase?What Does an Adjective Phrase Comprise of?
The Role Played by Adjective Phrases in a Sentence
Examples of Adjectival Phrases
Adjectival Phrase.
Adjective Phrase
What Is an Adjective Phrase?
An adjective phrase, also known as an adjectival phrase, refers to a group of words comprising of an adjective. An adjective phrase tells more information about a noun or a pronoun.
You don’t need to have perfect grammar to master how adjective phrase works. We often use these phrases from time to time, without even our consent.
How Do You Recognize an Adjective Phrase?
The secret to finding an adjective phrase within a sentence is to first look at the first word. If you discover that the sentence starts with an adverb or preposition, then there is a possibility that you are looking for an adjective phrase.
What Does an Adjective Phrase Comprise of?
An adjective and an intensifier when used together in a sentence form an adjective phrase. An example of this could be:
The brilliant, handsome man was spotted at the airport.
There are times when one adjective cannot be used to describe something fully. In such a scenario, an array of adjectives can be used together to give more information about a noun. An example of this might be: She wore a red, black, and white watch during her brother’s wedding.
In the sentence, “David is a nice boy”, we have only one adjective, namely, nice. Nevertheless, in the sentence, “David is a nice, intelligent, handsome boy,” we have an adjectival phrase describing more information about David.
The Role Played by Adjective Phrases in a Sentence
Adjective phrases do not only modify nouns but also pronouns. Let’s look at the following examples:
She is from California.Ann is from California.
Every sentence contains an adjectival phrase. In the first sentence, the adjective phrase “from California” describes more information about the pronoun and the subject “She”. In the second sentence, the adjectival phrase “from California” describes more information about the noun and subject “Ann.”
The working of the adjective phrase is the same, even if the noun is a pronoun or not. So, if you intend to mitigate a noun to be more descriptive, you should opt for an adjective phrase. You can use multiple adjectives within a sentence. You can mitigate a noun by either starting a phrase with a preposition or an adverb.
Examples of Adjectival Phrases
The most effective way to learn such a phrase is by going through examples. Let’s look at an example of a sentence composed of an adjective and the other one composed of an adjectival phrase:
The beautiful girl is from London.The girl who is so beautiful is from London.
The two sentences have the same meaning. The first sentence comprises of an adjective, while the second one comprises of an adjectival phrase.
Choosing adjective phrases correctly can make sentences more lively and bring on personality. A single adjective may not be descriptive enough, thus the need for an adjective phrase.
When planning to include some adjectival phrases in your writing, you should first go through a list of adjective phrases for more detailed information.
Adjective Clause: Definition and Useful Examples of Adjective Clauses
What is an adjective clause? Learn the adjective clause definition and useful grammar rules to use adjective clauses in English sentences with useful examples.
Table of Contents
Adjective Clause
What Is an Adjective Clause?Relative Pronouns Can Introduce Adjective ClausesEssential and Non-essential Adjective ClausesEssential Adjective ClausesNon-essential Adjective ClauseAdjective Clauses
Adjective Clause
What Is an Adjective Clause?
To understand what an adjective clause is, we need to define the two words separately.
An adjective is a word that tells more information about a noun. A clause is a multi-word that features a subject and a verb. A sentence is considered complete if the clause expresses a complete thought. If it doesn’t, then it is referred to as dependent a clause because it depends on the main clause of the sentence to express a complete thought. In other words, an adjective clause is a multi-word that contains a subject and a verb that tells more information about a noun in a sentence. Adjective clauses depend on other clauses in a sentence to express a complete thought, and that’s why they are referred to as dependent clauses.
Relative Pronouns Can Introduce Adjective Clauses
All adjective clauses begin with a relative pronoun. Some of the most used relative pronouns include: who, whose, which, whoever, whomever, that, and where.
Relative pronouns mark the beginning of an adjective clause in a sentence. Here the most important thing is to spot a relative pronoun because adjective clauses follow them. They function as actual subjects and at times the objects in the adjective clauses.
Examples of adjective clauses in a sentence include:
People who are true patriots love their country unconditionally.I can recall the time when there were no mobile phones.Jason has a relative whose daughter pursues a career in nursing.Dancing, which many people love, is tiresome.The reason why David skips mathematics lessons is that he doesn’t love the subject.The reason why Nicolas prefers to watch football matches is that he doesn’t like to watch basketball.Weddings, which are hosted in secluded areas, are very jovial.
Note that all the adjective clauses in the above examples begin with a relative pronoun. This links them to the nouns being modified, which comes at the start followed by a relative pronoun in the sentence.
Each of the adjective clauses in the above examples has a subject and a verb, and the two work together to modify the original noun. For instance, the clause which many people love has the subject “people” and the verb “love,” yet it is not a complete sentence by itself. Instead, its primary function is to give more information about the noun “dancing.”
There are some cases where the relative pronoun acts as a subject of the clause. In the adjective clause who are true patriots “who” is the relative pronoun and at the same time functions as the subject that is patriots.
Essential and Non-essential Adjective ClausesEssential Adjective Clauses
Essential adjective clauses are clauses that contain information that when removed the sentence ceases to hold the same meaning. An example of this might be:
I don’t like people who drink soda without a straw.
Here the adjective clause gives vital information to describe the people. If you can remove the adjective clause, then the remaining sentence would state “I don’t like people” which is different from not liking people who drink soda without a straw. An essential adjective clause can do without any additional clause.
Non-essential Adjective Clause
A non-essential adjective clause is a clause that gives an additional description that does not necessarily need to understand the intentions of the writer. The following is an example:
The boy, who had been abandoned by his parents, finally found a foster home.
Here the adjective clause gives additional information, but it is not necessarily important to get the essence of the sentence about the boy finding a home.
Unlike essential adjective clauses that are not set off with commas, non-essential adjective clauses are set off with commas to signify that they are partially connected to the other parts of the sentence.
The addition of adjective clauses to your writing is an effective way of providing extra information about the pronouns and nouns in your writing. The additional description is meant to enhance your writing and help the readers quickly grasp the message you are trying to pass.
When informed about the relative pronouns and how to differentiate essential clauses from non-essential clauses, you will find it easy to identify adjective clauses and punctuate them appropriately in your writing. You should also be in a position to differentiate between dependent and independent adjective clauses.
List of useful adjective and preposition collocations in English.
Adjectives + Prepositions: OF
Learn common adjective combinations with the preposition OF in English.
- Afraid of
- Ashamed of
- Aware of
- Capable of
- Certain of
- Conscious of
- Envious of
- Independent of
- Jealous of
- Proud of
- Silly of
- Typical of
Adjectives and Prepositions: FOR
Learn common adjective collocations with the preposition FOR in English.
- Eager for
- Eligible for
- Famous for
- Grateful for
- Notorious for
- Prepared for
- Ready for
- Renowned for
- Responsible for
- Respected for
- Suitable for
- Thankful for
Adjectives + Prepositions: WITH
List of adjective collocations with the preposition WITH in English.
- Associated with
- Bored with
- Blessed with
- Confronted with
- Crowded with
- Delighted with
- Disappointed with
- Fed up with
- Familiar with
- Pleased with
- Popular with
- Satisfied with
Adjectives and Prepositions: TO
List of common adjective collocations with them preposition TO.
- Attracted to
- Accustomed to
- Addicted to
- Allergic to
- Indifferent to
- Kind to
- Married to
- Receptive to
- Related to
- Similar to
- Superior to
- Unfriendly to
Adjectives + Prepositions: ABOUT
List of useful adjective collocations with the preposition ABOUT.
- Angry about
- Anxious about
- Enthusiastic about
- Excited about
- Furious about
- Happy about
- Nervous about
- Pessimistic about
- Sad about
- Serious about
- Upset about
- Worried about
Adjectives and Prepositions: IN
Learn useful adjective combinations with the preposition IN in English.
- Comfortable in
- Connected in
- Disappointed in
- Experienced in
- Interested in
- Polite/impolite in
- Present in
- Skilled in
- Slow in
- Successful in
- Talented in
Adjectives + Prepositions: BY
Here is a list of useful adjective collocations with the preposition BY.
- Amazed by
- Delighted by
- Disturbed by
- Excited by
- Fascinated by
- Impressed by
- Inspired by
- Astonished by
- Shocked by
- Surprised by
Adjective Preposition Combinations: AT
Learn common adjective preposition combinations with the preposition AT in English.
- Amazed at
- Angry at
- Annoyed at
- Awful at
- Bad at
- Brilliant at
- Clever at
- Delighted at
- Disappointed at
- Excellent at
- Excited at
- Good at
- Hopeless at
- Mad at
- Present at
- Skilled at
- Successful at
- Surprised at
- Terrible at
- Slow at
- Lucky at
Adjectives and Prepositions: FROM
- Made from
- Different from
- Safe from
- Absent from
- Free from
Adjectives + Prepositions: ON
- Keen on
- Based on
Adjectives and Prepositions | Collocation Examples
List of adjective preposition collocations with example sentences.
- He’s brilliant at football.
- She is good at solving problems.
- Most fathers wish to be present at the birth of their child.
- Dustin is terrible at texting.
- The drought has made farmers anxious about the harvest.
- I’m not crazy about Chinese food.
- You don’t sound very enthusiastic about the idea.
- If there’s anything you’re not happy about, come and ask.
- Consumers are very nervous about the future.
- He’s very sensitive about his weight.
- Are you sure about that?
- He’s not worried about his upcoming examinations.
- What makes you think that you are qualified for this job?
- Charlie has a clever idea/plan for getting us out of our present difficulties.
- If Sarah is free for lunch I’ll take her out.
- She is so grateful for your help.
- The army are said to be ready for action.
- She’s famous for her watercolor paintings.
- The smell is very familiar to everyone who lives near a bakery
- You are free to come and go as you please.
- She had grown accustomed to his long absences.
- She remained bitterly apposed to the idea of moving abroad.
- He was disappointed to see she wasn’t at the party.
- I am extremely grateful to all the teachers for their help.
- Places on the bus are limited to 50 – so book early!
- I was sad to hear that they’d split up.
- It would be unreasonable to expect somebody to come at such short notice.
- He was quite certain of his attacker’s identity.
- What are you frightened of?
- You are in danger of being robbed.
- The house was made of wood with an iron roof.
- It’s very selfish of him to just expect that Polly will do all the childcare.
- It’s stupid of her to go out without a coat.
- How clever of you to buy chocolate chip cookies – they’re my favorites.
- The kids are busy with their homework.
- The fall in retail sales is directly connected with the decline in employment.
- He’s fed up with his job. He wants to quit.
- You should be generous with your time.
- Be careful with the glasses.
- There’s something wrong with the printer.
- The book was inspired by a real person.
- The teacher was surprised by the student’s question.
- Many people were shocked by the sex scenes in the film.
- There was a large crowd present in the auditorium.
- They were successful in winning the contract.
- He was connected in some way with that fraud scandal a couple of years back.
Order of Adjectives | Rules & Examples
In general, the adjective order in English is:
Determiner
Words that work as articles and other limiters including numbers.
Example: a, an, the, both, either, some, many, my, your, our, their, his, her, five, each, every, this, that…
Observation
(Opinion)
In general, an opinion adjective explains what you think about something (other people may not agree with you).
Example: good, bad, great, terrible, pretty, lovely, silly, beautiful, horrible, difficult, comfortable/uncomfortable, ugly, awful, strange, delicious, disgusting, tasty, nasty, important, excellent, wonderful, brilliant, funny, interesting, boring.
Size and Shape
Adjectives that describe a factual or objective quality of the noun.
- A size adjective, of course, tells you how big or small something is.
Example: huge, big, large, tiny, enormous, little, tall, long, gigantic, small, short, minuscule.
- A shape adjective describes the shape of something.
Example: triangular, square, round, flat, rectangular.
Age
An age adjective (adjective denoting age) tells you how young or old something or someone is.
Example: young, old, new, ancient, six-year-old, antique, youthful, mature, modern, old-fashioned, recent…
Color
A color adjective (adjective denoting color), of course, describes the color of something.
Example: red, black, pale, bright, faded, shining, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, pink, aquamarine…
Origin
Denominal adjectives denoting source of noun.
An origin adjective describes where something comes from.
Example: French, American, Canadian, Mexican, Greek, Swiss, Spanish, Victorian, Martian…
Material
Denominal adjectives denoting what something is made of.
Example: woollen, wooden, silk, metal, paper, gold, silver, copper, cotton, leather, polyester, nylon, stone, diamond, plastic…
Qualifier
(Purpose)
Final limiter, often regarded as part of the noun.
A purpose adjective describes what something is used for. These adjectives often end with “-ing”.
Example: writing (as in “writing paper”), sleeping (as in “sleeping bag”), roasting (as in “roasting tin”), running (as in “running shoes”).
To summarize, in English, adjectives pertaining to size precede adjectives pertaining to age (“little old“, not “old little“), which in turn generally precede adjectives pertaining to color (“old white“, not “white old“). So, we would say “A (determiner) beautiful (opinion) old (age) Indian (origin) lamp.”
To summarize, in English, adjectives pertaining to size precede adjectives pertaining to age (“little old“, not “old little“), which in turn generally precede adjectives pertaining to color (“old white“, not “white old“). So, we would say “A (determiner) beautiful (opinion) old (age) Indian (origin) lamp.”
More Topics
Transformation of Sentences
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