Definition:

 
An adjective is a word that modifies, or changes, a noun.
A cat walked past my window.

Everyone who reads that sentence probably pictures a different cat.

A large orange striped cat walked past my window.

Now I have modified the picture in your mind so it matches mine.

Adjectives answer the questions which one, what kind, and how much/many.

Which one: That car has been in a crash.

What kind: We have black squirrels in our neighborhood.
How much: I ate too much sugar for breakfast.
How many: I saw five swans in our pond.

Definition:
 
The articles are the most common of all adjectives. There are three of them: the, a, and an.
Definite article: the (You know which one you are talking about.)
Indefinite articles: a, an (You don't know which one you are talking about.)

Use a before a word that begins with a consonant sound (not a consonant letter). Use an before a word
that begins with a vowel sound (not a vowel letter). An was created because it is difficult to
say a before a word that begins with a vowel sound. An is easier to say. Therefore, it is the sound of the
beginning of the word that matters, not the letter itself.

a carrot, a unicorn, a yellow apple (Yes, u is a vowel, but the sound is a consonant y sound)

an apple, an umbrella, an honor (Yes, h is a consonant, but the sound is a vowel o sound)
Hint:
Most adjectives we will deal with in this lesson are descriptive adjectives. They usually come
before the nouns they are modifying. Other adjectives in sentences may act as subject
complements (predicate adjectives) or as object complements.

When looking at words and how they are used in sentences, sometimes the same word can be used as
different parts of speech in different sentences. Words that are usually nouns or pronouns sometimes
act as adjectives.

Nouns: Sometimes nouns are used as adjectives.

Rachelle prefers chocolate cookies.

Chocolate is usually a noun, but here it tells what kind of cookies.

That tree branch fell through my kitchen window.

Tree and kitchen are usually nouns, but here they tell what kind of branch and window.

Possessive Nouns: Possessive nouns actually always act as adjectives.

The teacher's desk is in front of the class.

Teacher is a noun, but the possessive form is telling whose desk.

Proper Nouns: Sometimes proper nouns are used as adjectives.

 Her dress was covered in Brussels lace.

Brussels is a city, but here it is telling what kind of lace.

Hint:
Some adjectives are both possessive and proper nouns.
That is Maia's new laptop.

Maia is a proper noun, but the possessive form is telling whose laptop.

Proper Adjectives: Sometimes new adjectives are formed from proper nouns. Just like proper nouns,
proper adjectives need to be capitalized.

Strangely the Chinese restaurant also served spaghetti, an Italian dish.

China and Italy are places. They become Chinese and Italian when they are used as adjectives.

Pronouns: Some pronouns can be used as adjectives. If a pronoun is used by itself, it is a pronoun. If it

modifies a noun, it is being used as an adjective.

 Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those

These toys are for the children's shelter.

 Possessive pronouns: my, your, his, her, our, their

My brother has lost his skateboard.

 Interrogative pronouns: which, whose, what

Which car belongs to your sister?

 Indefinite pronouns: all, any, both, each, either, few, many, neither, one, several, some

Some people like warm weather.

Hint:
 To determine if a pronoun is being used as a pronoun or as an adjective, ask what? after the
pronoun. If you get a logical answer, it is acting as an adjective.
This is your sundae. (This what? nothing - it is a pronoun.)
This sundae is yours. (This what? sundae - it is an adjective)

Definition:
 
A compound adjective is made up of two or more words put together. Some adjectives are
compound. Some are written as one word (closed) and some are hyphenated. Few are written as
two words (open).

Hyphenated compounds usually occur when the writer wants to be clear that the first adjective is
modifying the second, not that both adjectives are modifying the noun. If the sentence is written with
the adjectives as predicate adjectives, they are often not hyphenated.

Use a hyphen:

Generally, use a hyphen when the two adjectives are working together as a single idea.

Gina's half-finished essay sat on the counter.

My two-year-old sister loves puppies.
 Some combinations generally use hyphens. They include the following

 prefixes with words that must be capitalized (pro-American)

 numbers or letters combined with words (20-foot)
 prefixes with dates (mid-1920s)
 to avoid three of the same letter in a row (ball-like)
 numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine
 prefixes such as ex, near, mid, self, and all (all-seeing, self-serving)
 fractions as adjectives or adverbs (one-half serving)

Hyphens for clarity

American English uses fewer hyphenated compound adjectives than British English. It is important to
use the hyphens when the meaning might be unclear.

We bought three pound weights. (We bought three weights that each weighed one pound.)
We bought three-pound weights. (We bought several weights that each weighed three pounds.)
I saw a man eating snake. (I saw a man who was eating snake meat.)
I saw a man-eating snake. (I saw a snake who eats men.)

Hyphenated adjectives in a list

If you use two or more hyphenated adjectives in a list, you can suspend the hyphen.

I like vanilla-, strawberry-, and chocolate-flavored ice cream.

Long hyphenated adjectives

Sometimes it's fun to create long hyphenated adjectives.

The about-to-be-senior students were looking forward to their next school year.

My always-annoying-but-sometimes-cute little sister was bugging me again.

Do not use a hyphen

Adverbs combined with adjectives, especially adverbs ending in ly, do not get hyphenated.

The slowly moving train blocked the traffic. (Slowly is an adverb)

The slow-moving train blocked the traffic. (Slow is an adjective)

If the compound follows the noun, you generally do not need a hyphen. This is because when it follows
the noun, the last adjective remains an adjective, but the first one becomes an adverb.

Gina's essay was half finished. (Finished is an adjective describing essay. Half is now an adverb

describing finished.)
My sister is two years old. (Old is still an adjective describing sister,
but two describes years and years describes old.)

In sentences, adjectives are usually found before the nouns they modify, but they may also come after
the noun if separated by commas, or they may come after a linking verb.

Adjectives before the noun:

The fluffy white clouds floated across the sky.

Adjectives after the noun:

 Adjectives can be moved to immediately after the noun if commas are placed around them. This can be
very effective.

The clouds, white and fluffy, floated across the sky.

Adjectives after the verb:

Subject complements that are adjectives are predicate adjectives. Predicate adjectives come after a
linking verb.

The clouds were fluffy and white.

In English syntax, adjectives belong in a certain order:

Determiners Quantifiers Opinions Facts

Physical Traits

dem opinio
onstr am ns lengt
ative numbe oun evalua h/
articles possessives s rs ts sequence tion size shape condition

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The two comfortable old blue

My many faithful, friendly big black spotted

Hint:
Most people who are native English speakers recognize when adjectives are out of order.
Students learning English must study the sequence.
Hint:
Generally two or three adjectives after the determiner or noun marker are enough. Too many
adjectives, like the examples above, sound strange.

Coordinate vs. Cumulative

Definition: Coordinate adjectives modify nouns in the same way. They describe the same feature. They
are often called "equal adjectives." Most coordinate adjectives are adjectives of opinion or evaluation.
We don't generally use more than one adjective from any of the other categories together because they
sound redundant.

The elegant, wealthy lady looks like a model.

Definition: Cumulative adjectives build upon each other and must be in a certain order. They are
equally important and give different types of information

The big old black bull followed the young Brahma cow.

 Traditional explanation: The way to check is to put and between the adjectives or see if they
can be switched around. If andcan be added, or they can be switched and still sound natural, add a
comma.

The elegant and wealthy lady looks like a model. (sounds fine)

The wealthy, elegant lady looks like a model. (sounds fine)

but not:

The big and old and black bull followed the young and Brahma cow. (doesn't work)

The black old big bull followed the Brahma young cow. (doesn't work)

 Perhaps an easier explanation: If the two adjectives have the same number in the chart above,
they need a comma.

The elegant(#7), wealthy(#7) lady looks like a model. (coordinate adjectives)

The big(#8) old(#11) black(#12) bull followed the young(#11) Brahma(#14) cow. (cumulative
adjectives)

 Paired meanings: Sometimes the cumulative adjective works with the noun to create a paired
meaning almost like a compound noun. They don't take commas.

the cute [little boy] = a little boy who is cute

a frosted [chocolate cake] = a chocolate cake that is frosted
a delicious {frosted [chocolate cake]} = a frosted chocolate cake that is delicious

 Clarity: Sometimes a comma is inserted to clarify that two adjectives modify an adjective-noun

combination instead of all the adjectives modifying the single noun.

the cunning, sneaky red foxes (red foxes are cunning and sneaky)
the cunning sneaky red foxes (the sneaky red foxes are cunning)

You know that words that modify nouns (or pronouns) are adjectives. Words that modify verbs,
adjectives, or adverbs are adverbs.

Definition:
 
An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Adverbs answer the questions when, where, how, and to what extent (how much or how long).

 when: Yesterday we went to school.

 where: We saw the bird there.
 how: The car drove fast.
 how much: We mostly agree with you.

They also confirm that something was or was not done.

 positive: He certainly does feel that way.

 negative: You should not be late.

Hint:
When adverbs modify adjectives or other adverbs, they are usually answering the question to
what extent?

Position of Adverbs
 Generally, adverbs make sense directly after the verbs they modify, but they can also be moved around
the sentence. It can go at the beginning of the sentence, before the verb, or between a helping verb and
the main verb.

I walk my dog daily.
Daily I walk my dog.
I daily walk my dog.
I have daily walked my dog.
Hint:
 Do not put an adverb between parts of an infinitive verb. Be careful not to move it to a place
where it could be confused with a different meaning.
I like to often read good books. (incorrect - You like it only when you can do it often.)
I like to read often good books. (incorrect - The books aren't often good but sometimes
not good.)
I like to read good books often. (correct)

An adverb can tell to what extent an adjective modifies a noun. An adverb that modifies an adjective is
called an intensifier.

That is an unusually tall tree. (Unusually tells how tall the tree is.)

Jared's sister is exceptionally smart. (Exceptionally tells how smart the sister is.)

Position of Adverbs

Adverbs that modify adjectives must go directly before the adjectives they modify.

The strangely quiet classroom made the teacher wonder what had happened.

An adverb can tell to what extent another adverb modifies a word. An adverb that modifies another
adverb is called an intensifier.

My sister runs very fast. (Very tells how fast she runs.)

Almost daily my teacher gives us a quiz. (Almost tells how daily.)

Position of Adverbs

Adverbs that modify other adverbs must go directly before the adverbs they modify.

It seems like my dog can run unusually quickly when she's chasing a cat.

Other Types of Adverbs

Some nouns can act as adverbs, and some adverbs do unusual jobs.

Definition:
 
Adverbial nouns may appear to be direct objects, but instead of answering the
question "What?" they tell where, where to,how long, how far, or how much.
Where: We bicycle the back roads for safety and the scenery.
Where to (direction): We sailed east from Florida.
How long: The car ride lasted four hours.
How far: I run two miles every morning.
How much (measure): That mug holds eight ounces of hot cocoa.
How much (value): That gold bar is worth two hundred dollars.
Definition:
 
Interrogative adverbs ask a question. They include why, where, when, and how.
Why are you late?
Where is your homework?
When will you turn it in?
How will you get a good grade?
Definition:
 
Relative adverbs, like relative pronouns, connect clauses. They are the same words as the
interrogative adverbs, when,where, and why.
That is the store where I bought that jacket.
That is the reason why we were late.
Last Tuesday was when I saw it last.
Definition:
 
Conjunctive adverbs also join clauses together with a transition. They need a semicolon before
them when joining sentences. Some common conjunctive adverbs
are anyway, besides, consequently, finally, furthermore, however, instead, likewise,meanwhile
, nevertheless, next, otherwise, specifically, still, subsequently, then, therefore, and thus.
We got a late start; however, we should be there on time.
I had been planning on going running; instead, I ran on my treadmill.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between adjectives and adverbs in a sentence. You
must ask yourself what word the modifier is modifying. If the modified word is a noun, the modifier is
an adjective. If the modified word is a verb, adjective, or adverb, the modifier is an adverb.

To complete a sentence correctly, you need to determine whether the sentence needs an adjective or an
adverb.

Cheetahs are speedy animals. (adjective modifying animal)

Cheetahs run speedily. (adverb modifying the verb run)

One area of confusion can be when an adjective is modifying a noun that is acting as an adjective.

That is my brother. (My is an adjective modifying the noun brother.)

My brother's bike is broken. (My is still an adjective modifying the noun brother, but now brother is a
possessive noun acting as an adjective modifying bike.)

Many people unintentionally use adjectives to describe verbs. Make sure in your writing to use
adjectives to modify nouns and pronouns and adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

The boys walked slow toward their classroom. (incorrect)

The boys walked slowly toward their classroom. (correct)

We often use adjectives and adverbs to compare. There are three degrees of comparison, positive (or
negative), comparative, and superlative.

Definition:
 
If you are talking about only one thing, you can't really compare, but if the word modified
possesses that characteristic, it is used in the positive. If it is a negative characteristic, it is in the
negative.
 I am old.
You are young.
Definition:
 
If you are comparing two things, you must use the comparative (compare) form or degree.
I am older than my brother.
You are younger than your sister.
Definition:
 
If you are comparing more than two things, you must use the superlative (super) form or degree.
I am the eldest of three sisters.
You are the youngest person in your family.
Hint:
Superman is the strongest. Superlative means the best.

Forming Degrees of Comparison

Positives Comparative Superlative

add suffix er add suffix est

bigger, older, newer biggest, oldest, newest
One syllable adjectives and adverbs

Two syllable adjectives some (including ones add suffix er add suffix est
(Check a dictionary if ending in y, ow, le) sillier, quieter, politer silliest, quietest,
you aren't sure.) politest

some (including ones use more use most

ending in ful) more often, more most often, most
careful careful

some can either add can either add

suffix er or use more suffix est or use most
heavier or more heavy heaviest or most heavy
cleverer or more clever cleverest or most clever

Two syllable adverbs use more use most

more quickly most quickly

Three syllable adjectives and adverbs use more use most

more incredible most incredible

Negatives Comparative Superlative

all adjectives and adverbs use less use least

less friendly least friendly
Hint:
 When you are comparing one thing to the group, you can use the words other or else in your
writing or in your mind to clarify what you are comparing.
 James is taller than any boy in his class. (Is it comparative or superlative?)
James is taller than any other boy in his class. (It is clearly comparative.)

Michelle is a better artist than anyone in her art class. (Which is it?)

Michelle is a better artist than anyone else in her art class. (Clearly superlative.)

Hint:
 Watch out for adjectives and adverbs that share the same root. They are not the same word.
careful, more careful, most careful
carefully, more carefully, most carefully

Spelling changes

One syllable adjectives with a short vowel before a single consonant usually double the consonant
before adding the suffixes.

big - bigger, biggest; mad - madder, maddest

One syllable adjectives that end in silent e or two syllable words that end in le do not double the e.

cute - cuter, cutest; little - littler, littlest

When adding suffixes er and est to words ending in y, you must change the y to an i before adding the
suffix.

merry - merrier, merriest; friendly - friendlier, friendliest

Challenge 1: Irregular Adjectives and Adverbs

Some frequently used adjectives and adverbs form comparative and superlative forms in irregular
ways.

good bette best

r

bad wors wors

e t

well bette best

r

muc more most

h

man more most

y

some more most

Challenge 2: Multiple Meaning Modifiers

Some positive forms have multiple meanings, and each meaning has different, irregular comparative
and superlative forms.

little (size) littler littlest

little less least

(amount)

late (time) later latest

late (order) latter last

old (age) older oldest

old (order) elder eldest

far (distance) farthe farthes

r t

far (progress) furthe furthes

r t

Littler/less
Littler (size): My cat is little, your cat is littler, but his is the littlest.
Less (amount): I only have a little money, you have less than I do, but he has the least money.
Later/latter
Later (time): Sarah was late, Michael was later, but Shelly was latest.
Latter (sequence):
I told the secret to Jeremy and Eric, but the latter told Kyle. (The latter is Eric because he is the
second in the list)
I told the secret to Jeremy, Eric, and Kyle, and the last told Mom. (The last is Kyle because he
is the last in the list.)
Older/elder
Older (age): My father is old, my grandfather is older, but my great-grandfather is oldest.
Elder (sequence): Of the two brothers, Mark is the elder. Of the four sisters, Mollie is
the eldest.
Farther/further
Farther (distance): John threw the ball far, Shannon threw the ball farther, and Lonnie threw
the ball the farthest.
 Further (progress): I have gotten far in my new book, Lydia is further in her book, but Michael
is the furthest.

Challenge 3: Absolutes

Absolutes don't have a comparative or superlative form because they can't be any more than they
already are. Absolutes include:

best worst first last only pregnan

t

dea uniqu perfec straigh roun square

d e t t d

You can't have something that is better than the best or worse than the worst.
You can't be more dead or more pregnant. (Either you are or you aren't.)
Something can't be more straight or more round. (Either it is straight or it isn't.)
Hint:
Absolutes are often superlatives themselves (best, worst)

Challenge 4: Often Confused Adjectives and Adverbs

Good/well
Good (adjective): I did a good job.
Well (adverb): I did well on that test.
Well (adjective): I had a cold, but I am finally feeling well.
Bad/badly
Bad (adjective): I have a bad reaction to corn.
Badly (adverb): We played badly in last night's soccer game.
Real/really
Real (adjective - opposite of imaginary): A real ladybug flew onto my paper.
Really (adverb - means very): My picture of a ladybug looked really good.
Hint:
If you can substitute the word very, really is the correct choice.

Challenge 5: Adjectives with countable/not countable nouns

Be careful with using adjectives with countable and non-countable nouns.

You can count: books, dollars, cups, etc.

You cannot count: information, money, sugar, etc.

Therefore you might have many books, dollars, and cups, but you would have much
information, money, and sugar.

Countable - (a large number) Non-Countable - (a large amount)

many, more, most, few, fewer, fewest, much, more, most, little, less, least, some
several

Mistake 1: Double Comparisons

You can not combine the suffix er or est and the word more or most. You can only use one at a time.

The giant was more bigger than the knight. (incorrect)

The giant was bigger than the knight. (correct)

Mistake 2: Double Negatives

You know from math class that a negative plus a negative equals a positive. The same holds true in
English. If you use two negatives together, the meaning is actually the opposite.

I did not bring no cookies. (That means you must have brought some cookies. I

did not bring any cookies or I did bring no cookies would be correct.)

Common Negative Words

barely hardly neither never

no nobody none no one

not nothin nowhere scarcely

g

Mistake 3: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Definition: A modifier that seems to modify the wrong word is a misplaced modifier.

The most often misused adverbs are only and just. Others often misused

include almost, even, hardly, merely, and nearly. The adverb should go in front of the word it
modifies.

I only want a new laptop for my birthday. (The only thing I want in the world is a laptop for my
birthday. I don't want anything else for any other reason.)
I want only a new laptop for my birthday. (The only thing I want for my birthday is a new laptop. I do
want other things, but not for my birthday.)

Your mother just had enough eggs. (The only thing she had was enough eggs.)
Your mother had just enough eggs. (She had enough eggs and no extra eggs.)

Your prank almost was scary. (It probably didn't work at all.)

Your prank was almost scary. (It was close to scary.)

All those cookies are not peanut free. (All of the cookies have peanuts.)

Not all those cookies are peanut free. (Some are peanut free; some are not.)

Mistake 4: Redundant Modifiers

Be careful not to use adjectives when the trait is part of the noun.

A wet rain followed the cold snow. (Isn't all rain wet and all snow cold?)
The tall giant helped the short dwarf. (Aren't giants by definition tall and dwarves short?)

Mistake 5: Illogical Comparisons

When comparing with adjectives and adverbs, make sure your sentence has all the words needed to be
clear. You may understand what you are writing about, but if you leave out words, your meaning might
be confusing.

The students at our school are smarter than Gemini Middle School. (Is it possible for students to be
smarter than a school?)
The students at our school are smarter than those at Gemini Middle School. (That makes much more
sense.)

A Chihuahua's teeth are smaller than German shepherds. (Of course they are. The teeth are tiny. The
whole German shepherd is giant. Perhaps the writer meant A Chihuahua's teeth are smaller than a
German shepherd's teeth.)

That house is taller than any house in the neighborhood. (The house itself is in the neighborhood, so
how can it be taller than itself?
That house is taller than any other house in the neighborhood.