PARTS OF SPEECH : ADJECTIVES

Types of Adjectives

Descriptive Adjectives

These words describe the quality, state, or characteristic of a noun or pronoun.

1. The tall building has many floors.
2. He drives a fast car.
3. The water in the lake is very cold.
4. She has beautiful handwriting.
5. It was a delicious meal.
6. He told a funny story.
7. The sleepy child yawned.
8. We walked down the long, narrow path.
9. The angry customer complained to the manager.
10. She is a very intelligent student.

Quantitative Adjectives

These words describe the quantity (how much or how many) of a noun or pronoun.

1. I have three siblings. (Definite numeral - Cardinal)
2. This is the first chapter of the book. (Definite numeral - Ordinal)
3. He has many friends. (Indefinite numeral)
4. She ate the whole pizza by herself. (Indefinite numeral)
5. There is little sugar left in the jar.
6. I need to buy some groceries.
7. All students must attend the assembly.
8. He has enough money for the trip.
9. There are several options to choose from.
10. Few people attended the meeting.

Demonstrative Adjectives

These adjectives point out specific nouns. They are: this, that, these, those.

1. This pen writes very smoothly.
2. That house across the street is for sale.
3. These shoes are very comfortable.
4. Those mountains look beautiful from here.
5. Please hand me that book.
6. Are these keys yours?
7. I haven't seen him since that day.
8. This is the car I was telling you about.
9. I prefer these apples to those oranges.
10. Can you see that bird in the tree?

Possessive Adjectives

These show possession or ownership and always come before a noun. They are: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.

1. My car is parked outside.
2. Where is your homework?
3. His brother is a doctor.
4. Her favorite color is blue.
5. The dog wagged its tail happily.
6. Our team won the match.
7. The students submitted their assignments.
8. I need to borrow your notes.
9. She forgot her umbrella at home.
10. The company announced its annual profit.

Interrogative Adjectives

These are used with nouns to ask questions. They are: which, what, whose. They must be followed by a noun.

1. Which book are you reading?
2. What time is the meeting?
3. Whose bag is this?
4. Which path should we take?
5. What movie do you want to watch?
6. Whose idea was it to start this project?
7. Which brand of coffee do you prefer?
8. What kind of music do you like?
9. Whose car is blocking the driveway?
10. Which student answered the question correctly?

Indefinite Adjectives

These describe nouns in a non-specific way.

1. I saw several birds on the wire.
2. Each student must complete the assignment.
3. Do you have any suggestions?
4. There are many reasons for my decision.
5. Few people can solve this puzzle.
6. Some people prefer to work at night.
7. There isn't much time left.
8. He gave me another chance.
9. Most children like ice cream.
10. Every employee received a bonus.

Degrees of Adjectives

Adjectives have three degrees of comparison to show the intensity of a quality.

Positive Degree

The base form of the adjective, which simply describes a quality.

1. She is a beautiful girl.
2. He is an intelligent boy.
3. This is a big dog.
4. The weather is hot today.
5. He drives a fast car.
6. This book is interesting.
7. She has a loud voice.
8. The test was difficult.
9. He is a tall man.
10. The box is heavy.

Comparative Degree

Compares the qualities of two nouns. Formed by adding '-er' or using 'more'.

1. Rohan is smarter than Abhishek.
2. This box is heavier than that one.
3. Russia is larger than France.
4. She is more intelligent than her brother.
5. This car is faster than my old one.
6. The weather today is hotter than yesterday.
7. He is taller than his father.
8. This exam was more difficult than the last one.
9. Your house is bigger than mine.
10. Health is more important than wealth.

Superlative Degree

Compares the qualities of more than two nouns. Formed by adding '-est' or using 'most'. The article 'the' is used before it.

1. Rohan is the tallest student in the class.
2. This is the busiest road of all.
3. Jupiter is the biggest planet in the solar system.
4. She is the most intelligent person I have ever met.
5. This is the most expensive watch in the store.
6. He is the strongest man in the competition.
7. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.
8. It was the happiest day of my life.
9. This is the oldest building in the city.
10. She is the most famous actress in the country.

How to Identify Adjectives: 10 Techniques

1. Meaning-Based Technique (Describing Test)

Easy Explanation: Adjectives are "describing words." They provide more information about a noun or pronoun by answering questions like: *What kind? How many? Which one?*

1. The brave firefighter rescued the cat. (What kind of firefighter?)
2. She gave me several reasons for her decision. (How many reasons?)
3. I would like to buy that computer. (Which one?)
4. It was a delicious meal. (What kind of meal?)
5. He is an intelligent and hardworking student. (What kind of student?)
6. There are five books on the table. (How many?)
7. The first person in line will get the ticket. (Which person?)
8. She has a positive outlook on life. (What kind of outlook?)
9. I have no money left. (How much money?)
10. This is my car. (Whose car?)

2. Attributive Position Test

Easy Explanation: The most common place to find an adjective is directly before the noun it describes. If a word fits between an article (a, the) and a noun, it's very likely an adjective.

1. He drives an expensive car.
2. The little puppy was sleeping.
3. She wore a beautiful dress.
4. They live in a large, modern apartment.
5. A sudden noise startled everyone.
6. He is a famous actor.
7. We saw a bright light.
8. She is an excellent student.
9. It was a dark and stormy night.
10. He bought a new phone.

3. Predicative Position Test

Easy Explanation: An adjective can appear after a linking verb (like *is, am, seem, become, feel, look, taste*) to describe the subject.

1. The view from the top is spectacular.
2. She seems very happy today.
3. The food tastes amazing.
4. The travelers were exhausted.
5. His story sounds unbelievable.
6. The children are hungry.
7. He became famous overnight.
8. The weather appears pleasant.
9. I feel confident about the exam.
10. The room was spacious and bright.

4. Comparative & Superlative Test

Easy Explanation: If a word can be changed to compare things (by adding -er/-est or using more/most), it's an adjective.

1. This car is fast, but that one is faster.
2. She is tall, but her brother is the tallest in the family.
3. This book is interesting, but that one is more interesting.
4. He is the most intelligent person I have ever met.
5. The weather is bad today, but it was even worse yesterday.
6. This problem is hard, but the next one is the hardest.
7. She is a good student, but he is better.
8. This is a beautiful painting, but that is the most beautiful one.
9. He is strong, and his brother is even stronger.
10. This is a small box, but I need the smallest one you have.

5. Adverb Modification Test

Easy Explanation: Adjectives can often be modified by adverbs that describe their intensity (like *very, extremely, quite, really, too*).

1. It was a very challenging exam.
2. The new employee is extremely efficient.
3. The room was quite spacious.
4. She was too tired to finish the work.
5. I am so happy to see you.
6. This is a really interesting book.
7. The test was surprisingly easy.
8. He is a rather unusual person.
9. The soup is almost cold.
10. The results were truly amazing.

6. Suffix Test (Derivational Morphology)

Easy Explanation: Many adjectives are formed by adding a common suffix (ending) to another word. Look for endings like *-ful, -less, -ous, -ive, -able, -al, -ic, -y*.

1. He is a very creative person. (-ive)
2. The situation is becoming dangerous. (-ous)
3. Your help was valuable. (-able)
4. The national anthem was played at the ceremony. (-al)
5. It was a childish thing to do. (-ish)
6. She has a powerful voice. (-ful)
7. The night was dark and starless. (-less)
8. It was a heroic act. (-ic)
9. The path was very muddy after the rain. (-y)
10. This problem is not solvable. (-able)

7. Opposites Test (Antonyms)

Easy Explanation: Most descriptive adjectives have an opposite (antonym). Sometimes this is a different word (hot/cold), and sometimes it's formed with a prefix (un-, in-, im-).

1. The path was smooth, not rough.
2. He felt happy, not unhappy.
3. Her answer was correct, not incorrect.
4. It is possible to succeed, not impossible.
5. The manager is very polite, not impolite.
6. This is a legal document, not an illegal one.
7. The story was believable, not unbelievable.
8. He is a responsible person, not irresponsible.
9. The room was tidy, not untidy.
10. She is very patient, unlike her impatient brother.

8. Noun-Adjective Distinction Test

Easy Explanation: Adjectives describe nouns. Nouns are the names of things. For example, 'gold' is a noun (a material), but in 'a gold coin', 'gold' acts as an adjective describing the coin.

1. She has a stone wall around her garden. ('stone' describes the wall)
2. He is a history teacher. ('history' describes the teacher)
3. I bought a leather jacket. ('leather' describes the jacket)
4. We attended a music festival. ('music' describes the festival)
5. This is a computer science class. ('computer' describes science)
6. She opened the car door. ('car' describes the door)
7. He is a business administration student. ('business' describes administration)
8. This is a winter coat. ('winter' describes the coat)
9. They sell kitchen appliances. ('kitchen' describes appliances)
10. It was a morning flight. ('morning' describes the flight)

9. Syntactic Role Test

Easy Explanation: The main job of an adjective is to modify a noun or pronoun. Unlike nouns, adjectives cannot usually act as the subject or object of a sentence by themselves.

1. The energetic children played for hours. ('energetic' modifies 'children')
2. She has a positive outlook. ('positive' modifies 'outlook')
3. Someone new has joined the team. ('new' modifies the pronoun 'someone')
4. The cake was sweet and delicious. ('sweet' and 'delicious' modify 'cake')
5. His final decision was a surprise. ('final' modifies 'decision')
6. We need a different approach. ('different' modifies 'approach')
7. He showed great courage. ('great' modifies 'courage')
8. Something important happened. ('important' modifies 'something')
9. The old, dusty book was on the shelf. ('old' and 'dusty' modify 'book')
10. She gave a clear explanation. ('clear' modifies 'explanation')

10. Extra Technique: Wh-Questions

Easy Explanation: To find an adjective, first locate a noun. Then, ask questions about that noun like "What kind of...?", "Which...?", or "How many...?". The word that answers is the adjective.

1. Sentence: He bought a red car. (What kind of car?)
2. Sentence: The tall girl won. (Which girl?)
3. Sentence: She baked a delicious, chocolate cake. (What kind of cake?)
4. Sentence: There are five books on the table. (How many books?)
5. Sentence: It was a long and difficult journey. (What kind of journey?)
6. Sentence: He has two black dogs. (How many dogs? What kind of dogs?)
7. Sentence: I want the last piece of cake. (Which piece?)
8. Sentence: That is a huge building. (What kind of building?)
9. Sentence: She gave a brilliant performance. (What kind of performance?)
10. Sentence: He made several good points. (How many points? What kind of points?)