Adjective: Definition, Types, Examples and Exercises

An adjective is a word that adds meaning to a noun or pronoun by describing its quality, quantity, number, possession, or other characteristics.

Without adjectives, our sentences would be plain and less informative.

Compare the following sentences:

• Vikramaditya was a king.
• Vikramaditya was a wise king.

The second sentence gives us more information because the word wise describes the noun king.

What is an Adjective?

Read the following examples:

• Rani is an intelligent girl.
• He is a brave soldier.
• Kiran bought a beautiful dress.
• I have two chocolates.

The highlighted words describe or limit the nouns.

Definition

An adjective is a word that describes, qualifies, or limits a noun or pronoun.

It tells us:

• What kind?
• Which one?
• How many?
• How much?
• Whose?

Examples of Adjectives

Adjectives can also come after a linking verb.

Examples:

• Raghav is wise.
• She looks happy.
• The sky became dark.

Types of Adjectives

There are eight main types of adjectives.

1. Adjective of Quality
2. Adjective of Quantity
3. Adjective of Number
4. Distributive Adjective
5. Proper Adjective
6. Possessive Adjective
7. Demonstrative Adjective
8. Interrogative Adjective

1. Adjective of Quality

An Adjective of Quality tells us what kind of person or thing someone or something is.

Definition: An adjective of quality describes the nature or quality of a noun or pronoun.

It may describe:

• colour
• size
• shape
• age
• nationality
• material
• feelings
• character

Examples:

• The cake is delicious.
• It is a cold day.
• He is intelligent.
• The Ganga is a holy river.
• An old man crossed the road.

Question answered:

What kind?

2. Adjective of Quantity

An Adjective of Quantity tells us how much of something there is.

It is generally used with uncountable nouns.

Examples:

• There is enough water.
• I have little patience.
• We drank the whole milk.
• She added some sugar.

Common words:

• much
• little
• enough
• sufficient
• whole
• half
• some

Question answered:

How much?

3. Adjective of Number

An Adjective of Number tells us how many or which one.

It is generally used with countable nouns.

There are two kinds.

(a) Definite Numeral Adjective

These tell the exact number or order.

Cardinal Numbers:

• one
• two
• five
• hundred

Examples:

• I bought five books.
• Give me two pens.

Ordinal Numbers:

• first
• second
• third
• tenth

Examples:

• Sunday is the first day of the week.
• She secured the second position.

(b) Indefinite Numeral Adjective

These do not tell the exact number.

Examples:

• Some students
• Many people
• Several books
• Few children
• Most players

Question answered:

How many?

Difference Between Quantity and Number

4. Distributive Adjective

Distributive adjectives refer to members of a group one at a time.

Examples:

• Each student received a prize.
• Every child deserves education.
• Either answer is correct.
• Neither road is safe.
• Any student may participate.

Usage:

Each → Every individual separately

Every → All members considered individually

Either → One of the two

Neither → Not one and not the other

Difference Between Each and Every

5. Proper Adjective

A Proper Adjective is formed from a Proper Noun.

Like proper nouns, it always begins with a capital letter.

Examples:

• Indian culture
• Japanese car
• Chinese products
• Kashmiri shawl
• Christian philosophy

6. Possessive Adjective

Possessive adjectives show ownership. They always come before a noun.

Examples:

• My book
• Your house
• His bag
• Her dress
• Our school
• Their car
• Its tail

Possessive Adjective vs Possessive Pronoun

Remember: Possessive adjectives are followed by nouns. Possessive pronouns are not.

7. Demonstrative Adjective

Demonstrative adjectives point out particular nouns.

Examples:

• This book
• That house
• These shoes
• Those flowers

Demonstrative Adjective vs Demonstrative Pronoun

If a noun follows this, that, these, those, they function as adjectives.

8. Interrogative Adjective

Interrogative adjectives are used with nouns to ask questions.

Examples:

• Which book is yours?
• What colour do you like?
• Whose pen is this?

If a noun follows what, which, or whose, they function as adjectives.

Degrees of Comparison

Adjectives can also compare people or things.

There are three degrees of comparison.

Examples

• Aman is a tall boy.
• Aman is taller than Rohan.
• Aman is the tallest boy in the class.

Formation of Degrees

Add -er and -est

• tall → taller → tallest
• sweet → sweeter → sweetest
• brave → braver → bravest

Change y to i

• happy → happier → happiest
• heavy → heavier → heaviest

Double the Final Consonant

• hot → hotter → hottest
• big → bigger → biggest

Use more and most

• beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful
• intelligent → more intelligent → most intelligent
• difficult → more difficult → most difficult

Irregular Degrees

Order of Adjectives (Advanced)

When more than one adjective describes a noun, English usually follows this order:

Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Colour → Origin → Material → Purpose → Noun

Example:

✔ A beautiful small old round brown Indian wooden dining table.

Common Mistakes

❌ more better

✔ better

❌ most tallest

✔ tallest

❌ an European country

✔ a European country

❌ He is more smarter than me.

✔ He is smarter than me.

❌ I have much books.

✔ I have many books.

Summary

• An adjective describes or limits a noun or pronoun.
• There are eight main types of adjectives.
• Adjectives answer questions such as what kind, how much, how many, which, and whose.
• Adjectives also have three degrees of comparison: Positive, Comparative, and Superlative.
• Correct use of adjectives makes writing more descriptive, precise, and effective.

Practice Exercise 1

Identify the adjective and its type.

1. India’s population is the largest in the world.
2. Kishan is an intelligent boy.
3. I need some water.
4. Every child deserves education.
5. This book belongs to me.
6. Which colour do you prefer?
7. I bought five apples.
8. She is wearing a Kashmiri shawl.
9. His bicycle is very expensive.
10. Those flowers are beautiful.

Practice Exercise 2

Choose the correct answer.

1. Which type of adjective is beautiful?
   • (a) Quality
   • (b) Quantity
   • (c) Number
   • (d) Proper
2. Which adjective answers How many?
   • (a) Adjective of Number
   • (b) Adjective of Quantity
   • (c) Possessive Adjective
   • (d) Demonstrative Adjective
3. Which is a Proper Adjective?
   • (a) Indian
   • (b) beautiful
   • (c) three
   • (d) some
4. Which sentence contains a Demonstrative Adjective?
   • (a) This is my bag.
   • (b) This bag is heavy.
   • (c) Mine is blue.
   • (d) She is honest.
5. Which is the comparative form of good?
   • (a) gooder
   • (b) better
   • (c) best
   • (d) more good

Answers Exercise 1

1. largest → Adjective of Quality (Superlative Degree)
2. intelligent → Adjective of Quality
3. some → Adjective of Quantity
4. Every → Distributive Adjective
5. This → Demonstrative Adjective
6. Which → Interrogative Adjective
7. five → Adjective of Number (Cardinal)
8. Kashmiri → Proper Adjective
9. His → Possessive Adjective; expensive → Adjective of Quality
10. Those → Demonstrative Adjective; beautiful → Adjective of Quality

Answers Exercise 2

1. (a) Adjective of Quality
2. (a) Adjective of Number
3. (a) Indian
4. (b) This bag is heavy.
5. (b) better