ADJECTIVES | MEANING, USAGE & EXAMPLES
Adjectives are words which tell more about a noun. They are used in giving more information about the object signified or Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence.
KINDS OF ADJECTIVES
- Adjective of quality
- Adjective of quantity
- Demonstrative adjectives
- Adjective of interrogative
Adjectives of quality
This is the type of adjectives which give the quality of a noun. Those are words showing the kind or quality of nouns or pronouns. These adjectives are used to describe the nature of a noun.
They give an idea about the characteristics of the noun by answering the question ‘what kind’. These include nice, white, blue, red, intelligent, heavy, smart, beautiful, good, honest, big, old, large, long, excellent, better etc. E.g.
- He is a nice
- Lucy has a white
- James is an intelligent
- It is a heavy
Adjectives of quantity
These adjectives help to show the amount or the approximate amount of the noun or pronoun. It is the type of adjectives which give the number or quantity of the noun.
These adjectives do not provide exact numbers; rather they tell us the amount of the noun in relative or whole terms. These include all, half, many, few, little, no, enough, great, Some, Any, Several, One, Two, Twenty, Thirty-Three,
E.g.
- They have finished most of the rice.
- Many people came to visit the fair.
- Most of the people did not attend the meeting.
- A little milk has remained in the bottle.
Demonstrative Adjectives
These adjectives are used to point out or indicate a particular noun or pronoun. These include this, that, these and those. E.g.
- That bag belongs to Neil.
- Try using this paintbrush in art class.
- I really like those
- These flowers are lovely.
Interrogative Adjectives
These adjectives are used to ask questions about nouns or in relation to nouns. These are where, what, which and whose. E.g.
– Where did he say he was going?
– What assignment did I miss out on?
– Which is your favorite author?
– Whose pen is this?
DEGREES OF ADJECTIVES
The degrees of comparison are known as the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. (Actually, only the comparative and superlative show degrees). We use the comparative for comparing two things and the superlative for comparing three or more things.
The inflected suffixes -er and -est used to form most comparatives and superlatives, although we need –ier and -iest when a two-syllable adjective ends in “y”(happier and happiest); otherwise we use more and most when an adjective has more than one syllable. E.g.
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Rich | Richer | Richest |
| Strong | Stronger | Strongest |
| Beautiful | More beautiful | Most beautiful |
| Handsome | More handsome | Most handsome |
NB:
Certain adjectives have irregular forms in the comparative and superlative degrees. Examples:
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
| Good | Better | Best |
| Bad | Worse | Worst |
| Little | Less | Least |
| Much/ many/ some | More | Most |
| Far | Further | Furthest |
| Big | Bigger | Biggest |
| Bright | Brighter | Brightest |
| Heavy | Heavier | Heaviest |
| Hard | Harder | Hardest |
| Greater | Greater | Greatest |
| Large | Larger | Largest |
| Fast | Faster | Fastest |
