Adjectives

What is an adjective?

An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives add detail and help readers picture what you mean. They answer questions like:

• What kind? a fluffy kitten, a rainy day
• Which one? this book, the last cookie
• How many? three apples, many friends
• Whose? my jacket, their house

Where adjectives go

Most adjectives come before the noun: a shiny coin.

Some come after a linking verb and describe the subject. These are called predicate adjectives:
The coin is shiny. You look tired. The soup tastes salty.

Articles are adjectives too

The words a, an and the are called articles. They are the most common adjectives in English.

• Use a before a consonant sound: a dog, a uniform
• Use an before a vowel sound: an egg, an hour
• Use the for something specific: the dog next door

Adjectives for the senses

Sensory adjectives make writing come alive by helping readers see, hear, smell, taste and feel.

Compare: We sat by the fire. → We sat by the crackling, smoky fire.

Proper adjectives

A proper adjective comes from a proper noun and needs a capital letter.

• Canada → Canadian maple syrup
• France → French bread
• Shakespeare → Shakespearean play

Comparing with adjectives

Adjectives change form when you compare. A comparative adjective compares two things (taller). A superlative adjective compares three or more things (tallest).

• One-syllable adjectives add -er and -est.
• Two-syllable adjectives ending in y change y to i: funny, funnier, funniest.
• Longer adjectives use more and most.
• Never use both: more taller ✗.

Order of adjectives

When you use several adjectives, English speakers usually put them in this order: number, opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose, then the noun.

two lovely little old round red Italian glass flower vases

You will rarely use this many, but it explains why a big red ball sounds right and a red big ball sounds strange.

Commas between adjectives

Use a comma between adjectives that each describe the noun equally: a long, boring movie. A good test is whether you could put and between them (long and boring).

Worked examples

Example 1: Find the adjectives. The hungry brown bear caught two silver fish.
Adjectives: The, hungry, brown, two, silver.

Example 2: Comparative or superlative? This is the coldest day of the year.
Superlative. It compares one day to all the others.

Example 3: Add sensory adjectives. I ate a pie. → I ate a warm, flaky apple pie.

Common mistakes

• She is more smarter than me. ✗ → She is smarter than me. ✓
• This is the most tallest tree. ✗ → the tallest tree ✓
• a apple ✗ → an apple ✓
• Using weak adjectives like nice, good and bad everywhere. Try generous, delicious or dreadful.

Try it yourself

1. Underline the adjectives: A tiny green frog sat on a slippery log.
2. Write the comparative and superlative of fast, busy and careful.
3. Find the predicate adjective: The music was loud.
4. Replace nice with a stronger adjective: We had a nice holiday.

Answers: 1. A, tiny, green, a, slippery. 2. faster/fastest; busier/busiest; more careful/most careful. 3. loud. 4. Answers will vary, for example relaxing, wonderful, adventurous.

Tip for families

Play "Describe it in five." Hide an object in a bag. The holder may only use five adjectives to describe it (round, orange, bumpy, juicy, sweet) while everyone else guesses.

Quick recap

• Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns.
• They tell what kind, which one, how many and whose.
• A, an and the are articles, a kind of adjective.
• Use -er/-est or more/most to compare.
• Proper adjectives need capital letters.