Adjectives are the part of speech (or word class) that modify a noun or a pronoun.
In addition to their basic (or positive) forms (for example, big and beautiful), most descriptive adjectives have two other forms: comparative (bigger and more beautiful) and superlative (biggest and most beautiful).
Like the other parts of speech we’ve discussed, Adjectives are also classified into different categories.
Absolute Adjective
An adjective, such as “supreme” or “infinite,” with a meaning that is generally not capable of being intensified or compared.
Examples: In a world of prayer, we are all equal in the sense that each of us is a unique person, with a unique perspective on the world, a member of a class of one.
As in ‘his unique son,’ no degrees of uniqueness are possible, as unique in this sentence means one, so it cannot be said as, ‘his more unique son’.
Appositive Adjective
A traditional grammatical term for an adjective (or a series of adjectives) that follows a noun and, like a nonrestrictive appositive, is set off by commas or dashes. Appositive adjectives often appear in pairs or groups of three (tricolons).
Examples: William was a big boy, tall, strong, and broad-shouldered. The trees, forlorn and bare, sigh on,
And shiver in the northern blast.
Related Post: Part of Speech (Noun)
Attributive Adjective
An adjective that usually comes before the noun it modifies without a linking verb. Contrast with predicative adjective. Attributive adjectives are direct modifiers of nominals.
Examples: Go to sleep, little baby. In a rush of pity—sympathy, affection, hope—I said the most stupid thing ever.
Predicative Adjective
A traditional term for anadjective that usually comes after a linking verb rather than before a noun. (Contrast withattributive adjective.) Another term for a predicative adjective is subject complement.
Examples: The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic. The most guileful amongst the reporters are those who appear friendly and smile and seem to be supportive.
Compound Adjective
Two or more words (such aspart-time or high-speed) that act as a single idea to modifya noun (a part-time employee, a high-speed chase). Also called phrasal adjective or compound modifier.
As a general rule, the words in a compound adjective arehyphenated when they come before a noun (a well-known actor) but not when they come after (The actor is well known). Also, compound adjectives formed with an adverb ending in -ly (such as rapidly changing) are usually not hyphenated.
Examples: If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
Classifying Adjectives
An adjective used to divide people or things into particular groups, types, or classes. Unlike qualitative adjectives, classifying adjectives are not usually gradable–that is, they don’t have comparative or superlative forms.
Examples: After our retreat from St. Louis, Momma gave us a weekly allowance. Weekly cannot be written as weeklier, or more weekly. I had a wooden coin that my future husband had given me
Qualitative Adjectives
An adjective used to identify the qualities or features of a person or thing. In contrast to classifying adjectives, qualitative adjectives are usually gradable–that is, they have positive, comparative and superlative forms.
Examples: He told us of the wonderful changes we children in Stamps had in store. Pilots who flew over him saw a long, slim figure while observers on the ground, their visual aspect impaired by the slope and thus foreshortening the figure, saw him assquat and stocky.
Related Post: Part of Speech (Pronoun)
Cumulative Adjectives
Two or more adjectives that build on one another and together modify a noun. Unlike coordinate adjectives (which can be joined by and and whose order can be reversed), cumulative adjectives are generally not separated by commas.
Example: Charlie bent slowly and took hold of the bright red rubber globe and arose slowly, a secretive look in his eyes. He looked north and south and then up at Odd’s bony pale brown face.
Denominal Adjective
An adjective formed from a noun, usually with the addition of a suffix–such as hopeless, earthen, cowardly and childish.
Example: A 10-month-old baby, swept out to sea by a tidal wave, was saved from a watery grave when he was carried safely back to shore–in the jaws of a dolphin. Tidal is derived from the noun tide.
Participial Adjective
A traditional term for an adjective that has the same form as the participle of a verb (that is, a verb ending in -ing or -ed/-en) and that usually exhibits the ordinary properties of an adjective. Also called a verbal adjective or a deverbal adjective.
Examples: What kind of a man was he to fall in love with a lying thief?. Bruce Catton believed that the removal of Johnston and the appointment of Hood in his place was perhaps the gravest mistake made by either administration during the entire war. This is a sweeping judgment.
Related Post: Part of Speech(Verb)
Demonstrative Adjectives
These adjectives have a special, simple function within the English language: they help indicate a noun and are within close proximity of that noun in a sentence. They are especially helpful when you want to make it clear which noun (which thing) you would like to talk about. With these adjectives, you can be sure that the listener knows that you want to talk about “this cat with the stripes, not that one with the spots” and that you want to wear “this hat with the plaid, and not that one with the brim.” You can even just use them to emphasize which object you are talking about: “that pie was delicious!”
The primary singular form of these adjectives are as follows: This, That, Yonder, Yon, Former and Latter. The plural demonstrative adjectives include: These, Those
Examples: These shoes fit me very well. (these). Those shoes are too expensive. (those). The latter option will cost us a lot less money. (latter).
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