One of the most important components of a sentence is the adjective. This part of speech is so common that people use it almost automatically, both in speech and in writing. For you to understand the concept of adjectives better this article will answer the following questions:
Aside from answering the basic questions and defining the related terms, various examples will also be included in this short write-up.
An adjective is a part of speech which describes, identifies, or quantifies a noun or a pronoun. So basically, the main function of an adjective is to modify a noun or a pronoun so that it will become more specific and interesting. Instead of just one word, a group of words with a subject and a verb, can also function as an adjective. When this happens, the group of words is called an adjective clause.
For example:
In the example above, the underlined clause modifies the noun ”brother.” But what if the group of words doesn’t have a subject and a verb? What do you think the resulting group of words will be called?
If you think it’s called an adjective phrase, you are right. As you might recall, phrases and clauses are both groups of words and the main difference is that clauses have subjects and verbs, while phrases don’t.
Now that you already know the answer to the question, “What is an adjective?” you should know that not all adjectives are the same. They modify nouns and pronouns differently, and just like the other parts of speech, there are different kinds of adjectives. These are:
Among the different kinds of adjectives, descriptive adjectives are probably the most common ones. They simply say something about the quality or the kind of the noun or pronoun they’re referring to.
Examples:
As the name suggests, this kind of adjective answers the question, “How many?” or “How much?”
Examples:
Demonstrative adjectives point out pronouns and nouns, and always come before the words they are referring to.
Examples:
Obviously, this kind of adjectives shows ownership or possession. Aside from that, possessive adjectives always come before the noun.
Examples:
Interrogative adjectives ask questions and are always followed by a noun.
Examples:
There are only three degrees or levels of adjectives (also known as degrees of comparison) namely, positive, comparative, and superlative. When you talk about or describe only a single person, place, or thing, you should use the positive degree.
Examples:
If on the other hand, you are comparing two persons, places, or things, it is appropriate to use the comparative degree of the word. Normally, you will need to add “-er” to transform the word into its comparative form or add the word “more.” Also, the word “than” should be added after the adjective in the comparative degree.
Examples:
*Note: For words ending in “y,” you should first change the “y” into “i,” and then add “-er” (e.g., lovely-lovelier; pretty- prettier; tasty- tastier)
Lastly, if you are comparing more than two things, the superlative form of the adjectives should be used and the word “the” should be added before the adjective. In order to transform the adjective into its superlative form, you just have to add the suffix “-est” or the word “most.”
Examples:
*Note: For words ending in “y,” you should first change the “y” into “i,” and then add “-est” (e.g., lovely-loveliest; pretty- prettiest; tasty- tastiest)
Final Thoughts
This article entitled “Basic Grammar: What is an Adjective?” can be very helpful for beginners who want to improve their grammar skills and ace the English subject. If you really have a deep understanding of what is an adjective, you will surely be able to apply this concept to your compositions properly. Just remember that although adjectives seem a little trivial, an effective use of this part of speech can actually strengthen your writing.
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