Adjectives Adjectives l Describes a noun or pronoun

Adjectives

Adjectives l Describes a noun or pronoun. l Special kinds of words used to make other words more definite. l Modifiers provide additional information. l Adjectives describes or limits the word it modifies.

Look at these sentences … l The boat sank. (without modifier) l The red boat sank. (with modifier)

Placement of adjectives l Adjectives usually come before the nouns they modify. (towering cliffs) l Sometimes they come after the words they modify. (Rainfall is plentiful here)

Adjectives … l Answer questions such as: ¡What kind? How many? How much? ¡Which one? Which ones?

Articles la l an l the

Proper adjective l Formed from a proper noun and is always capitalized. ¡Example: A Chicago museum

Common adjective l Any adjective that is not proper ¡Examples: lmammoth ltiny lhis

Three types of adjectives l Compound l Demonstrative l Indefinite l Predicate

Compound adjective l More than one word ¡Example: lscar-faced lwell-fed

Demonstrative adjective l Points out a particular noun ¡Examples: lthis lthese

Indefinite adjective l An approximate number or quantity ¡Examples: lsome lmany

Predicate adjective l Follows linking verb and describes the subject ¡Example: l. The frustrated kitten is unpleasant.

Forms of adjectives l Positive l Comparative l Superlative l Two-syllable l Three or more syllables

Positive adjective l Describes noun/pronoun without comparing it ¡Example: l. Superman is tough. l. Superman is wonderful.

Comparative adjective l Compares two persons, places, things, ideas ¡Examples: l. Tarzan is tougher than Superman.

Superlative adjectives l Compares three or more persons, places, things, or ideas ¡Examples: l. But I, Big Bird, am the toughest of all!

Two-syllable adjectives l Show comparisons either by their “er / est” suffixes or by modifiers, like more and most ¡Examples: l clumsy, clumsier, clumsiest l clumsy, more clumsy, most clumsy

Three or more syllable adjectives l Three or more syllables and usually require the words more/most, less/least to express comparison ¡Example: lridiculous, less ridiculous, least ridiculous