An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or a pronoun. To describe or modify means to provide additional information about nouns or pronouns. To modify further means to change something slightly.
Writers and speakers modify an idea or image by choosing certain describing words, which are called adjectives. Hence, these adjectives are also called modifiers. Adjectives are like word cameras. They are words that describe colours, sizes and shapes. Adjectives help you capture how the world around you looks and feels.
Definite and Indefinite Adjectives
These are adjectives which tell how many or how much. They give the number or the quantity, either specific or approximate, of the noun in question. They are also referred to as numerals
Examples:
- Three elephants were killed by the game rangers.
- He bought several houses in Kileleshwa.
- Don’t put much sugar in the tea!
More examples of numerals
| Numbers | Amount | Approximate |
| Three Ten Five Hundred Twenty |
Much All Some Any Few |
Several Some Little Many Few Each Every Numerous |
Adjectives that are in form of numbers are used with countable nouns:
Examples:
- Two calves were born yesterday.
- Five chimpanzees performed funny tricks.
- Many children like dinosaurs.
A definite or indefinite adjective may look like a pronoun, but it is used differently in a sentence. It is an adjective used to modify a noun.
Adjectives that are in farm of quantity are used with uncountable nouns.
Examples:
- Do you have any water in the house?
- How much flour did you buy?
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
To compare two people, places or things, we use the comparative form of an adjective. To compare more than two, we use the superlative form of the adjective.
Examples:
ONE PERSON: Kimenju is tall.
TWO PERSONS: Kimenju is taller than James.
THREE OR MORE: Kimenju is the tallest of all.
The comparative
The comparative form of the adjective is used to compare one thing, person or place with another one. It is formed in two ways.
- For short adjectives, add -er.
Examples:
great + er = greater
sweet + er = sweeter
big + er = bigger
light + er = lighter. - For longer adjectives, the comparative is formed by using the word more before them.
Examples:
More handsome
more remarkable
More attractive
more hardworking
Most adjectives ending in -ful and -ous also form the comparative using more.
Examples:
More successful
more curious
more ferocious
More beautiful
more generous
more prosperous
The Superlative
The superlative form of the adjective is used to compare a person, a place or a thing with more than one other of its kind.
Examples:
- Elephants are the largest animals in the jungle.
- However, they are the most emotional animals.
The superlative form of an adjective is formed in two ways.
- By adding -est to the short adjective
Examples:
great + est = greatest
sweet + est = sweetest
big + est = biggest
light + est = light - For longer adjectives, use most before them.
Examples:
most mysterious
most awkward
most successful
most attractive
The ending -er in the comparative becomes -est in the superlative while more becomes most.
Adjective comparative superlative
strong stronger strongest
quick quicker quickest
adventurous more adventurous most adventurous
co-operative more co-operative most co-operative
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