A descriptive adjective
is a word that describes things or people.
An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun and gives them a more specific meaning.
The chair is in the room. Chair is a noun.
- The big chair is in the room. Big is an adjective that describes the noun.
- The big blue chair is in the room. Big and blue are adjectives that describe the noun.
- The beautiful big blue chair is in the room. Beautiful, big, and blue are adjectives that describe the noun.
Adjectives can describe
- AGE
- AMOUNT
- APPEARANCE
- COLOUR
- CONDITION
- EMOTION
- MATERIALS
- NATIONALITY
- OPINION
- PATTERNS
- PERSONALITY
- PURPOSE
- QUANTITY
- SITUATIONS
- SIZE
- SHAPE
- SOUND
- TASTE
- TOUCH
- TIME
When we use adjectives, we provide a more specific description of the noun
We usually place adjectives in this order:
Opinion, attitudes, observations: beautiful, clean, elegant, fancy, handsome, interesting, magnificent, plain, ugly
Size, height: big, huge, large, small, tall, tiny
Temperature: cold, hot, warm, tepid, boiling, freezing
Age, new or old? antique, old, new, retro, young
Shape, weight, length: flat, long, oblong, round, square
Colour: blue, green, orange, pink, purple, red, reddish
Condition, state: clean, damp, dry, happy, hungry, rich, sad, healthy, sick
Pattern: checkered, crisscross, flecked, flowered, flowery, linear, shapeless, spotted, striped
Origin: African, American, Belgian, British, Canadian, English, French, Indian, Italian, Irish, Moroccan, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Welsh
Material: acrylic, aluminum, bamboo, bronze, cardboard, concrete, copper, gold, plastic, silver, steel, wood
Purpose: driving, flying, gardening, listening, riding, shopping, swimming, typing
Sentences
- A nice young lady wearing a purple retro skirt and flowery top gave me directions to the store.
- The small brown wet puppy was playing with the gardening hose.
- There are many new students this year. Only a brave few attended the information session.
- Is this the one you want? No, I want the blue one.
- The two lovely large cats are old, but they are healthy and happy.
Tip: Sometimes, we use present and past participles as adjectives.
- What is the description? Present participle.
- What is the effect? Past participle.
- It is an interesting sport. Describes the singular noun sport.
- I am interested in sports. Effect on me?
- The presentation was boring. Describes the singular noun presentation.
- He was bored. Effect on him?
- Adjectives can be confusing. Describes the plural noun adjectives.
- We are confused. Effect on us?
- It is an interesting sport. Describes the singular noun sport.