A discussion on the uses and types of adjectives, degrees of comparison, and sequence of adjectives

1. ADJECTIVES

2. Adjectives
 An adjective modifies a noun or
a pronoun by describing,
identifying, or quantifying words.
An adjective usually precedes
the noun or the pronoun which it
modifies. In the following
examples, the highlighted words
are adjectives:

3. Examples
 A battered music box sat on the
mahogany sideboard.
 The back room was filled with large,
yellow rain boots.
 The truck-shaped balloon floated
over the treetops.
 Many stores have already begun to
play Christmas music.

4. Adjectives
 Adjectives always answer the questions:
 WHAT KIND?
 WHICH ONE?
 HOW MANY?
 HOW MUCH?
 The process by which an adjective
modifies a word is called modification.

5. Parts of Speech Used as Adjectives
 Articles
 Nouns
 Pronouns
 my,your,his,her,its,our,their
 this,that,these,those
 which,what,whose

6.  Indefinite pronouns
 Another,each,either,neither,
 Both,few,many,several
 All,any,more,most,other,some

7. Examples:







8. Examples:







9. 




10. 




11. DEGREES OF COMPARISON

12. Degrees of Comparison
 Adjectives can express degrees of
modification:
 Gladys is a rich woman, but Josie is richer than
Gladys, and Sandie is the richest woman in town.
 The degrees of comparison are known as the
positive, the comparative, and the superlative.
 We use the comparative for comparing two
things and the superlative for comparing three
or more things.

13. Positive Comparative Superlative Irregular Comparative and Superlative Forms
good better best
rich richer richest
bad worse worst
little less least
lovely lovelier loveliest
much
many more most
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful some
far farther farthest
Be careful, also, not to use more along with a comparative adjective formed with -er nor to use most
along with a superlative adjective formed with -est (e.g., do not write that something
is more heavier or most heaviest).
The as — as construction is used to create a comparison expressing equality:
He is as foolish as he is large.
She is as bright as her mother.

14. Order of Adjectives
The Order of Adjectives in a Series
There is a pattern to arranging adjectives in a series.
The categories in the following table can be
described as follows:
1. Determiners — articles and other limiters.
2. Observation — post determiners and limiter
adjectives (e.g., a real hero, a perfect idiot) and
adjectives subject to subjective measure (e.g.,
beautiful, interesting)
3. Size and Shape — adjectives subject to objective
measure (e.g., wealthy, large, round)

15. Order of Adjectives
4. Age — adjectives denoting age (e.g., young, old, new,
ancient)
5. Color — adjectives denoting color (e.g., red, black,
pale)
6. Origin — denominal adjectives denoting source of
noun (e.g., French, American, Canadian)
7. Material — denominal adjectives denoting what
something is made of (e.g., woolen, metallic, wooden)
8. Qualifier — final limiter, often regarded as part of the
noun (e.g., rocking chair, hunting cabin, passenger car,
book cover)