This document provides an introduction to adjectives. It defines adjectives as words that describe or modify nouns and pronouns. It distinguishes between descriptive adjectives, which add details like what kind or what something is like, and limiting adjectives, which make nouns more specific by indicating things like which one or how many. The document also covers features of adjectives such as their typical placement before nouns, their suffixes, and the differences between using fewer and less.

1. Introduction to Grammar,
continued…

2. Adjectives
• Adjectives describe or modify nouns or
pronouns.
• They tell what the things named by nouns
and pronouns are like.
• Adjectives can show which or what kind of
thing you are talking about.
• For examples: the tiny
one, the awesome one,
that one, no one.

3. Descriptive Adjectives
Examples
• Remember: descriptive adjectives add details.
They answer these questions:
– What kind?
– What is it like?
• Examples:
Long Red
Squishy Strong
Hilarious Rainy
Round Box-shaped
Faithful Canadian

4. Limiting Adjectives
Examples
• Remember: limiting adjectives make nouns and pronouns
more specific. They answer these questions:
– Which one?
– How many?
– How much?
• Examples:
This That Those My
Our Your His Its
Their First Right Left
One Ninety-six Many Few
Both No More Less
Which What

5. Features of Adjectives
1. Placement
• Generally, adjectives go before the nouns they
describe.
• You can also put them after a noun and after a
linking verb.
• Before a noun
• My orange kite flies wonderfully.
• After a noun
• My kite, orange as a pumpkin, flies wonderfully.
• After a linking verb
• My kite is orange and flies wonderfully.

6. Features of Adjectives,continued…
2. Endings
• Have you noticed words with these endings
(suffixes)?
– -able, -ful, -ic, -is, -less, -like, -ons
• Add an ending like this to a word root, and what
do you get?
Base word Ending
(suffix)
Adjective
move + able = movable

7. Using Adjectives
1. Know how to use “less” and “least.”
• Sometimes a comparison has to do with less of something –
not more. Then, instead of more or most, you use less or
least.
2. Know the difference between “fewer” and
“less.”
• The adjectives fewer and less mean just about the same thing.
• However, fewer counts separate items, and less measures the
amount of substance.
• Use fewer with plural nouns.
• Use less with singular nouns
• Examples:
– Plural: Which class has fewer students?
– Singular: Which bread has less sugar?

8. Practice using adjectives
• Handout:
Adjectives
• Refer to the
Handout: SAMPLE
List of Adjectives