Adjectives

Word Classes (Parts of Speech)

1. Definition
- Words that modify nouns or pronouns
- Falls into a class called modifiers ( a word that acts to describe or qualify another word in such a way that it changes the other word’s meaning).
e.g I watched the greatest action movie of all time, Star Wars, on my new, digitally-enhanced television.

2. Flavors of adjective

Descriptive
· Describes the nouns and pronouns it modify.
· Point out shape, colour, texture, scent etc.
e.g The hot pan burnt my fingers.
The adjective hot describes the noun, pan.

· Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns.
e.g America had no idea what one day would be American.

Limiting
· Restrict the definitions of the nouns and pronouns they modify.
e.g This dog is mine.
This limits the meaning of the noun dog by identifying it with a single animal.

· Most standard limiting adjectives describe quantity, numbers (one, two, three) and assorted quantity (half, double, daily)
e.g I found five dollars in my pocket.
I read the daily paper.


Other links: http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/adjectve.html

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esladjadv.html