Grammar Rules with 8 Tips on using Adjectives

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Identify the Adjectives:

Can you identify the Adjectives in these sentences?

1.     Jay and Timmy are good friends.

2.     One morning they went to the cafe of their choice.

3.     Jay ordered one coffee and some snacks.

4.     Those snacks included pastries also.

5.     Timmy could not decide which coffee to order.

6.     Jay suggested that he should try Irish coffee.

7.     The waiter served Jay’s coffee hot.

8.     Timmy loved his coffee and said this was the very flavor he was looking for.

9.     The snacks were tasty.

10. What a wonderful treat! 

Were you able to get them all?

1.     Jay and Timmy are good friends.

2.     One morning they went to the cafe of their choice.

3.     Jay ordered one coffee and some snacks.

4.     Those snacks included pastries also.

5.     Timmy could not decide which coffee to order.

6.     Jay suggested that he should try Irish coffee.

7.     The waiter served Jay’s coffee hot.

8.     Timmy loved his coffee and said this was the very flavor he was looking for.

9.     The snacks were tasty.

10. What a wonderful treat!  

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What is an adjective?

Adjective describes or modifies a noun.

Note: Adverbs modify verbs and often end with “ly”.

She looked calm. Calm is an adjective that describes her

She spoke calmly. Calmly is an adverb that describes the way she spoke

All adjectives answer three specific questions about the noun they modify.

1. What kind? Strong, Happy, Red
2. How much/ many? Few, Some Six, One
3. Which one(s)? This, That, Those, These

Types of Adjectives:

1.     Jay and Timmy are good friends. Attributive Adjective: It adds some quality, characteristic, feature or attribute of the noun.

2.     One morning they went to a cafe of their choice. Possessive Adjective: words like my, your, his, her, its, our, their used before a noun to show possession or ownership.

3.     Jay ordered one coffee and some snacks. Adjectives of Quantity: denotes the quantity for a noun. Definite Numeral Adjectives denote an exact number like one. Indefinite Numeral Adjectives, which do not denote an exact number; as, All, no; many, few; some, any; certain, several, sundry.

4.     Those snacks included pastries also. Demonstrative Adjective: words like this, that, these, those point out which person or thing is meant.

5.     Timmy could not decide which coffee to order. Interrogative Adjective: words like which, whose, what used with nouns to ask questions.

6.     Jay suggested him to try Irish coffee. Proper Adjective: formed from proper noun and starts with capital letter like Irish, French, Indian etc.

7.     The waiter served Jay’s coffee hot. Resultative Adjective: placed after the noun it modifies and reflects a change that occurs by action of the verb.

8.     Timmy loved his coffee and said this is the very flavor he wanted. Emphasizing Adjective: words to emphasize a noun like ‘very' and 'own‘.

9.     The snacks were tasty. Predicative Adjective: forms part of the predicate and comes after the verb.

10. What a wonderful treat! Exclamatory Adjective: word what is sometimes used to express exclamation.

Placement of Adjectives:

An Adjective used attributively is generally placed immediately before the noun: “Susie is a beautiful girl.”

When using a string of Adjectives, they should appear in a set order: size/shape + age + color + origin + material.

a)     A big brown house.

b)     A small old English desk.

c)     She married a tall, dark, handsome man.

When some word or phrase is joined to the Adjective to explain its meaning, the Adjective is placed after its noun.

a)     He was a man fertile in resource.

b)     A soldier, taller than any of his comrades, rushed forward.

Tips on using Adjectives:

Tip #1: Some, Any:

Some: used when the exact number, amount, or quantity is not known or stated. Generally used in positive sentences and questions which are really offers/requests or which expect the answer “yes”.

a)     I have some money in the bank.

b)     They know some great doctors.

c)     Can I have some coffee? (Request)

Any: indicates one or more of something without any specification. Generally used in negative sentences or questions and after ‘if’ in affirmative sentences.

a)     I don't have any money.

b)     If you need any money I will help you.

c)     Have you bought any mangoes?

Tip #2: Each, Every:

Each: refers to members of a group as individuals and is used only when the number in the group is limited and definite.

a)     Five boys were seated on each bench.

b)     He gave each child a toy.

Every: refers to the group as a collection of members and is used when the number is indefinite.

a)     I have every book in this list.

b)     Every one of these chairs is broken.

Tip #3: Either, Neither:

Either: indicates one or the other of two people or things.

a)     Either teacher will be chaperoning the field trip.

b)     Please put the trash cans on either side of the house.

Neither: indicate not either one of two people or things.

a)     Neither parent showed up to the recital.

b)     Neither child admitted to the prank.

Tip #4: Many, Much:

Many: used with Countable nouns.

a)     This library has many books.

b)     There are many glasses in the shelf.

Much: used with uncountable nouns and mostly in negative sentences or questions.

a)     We don't have much milk left in the refrigerator.

b)     Did you have much luck?

Tip #5: Little:

Little: means not much (i.e., hardly any) and has a negative meaning.

There is little hope of his recovery. (There really isn’t much hope)

A little: means some though not much and has a positive meaning. Used with uncountable nouns.

There is a little hope of his recovery. (There is some hope of recovery)

The little: means not much, but all there is.

The little knowledge of carpentry that he possessed stood him in good stead.

Tip #6: Few:

Few: means hardly anyone and has a negative meaning.

I have few enemies. (I really don’t have any enemies)

A few: means small in number but not many either.

I have a few enemies. (I have a small number of enemies)

The few: means not many, but all there is.

The few days I had spent in Darjeeling were very pleasant.

Tip #7: All, Whole, Both:

All: used before uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns.

a)     All the students were given assignments.

b)     All sugar is wasted.

Both: used before two countable nouns.

Both my friends are honest.

Whole: used before uncountable nouns. A ‘the’ is placed before ‘whole’.

The whole country is suffering from drought.

Tip #8: Enough, So, Such:

Enough: it can only be used before the noun it qualifies. Enough is always placed in front of the noun.

a)   We have enough chairs for everyone to sit on.

b)   There was enough food to feed an army.

So, too: it can be combined with adjectives to show extremes.

a)   Shelly’s eyes are so beautiful.

b)   The meal was too good.

Such: Such can be combined with an adjective and a noun to show extremes. This form is often used in exclamations.

a)     Don has such a big house!

b) Shelly has such beautiful eyes!

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Spot the Errors:

Each of the following sentences will contain a mistake in the usage of Adjectives. See if you can spot that mistake.

#1:

Whole chapter of this book is full of printing errors. (Incorrect)

The whole chapter of this book is full of printing errors. (Correct)

#2:

You have much books. (Incorrect)

You have many books. (Correct)

#3:

I have many work to do. (Incorrect)

I have much work to do. (Correct)

#4:

He wasted his all wealth. (Incorrect)

He wasted all his wealth. (Correct)

#5:

He did not eat some rice. (Incorrect)

He did not eat any rice. (Correct)

#6:

Little sincerity can bring him success. (Incorrect)

A little sincerity can bring him success. (Correct)

#7:

Little she did for me is unforgettable. (Incorrect)

The little she did for me is unforgettable. (Correct)

#8:

I asked him to bring me few books. (Incorrect)

I asked him to bring me a few books. (Correct)

#9:

Few days I passed with him are memorable. (Incorrect)

The few days I passed with him are memorable. (Correct)

#10:

Can you lend me any money? (Incorrect)

Can you lend me some money? (Correct)

#11:

Have you brought some gold for her? (Incorrect)

Have you brought any gold for her? (Correct)

#12:

Every of the students has received their study materials. (Incorrect)

Each of the students has received their study materials. (Correct)

#13:

Each animal needs food. (Incorrect)

Every animal needs food. (Correct)

#14:

Either employee told the truth. (Incorrect)

Neither employee told the truth. (Correct)

#15:

Each person are an individual. (Incorrect)

Each person is an individual. (Correct)

#16:

Look, the asleep boy. (Incorrect)

Look, the boy is asleep. (Correct)

#17:

I didn’t get time enough to write the test. (Incorrect)

I didn’t get enough time to write the test. (Correct)

#18:

He’s so ill to move. (Incorrect)

He’s too ill to move. (Or) He’s so ill that he cannot move. (Correct)

#19:

She’s so tolerant person! (Incorrect)

She’s such a tolerant person! (Or) She is so tolerant! (Correct)

#20:

All my parents are caring. (Incorrect)

Both my parents are caring. (Correct)

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