Adjectives
Learn about descriptive words that modify nouns and pronouns in English grammar
What Are Adjectives?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns and pronouns. They provide additional information about the qualities, characteristics, or attributes of people, places, things, or ideas. Adjectives can describe size, color, shape, personality, emotions, and many other qualities. They help make our language more vivid and specific.
Types of Adjectives
1. Descriptive Adjectives
Definition
Describe qualities and characteristics
Examples
beautiful, tall, smart, happy, red
Usage
Most common type of adjective
Sentence
The beautiful flower bloomed.
2. Proper Adjectives
Definition
Derived from proper nouns
Examples
American, Chinese, Victorian, Shakespearean
Usage
Always capitalized
Sentence
I love Italian food.
3. Demonstrative Adjectives
Definition
Point out specific nouns
Examples
this, that, these, those
Usage
Indicate proximity or distance
Sentence
This book is interesting.
4. Quantitative Adjectives
Definition
Show quantity or amount
Examples
many, few, several, some, all
Usage
Describe how much or how many
Sentence
Many students attended the lecture.
5. Comparative & Superlative
Comparative
Compare two things (bigger, more beautiful)
Superlative
Compare more than two (biggest, most beautiful)
Comparative Example
This car is faster than that one.
Superlative Example
This is the fastest car.
Adjectives in Sentences
The beautiful (descriptive) red (descriptive) flower bloomed.
This (demonstrative) Italian (proper) restaurant serves delicious (descriptive) food.
Many (quantitative) young (descriptive) students attended the lecture.
She is the most intelligent (superlative) person I know.
Interactive Quiz 1: Identify Adjective Types
Identify the type of each adjective:
1. "The beautiful flower" - beautiful is a _____ adjective.
Show Answer
Answer: Descriptive adjective (describes quality)
2. "This book" - this is a _____ adjective.
Show Answer
Answer: Demonstrative adjective (points out specific noun)
3. "Italian food" - Italian is a _____ adjective.
Show Answer
Answer: Proper adjective (derived from proper noun Italy)
Interactive Quiz 2: Find Adjectives in Sentences
Find all the adjectives in each sentence:
The big red car drove down the narrow street.
Show Answer
Answer: big, red, narrow
This Chinese restaurant serves delicious food.
Show Answer
Answer: This, Chinese, delicious
Many young students attended the interesting lecture.
Show Answer
Answer: Many, young, interesting
Interactive Quiz 3: Comparative & Superlative
Identify if each adjective is comparative or superlative:
1. "This car is faster than that one." - faster is _____
Show Answer
Answer: Comparative (compares two things)
2. "She is the most beautiful person." - most beautiful is _____
Show Answer
Answer: Superlative (compares more than two)
3. "This is the biggest house." - biggest is _____
Show Answer
Answer: Superlative (compares more than two)
Interactive Quiz 4: Create Sentences with Adjectives
Create sentences using these types of adjectives:
Use: descriptive + proper + demonstrative
Show Example
Example: This delicious Italian pizza is amazing.
Use: quantitative + comparative + descriptive
Show Example
Example: Many older students prefer this interesting class.
Use: superlative + proper + demonstrative
Show Example
Example: This is the most beautiful French garden.
Important Grammar Rules for Adjectives
Order of Adjectives
Opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose (OSASCOMP).
Comparative Forms
Short adjectives add -er/-est, long adjectives use more/most.
Proper Adjectives
Always capitalized as they come from proper nouns.
Related Topics
Quick Reference
Pro Tip
Adjectives make your writing more vivid and descriptive!