ADJECTIVES

 An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun by providing descriptive or

specific detail. Unlike adverbs, adjectives do not modify verbs, other
adjectives or adverbs. Adjectives usually precede the noun or pronoun
they modify. Adjectives do not have to agree in number or gender with
nouns they describe. Adjectives answer the following questions: What
kind?, How many?, or Which ones?

Examples:

Tom bought a used car. (used describes what kind of car Tom
bought)

Sally baked a ten pies for the school. (ten tells how many pies Sally baked.)

Bob climbed that tree in the backyard. (that specific which tree Bob climbed.)

Forms of Adjectives – Degrees of Comparison

Did you know that adjectives can be used to compare similar qualities of different
subjects that perform the same action. There are three forms of adjectives or
rather three degrees of comparison. The are:

 Positive or Absolute Form

 Comparative Form
 Superlative Form

Positive Degree of Comparison

 The positive form or the positive degree of comparison is the form of the
adjective used in the original form.

For example: This book is interesting. (This form of adjective is used when
there is no other subject to be compared.)

Comparative Degree of Comparison

 The comparative form of the adjective is used when two subjects
performing the same action or possessing the same quality are compared.

For example: The book I read yesterday was more interesting than the one I
read today.

Superlative Degree of Comparison

 The superlative degree of comparison is used when comparing the same
quality of two or more subjects and to represent that a subject is superior
to two or more subjects in performing an action.
For example: This fantasy novel is the most interesting book that I have ever
read.

TYPES OF ADJECTIVES
1. Descriptive Adjective – names a quality of the noun or pronoun that
it modifies.

Examples: The brown dog was hungry.

Bigger house

The fluffy cat purred loudly on the couch.

2. Proper Adjectives – A proper adjective is derived from a proper

noun.

Examples: French class

Spanish food

European car

3. Limiting Adjectives – A limiting adjective restricts the meaning of

the word modifies.

Examples: That car is very beautiful.

This room belongs to my sister.

4. Interrogative Adjectives – An interrogative adjective is used to ask

a questions.

Following words are used as interrogative adjective: What, whose, where,

why, how, and which.

Examples: Whose book is this?

5. Coordinate Adjectives – A coordinate adjectives consists of two or

more adjectives separated by comma instead of by a coordinating
conjuction.

Examples: a cold, rainy day

To determine if you can replace the coordinating conjuction with a comma,

see if the adjectives can be reversed or if and can be added between the
adjectives without changing the meaning. If the adjectives can be reversed,
they are coordinate and a comma can be used.
 Examples:

The clowns arrived in a bright, shiny car.

The clowns arrived in a shiny, bright car. (Reversing bright and shiny does
not change the meaning.)

The clowns arrived in a bright and shiny car. (Adding and between bright and
shiny does not change the meaning.)

- However, if the adjectives cannot be reversed or if and cannot be used, a

comma be used.

Examples:

The clowns arrived in a two colorful cars.

The clowns arrived in colorful two cars. (Reversing two and colorful changes
the meaning.)

The clowns arrived in two and colorful cars. (Adding and between two and
colorful changes the meaning.

6. Compound Adjectives – Compound adjectives consist of two or

more words that function as a unit. Depending on it’s position within the
sentence, the compound adjective is punctuated with or without a hyphen.
When a compound comes before the noun it modifies, use a hyphen to
joing the adjectives. When a compound adjective follows the noun it
modifies, do not use a hyphen to join the adjectives.

Examples:

She is taking a class on nineteenth-century literature. (The adjective

nineteenth-century preceds the noun literature so a hyphen is used.)

She is studying literature from the nineteenth century. (The adjectives

nineteenth century comes after the noun literature so no hyphen is used.)

List of Compound Adjectives Examples

Here is a list of compound adjectives that you can make use to make your writing or
speech specific and descriptive.

 Blue-collar
 Short-term
 White-washed
 Short-handed
 Ill-minded
 Ice-cold
 Grass-fed
 Home-bred
 East-facing
 Mouth-watering
 Overcooked
 Undercooked
 Deep-fried
 Seasick
 Well-known
 Tightly-wound

7. Determiners as Adjectives – Determiners, such as articles,

pronouns, and numbers, can function as adjective. When a determineris
used as an adjective, it restricts the noun it modifies, like a limiting
adjective.Determiners functioning as adjectives tell Which one?, How
many?, and Whose?

Articles (a, an, the)

Possessive Pronounes (my, our, your, his, her, its their)
Relative Pronouns (whose, which, whichever, what, whatever)
Demonstratives (this, these, that, those)
Indefinite Pronouns (any, each, other, some, etc.)
Cardinal Numbers (one, two, three, etc.)
Ordinal Numbers (last, first, second, etc.)
Examples: Bob’s house is only three block from that hluse. (Bob’s answered
the questions.Whose house? Three answers the question. How many blocks?
That answers the question. Which house is three blocks from Bob’s house?)

PLACEMENT & ORDER OF ADJECTIVES

 a single noun can be described as a list of adjectives. When more than
one adjective is used to modify a noun, it is important to consider the order
in w/c the adjectivesapper.
1. Determiners Articles (a, the), demonstrative (this, those), and
possissives (his, our, nmary’s, everybody’s), amounts (one, five, many,
few), order ( first, next, last)
2. Coordinate adjectives (subjective evaluations or personal opinions)
nice, nasty packed, pitiful.
3. Adjectives describing size: big, huge, littlem tiny,
4. Adjectives describing shape:long, short, round, square
5. Adjectives describing age: young, old, modern, ancient
6. Adjectives describing colod: blue, green, red, white
7. Adjectives describing nationality: Italian, French, Japanese
8. Adjectives describing architectural style or religion: Greek, Gothic,
Catholic, Jewish, Muslim
9. Adjectives describing material: cardboard, plastic, silver, gold
Examples: A big brick (article, size, and material)

These old brown cardboard boxes

USING ADJECTIVES
Adjective as Subject Complements
 The subject complements is a word that follows a linking verb and modifies
the sentences subject, not is verb Linking verbs: appear, become, feel,
grow, smell, seem, sound, remain, turn, prove, look, taste, and the form of
the verb to be

Examples: The crowd appeared calm. (The linking verb appeared links the
noun the subject crowd with the adjectives calm)

Adjectives as Object Complements

 The object complement is a word that follows a sentence’s direct object
and modifies that object and not the verb. An object complement answers
the questions what? after the direct object.

Examples: Bob considered the expirement a success. (Success is the object

compliment that modifies the sentences direct object expirement.)

Adjectives wth Past and Present Participle Verbs

 adjectives are frequently formed by using the past particple (-ed, -t, or –en)
and the present participle (-ing) verb forms.

Examples: The group of children scared the sleeping dog, (Sleeping

describes the baby)

The students refused to eat the dries fruit. (Dried describes the
cookies.)
 INERJECTION
 is a word or phrase used to express a feeling or to request or demand
something. Interjections are common in everyday speech and informal
writing.

Examples: Wow! That is huge.

Uh-oh. I forgot to get gas.

Psst, what is the answer to number four?

How are interjections used in sentences?

 interjections add meaning to a sentence or context by expressing a
feeling, making a demand, or emphasizing a thought.
 can be either a single word or a phrase, and they can be used on their
own or as part of a sentence.

Examples: (uses of interjection)

Phew!

Shoot, I’ve broken a nail.

Oh really? I didn’t know that.

As interjections are a grammatically independent part of speech, they can

often be excluded from a sentence without impacting its meaning.

Examples: (sentences with and without interjections)

Oh boy, I’m tired. (with interjections)

I’m tired. (without interjections)

Ouch! That hurts! (with interjections)

That hurts! (without interjections)

TYPES OF INTERJECTIONS
1. Primary Interjection – is a word or sound that can only be used as a
interjection. Primary interjection do not have alternative meaning and can’t
function as another part of speech. (i.e.,noun, verb, or adjective)

Some primary interjection include: oh, wow, ahh, hmm, ouch, geez, oh, aw,
ugh, um0hum, yippee, etc.

Examples: Ugh! That’s disgusting.

 Um-hum. I think that could work.

We won the game. Yippee!

2. Secondary Interjections – is a word that is typically used

as another part of speech (such as a noun, verb, or
adjective) that can also be used as an interjection.
Examples: Goodness! That was a close one.

Shoot! My flight has been canceled.

Awesome! Do that trick again.

3. Volitive Interjections – is used to give a command or make a

request. For examples the volitive interjection “shh” or “shush” is used to
command to be quiet.

Some volitive interjections include: shoo, yo, here, ahem, psst, shh, silence,
hush, hey, etc.

Examplesl: Shh! I can’t focus when you’re singing.

Psst. Pass me an eraser.

Ahem. Please pay attention.

4. Emotive Interjections – is used to express an emotion or to indicate

a reaction to something. For example, the emotive interjection “ew” is used
to express disgust.

Some emotive interjections include: yuck, ouch, eww, ugh, phew, yippee,
aww,, yay, yum, etc.

Examples: Ew. I’m not eating that.

Yay! I’m so excited to see you.

Yum! This apple pie is delicious.

5. Cognitive Interjections – is used to express thought or

indicate a thought process. For example, the cognitive
interjection “um” can express confusion or indicate that the
speaker is thinking.
Some Cognitive Interjections includes: eureka, holy cow, huh, well, gosh, aha,
duh, hmm, gee, ahh, ohh, wow, um, etc.

Examples: Um, can you explain it once more?

Wow! I wasn’t expecting that.

6. Greetings and Parting Words – are interjections used to
acknowledge or welcome someone or to express good wishes at the end
of a conversation.

Some Greetings and Parting Words include: good morning, good day, buenas
noches, goodbye, hey, bye, adios, see you soon, aloha, bye bye, have a nice
day, bonjour, thanks, best wishes, cheers, etc.

Examples: Hey!

Hello! It’s good to see you.

Bye!

See you soon! Drive safe.

7. Interjections and Punctuation – How are interjection is

punctuated depends on the context and the intensity of the emotion or
thought being expressed. Exclamation points are commonly used along
with interjections to emphasize the intensity of an emotion, thought, or
demand. When the emption or thought being expressed is less extreme,
an interjection can also be followed by a period. If an interjection is used to
express uncertainty or to ask a question, it should be followed by a
question mark.
Examples: (Interjections and punctuation)
Oh. I don’t know.
We’ve just won the lottery. Hurray!

 When an interjection is used as part of a sentence, it should be set

off from the rest of the sentence using commas.

Examples: (Interjections within a sentence)

Hmm, how are we going to do this?

It was an interesting lecture, indeed.