What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words like kind, clever, pretty and old. They describe nouns. Adjectives usually go before the nouns modified by them.

• She is a pretty girl. (Here the adjective pretty goes before the noun girl.)
• It is a clever idea. (Here the adjective clever goes before the noun idea.)

Adjectives can also go after be (is, am, are, was, were) and other copular verbs (seem, look, appear, feel, get, become etc.)

• She is beautiful. (Here the adjective beautiful goes after be (is)).
• It looks difficult. (Here the adjective difficult goes after the copular verb looks.)

Adjectives usually have three forms – positive, comparative and superlative

Examples are:

• Clever – cleverer – cleverest
• Pretty – prettier – prettiest
• Warm – warmer – warmest
• Old – older – oldest
• Intelligent – more intelligent – most intelligent

Underline the adjectives in the following sentences.

1. You have a lovely smile.
2. She is such a cute baby.
3. It was more difficult than I thought.
4. Good people do not hurt others.
5. She is very intelligent.
6. It is an old building.
7. Who is that tall guy who just walked in?
8. That was a fantastic idea.
9. The young man is looking for a job.
10. Caesar was an ambitious man.
11. She earns a huge salary.
12. The exam was tough.
13. The dog follows the little boy everywhere.
14. She does not have any friends.
15. I called her six times.
16. He is very arrogant.
17. Only an intelligent person can solve this puzzle.
18. The food was delicious.
19. She was wearing a beautiful gown.
20. It was an inexpensive restaurant.

Answers

1. lovely; 2. cute; 3. more difficult; 4. good; 5. intelligent; 6. old; 7. tall; 8. fantastic; 9. young; 10. ambitious; 11. huge; 12. tough; 13. little; 14. any; 15. six; 16. arrogant; 17. intelligent; 18. delicious; 19. beautiful;20. inexpensive