Adjectives Used without Nouns

Adjectives are words used to describe nouns. They give us additional information about the noun modified by them. We do not normally use adjectives without nouns.

• She is a kind woman. NOT She is a kind.) (Here the adjective kind modifies the noun woman.)

However, we can write She is kind. In this case, the adjective acts as a subject complement.

• It a difficult problem. (NOT It is a difficult.)

Sometimes, however, adjectives are used with the article the to refer to well-known groups of people. In this case, the noun is not used. Examples of such expressions are: the blind, the illiterate, the educated, the poor, the unemployed, the rich etc.

The poor means all poor people. Likewise, the unemployed means all unemployed people.

• The poor are getting poorer. (= Poor people are getting poorer.)
• She is collecting money for the disabled.
• He always helps the needy.

Note that expressions like the blind and the poor are always used with a plural verb.

• The blind need help.
• The poor are losing hope.

Sometimes, however, these expressions can have a singular meaning as well. For example, the accused can be singular or plural. When we are talking about just person, use the singular verb.

• The accused has been sent to judicial custody.
• The accused were a man and a woman in the forties.

Sections in this article

Adjectives

Adjectives placed before nouns

Adjectives placed after verbs

Adjectives without Nouns

Adjectives: order before nouns

Kinds of Adjectives

Adjectives with and

Complements of adjectives

See also

Adjective clauses

Relative clauses

Relative pronouns

Identifying relative clauses

Omission of relative pronouns