Adjectives

An adjective is a word like clever, beautiful, green, hungry, brave, which is used when we describe people, things, events etc. Adjectives are used in connection with nouns and pronouns.

• He wore a red shirt.
  
• We need some square tables.
  
• Each hand has five fingers.
  
• You are naughty.
  
• She is a beautiful girl.
  
• He is an honest boy.
  
• This is a wooden chair.
  
• She wore a gold necklace.
  
• It was an earthen pot.
  
• Sugar is sweet.
  

Position of adjectives

Most adjectives can go in two main positions in a sentence:

a) before a noun (attributive position)

• Our new principal is an old lady.
• He is a clever boy.

b) after be, seem, look and other copular verbs (predicative position)

• I am glad to meet you.
• You don't look happy to see me.
• The milk turned sour.
• She felt bad.

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