Parts of Speech: Adjectives Modifiers of Nouns and Pronouns

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Parts of Speech Adjectives Modifiers of Nouns
and Pronouns

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Limiting Adjectives
• Pronouns versus Limiting Adjectives
• Adjective Use Guidelines

Written by Cynthia Baynham, English Instructor,
Griffin Technical College
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Life would be quite dull without adjectives
Apples wouldnt be red or crunchy.
The ocean wouldnt be vast or foamy or even blue.
Mary wouldnt be an honest and intelligent woman.
The millionaires house wouldnt be large and
ostentatious.
Yes, our language is enriched by the mighty
adjective because one of the jobs of an adjective
is to describe a noun or a pronoun.
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What do we mean that an adjective describes? We
mean that it answers the question, What kind?
What kind of apple?
a red, crunchy apple
What kind of ocean?
a vast, foamy, blue ocean
What kind of woman?
an honest and intelligent woman
What kind of house?
a large, ostentatious house
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However, adjectives do more than describe.
They also limit by answering the questions
Whose?
How many?
Which one?

Is my phone ringing?
Please sit in that chair.
Sal bought two monkeys.
We will try several alternatives.
Ann bought those shoes.
Karens son is getting married.
Students use the LSC for many reasons.
I like this kind of art.
Her dog can sing.
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List of Limiting Adjectives
The articles, a, an, and the Any possessive
pronouns or nouns







One and any other number
All Few
No Any Many
Some Both More
Such Each Most
That/Those Every Much
This/These
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Warning Many of the limiting adjectives can
also be used as pronouns.
You can tell if the word is an adjective or
a pronoun by the job that it is doing
If it answers one of the limiting adjective
questions, it is an adjective
You must answer at least one question. There are
several charities that are deserving. Id like
to sit in that chair.
How many questions? How many charities?
Which chair?
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However, they are pronouns if they are doing the
job of a pronoun replacing a noun.
Please take one of the samples. Some were missing
for the final exam. Few realize how important a
sense of responsibility is in a child.
Now lets look at the same indefinite pronouns
used as adjectives.
Please take one sample. Some students were
missing for the final exam. Few parents realize
how important a sense of responsibility is in a
child.
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Now that you can find adjectives by using the
questions they answer, you are ready to learn
some of the finer details about using them.
1. Adjectives can be proper. Proper adjectives,
which come from proper nouns, are capitalized.
American culture, Italian food, French wine,
Greek tragedy, Gatling gun, Shakespearean comedy,
Georgia peaches

I love Italian food. Most French wines age well
in the bottle. I think Shakespearean comedies
have the best dialogue ever written for women.
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2. A compound adjective is made when two words
are combined to make one adjective. When the
compound adjective comes in front of the noun it
is modifying, it is hyphenated.
Jack designs state-of-the-art buildings.
The compound adjective, state-of-the-art, comes
in front of the noun it modifies, building, so it
is hyphenated.
The building is state of the art.
Now the same adjective is not in front of the
noun it modifies (still building), so it is NOT
hyphenated.
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3. When two adjectives are placed together, but
each one modifies the noun on its own, put a
comma between the adjectives.
To test if they work independently to modify the
noun try reversing the adjectives or try putting
an and between them.
Jasmine doesnt mind long, boring movies.
We need the comma because we can say Jasmine
doesnt mind long and boring movies.
We can also say, Jasmine doesnt mind boring,
long movies.
Jasmine bought a green wool coat.
We dont need a comma between green and wool
because we would not say, Jasmine bought a green
and wool coat.
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4. Adjectives are used to make comparisons and
must be used in the correct degree.
There are three degrees of comparison positive,
comparative, and superlative.
In the positive degree, no comparison is being
made
Mr. Benz is a kind teacher.
In the comparative degree, two items or people
are being compared, and one is either better than
or worse than the other
Mr. Benz is a kinder teacher than Mr. Merchant.
In the superlative degree, three or more items or
people are compared when one is the best or the
worst of them all.
Of all the teachers in the school, Mr. Benz is
the kindest .
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So just how does one form the comparative and
superlative degrees correctly?
There are two ways to form the Comparative Degree
1. For one-syllable adjectives and some
two-syllable adjectives, simply add -r or -er .
If the base adjective ends in -y, change the -y
to -i.
cuter nicer finer grumpier
friendlier happier
2. For most adjectives of two or more
syllables (and the occasional one-syllable
adjective) you must use the helping
words More or Less.
more fun less intelligent more intense
more earnest
Always use than to introduce the second item
in the comparison.
Zack is more enthusiastic than John.
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There are two ways to form the superlative degree
1. With most one-syllable adjectives and some
two-syllable adjectives, add st or est to the
base adjective. If the base adjective ends in y,
change the y to i and add est.
nearest tidiest kindest shiniest
fondest sharpest finest
2. With adjectives of two or more syllables (and
the occasional one-syllable adjective) use the
helping words most and least.
most fun least intelligent least
intense most earnest
Note Sometimes we use the superlative even when
there is not an explicit comparison.
The Falcons are the most talented football team.
While there is no explicit comparison to all the
other teams, we know that they exist and that
there is more than one other team.
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Remember that adjectives modify nouns and
pronouns. They describe (by telling what kind)
and they limit (by telling how many, which one
and whose).
Now you are ready to identify and correctly use
adjectives. Click on this link to practice
identifying and using adjectives.