ADJECTIVES -- a word that modifies a noun or pronoun by limiting its meaning. - PowerPoint Presentation

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ADJECTIVES

-- a word that modifies a noun or pronoun by limiting its meaning.-- tells what kind, which one, how many, or how much.

Examples

red barn that notebook seven apples many novels

romantic story interesting poem these ideas Irish ballad

cracked pitcher enough plates second time no excuse

afternoon class cheese sandwich football game

Pronouns can also serve as adjectives. For example, possessive pronouns (my, our, your, his, her, its, and their) act as adjectives when they modify nouns. Demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, and those) can also be considered demonstrative adjectives when they modify nouns. Similarly, nouns can serve as adjectives. Any noun that modifies another noun can be considered an adjective.

Examples

my

kitten (possessive adjective)

those

bicycles (demonstrative adjective)

Lucy’s

report (possessive noun acting as

adj

)

leather

shoes (noun acting as

adj

)

EXAMPLESa spinning top some burned toasta fallen tree*** Adjectives may appear in various positions in relation to the words they modify.***How suspenseful this movie is!That suspenseful movie was very popular.The movie is suspenseful.The movie, relentlessly suspenseful, ended suddenly.

Two verb forms can also act as adjectives: the present participle, which ends in

–

ing

, and the past participle, which either ends in

–

ed

or is irregularly formed.

Five hundred tired fans waited in line for four hours.No one in our class had ever heard of the Buffalo Soldiers.Mrs. Angelini requests an aisle seat at concerts.Who ate that peanut butter sandwich? I was saving it for my lunch!The Argus Clearinghouse is a useful collection of four hundred or more guides to the Internet.Yes, the new PTA president is George’s mother.Who would make this long trip just to see some petrified wood?When Dad returned from his Paris trip, he brought me some wonderful French perfume.Do we have enough orange juice for Kia’s friends?

Practice: Write the sentence. Circle each adjective and underline the word it modifies.

Five hundred fans; tired fans; four hoursNo one; our classAisle seatThat sandwich; peanut butter sandwich; my lunchUseful collection; four hundred guides; more guidesNew president; PTA president; George’s motherThis trip; long trip; some wood; petrified woodHis trip; Paris trip; some perfume; wonderful perfume; French perfumeEnough juice; orange juice; Kia’s friends

Answers

Many adjectives have different forms to indicate their degree of comparison.The positive form indicates no comparison.The comparative form compares two nouns or pronouns.The superlative form compares more than two nouns or pronouns.

Forms of Adjectives

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVEsmooth smoother smoothesthappy happier happiestthin thinner thinnestbeautiful more beautiful most beautifulgood, well better bestbad worse worstmany, much more mostlittle less least

Examples

Sliding downhill was (smooth) than I expected.This is the (snowy) winter we have had in years.California is a large state. Texas, however, is (large) than California, and Alaska is the (large) state in the United States.Sofia’s goal is to become the (good) doctor in Missouri.The next time I suggest hiking up Millis Hill, please remind me that today’s trip was the (unpleasant) one I’ve ever taken.

Practice: When writing the sentence, write the correct comparative or superlative form of the adjective in parentheses.

6. In my opinion, no one is (qualified) than Keysha to lead our class next year.7. Few are (happy) than my brothers when vacation starts, but Mom is always (happy) of all when they start school again.8. How much (long) will it be before all the grass is cut?9. The 630-foot Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the (tall) monument in the United States.10. Saint Louis University now stands on reclaimed land that once housed some of the (bad) slums in Missouri.

Continued…

SmootherSnowiestLarger; largestBestMost unpleasantMore qualifiedHappier; happiestLongerTallestWorst

Answers

are the adjectives a, an, and the.A and an are called indefinite articles. -- they can refer to any one of a kind of person, place, thing, or idea -- A is used before consonant sounds; an is used before vowel soundsThe is the definite article. -- refers to a specific person, place, thing, or idea

Articles

Indefinite He found a ring. I have a used computer. I ate an egg.Definite He found the ring. I have the used computer. I ate the egg.

Examples

formed from a proper nounbegins with a capital letterVancouver is a Canadian city.We visited the London Zoo.

Proper Adjectives

The following suffixes, along with others, are often used to form proper adjectives:

-n, -

ian

, -an, -

ese

, -

ic

, and –

ish

.

Sometimes there are other changes as well.

Proper Nouns

Proper Adjectives

Queen Victoria Victorian

Egypt Egyptian

Mexico Mexican

Lebanon Lebanese

Ireland Irish

the embassy of Japanmythology of Greece and Romethe Alps of Switzerlandthe people of Walesthe Vikings of Denmarkthe canals of Hollandthe veldt of Africathe language of Chinawinters in Icelandhot spices of Thailand

Practice: Rewrite each phrase, changing the noun in red into a proper adjective.

the Japanese embassyGreek and Roman mythology the Swiss Alpsthe Welsh peoplethe Danish Vikingsthe Dutch canalsthe African veldtthe Chinese languageIcelandic wintershot Thai spices

Answers