Language ArtsAdjectives are words that modify nouns. This article distinguishes adjectives from other parts of speech and explains different types of adjectives.. Read on for more on adjectives.

Adjectives tell which ones (those), whose (Ebenezer's), how many (seventeen), as well as describing appearance (handsome), smell (stinky), shape (round), size (miniature), sound (squeaky), taste (piquant), and feel (smooth).

Adjectives usually appear in a noun phrase, prior to the noun, in which case they are called attributive adjectives, or in the predicate after a linking verb, in which case they are called predicate adjectives. Adjectives are not to be confused with adverbs, which are the modifiers that are used for verbs.

Adjective Word Forms

Adjectives can often be recognized by their form, though they are not as easy to identify as adverbs, so many of which end in -ly. Some typical adjective endings include:

-able/-ible	laughable/discernible
-al	logical
-ed	embellished
-ful	frightful
-ic	dynamic
-ing	vanishing
-ish	waspish
-ive	attractive
-less	hopeless
-ous	fabulous
-y	sinewy

But many adjectives do not have one of these endings, for example: good, kind, new, shorn, tense.

Positive, Comparative, Superlative

Some adjectives are non-gradable, which means they either describe something or they don't. Examples include dead and unique. Something is either alive or dead, unique or not. There are no degrees. Other adjectives, those that have degrees, are called gradable.

Adjectives can be compared with a variety of words that intensify or diminish their meaning, like sort of, mostly, or utterly. But there is also a standard set of gradations that is used in comparisons.

The standard comparisons have three forms: positive or absolute, comparative, and superlative. The positive or absolute form is the regular form of the adjective. The comparative and superlative are usually formed in one of two ways, depending. There are also irregular adjectives that do not follow either approach.

	more/most	-er, -est	irregular
Positive:	beautiful	pretty	good
Comparative:	more beautiful	prettier	better
Superlative:	most beautiful	prettiest	best

Common and Proper

Adjectives such a all those mentioned so far on this page are called common adjectives. Many of them are formed from nouns, and when adjectives are formed from common nouns, they are common adjectives. Examples include:

fright--->frightful

hope--->hopeless

logic--->logical

Proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns.

Japan--->Japanese

America--->American

Greece--->Greek

Spain--->Spanish

Thailand--->Thai

Adjectives in Noun Phrases

Adjectives often appear in noun phrases, and they are, in fact, one of the elements that change a simple noun into a noun phrase. In English, adjectives characteristically appear before the noun, regardless of the location of the noun phrase in the sentence, as in these examples:

In the subject: The green racquet is mine.

In the direct object: Ralph popped the largest balloon.

In the indirect object: Penelope presented the harmonica to the red-haired boy.

In the predicate: Dr. Gonzalez is an intrepid explorer.

Predicate Adjectives

Besides appearing in noun phrases, adjectives can stand alone in the predicate following a linking verb. Here are some examples:

These roses smell delectable.

Mustafa seems weary.

The package is enormous.

The buffet looks inviting.

The orchestra sounds well-rehearsed.

Prepositional Phrase as Adjective

Prepositional phrases can have either an adjectival function or an adverbial function. When they are adjectival they can describe many different attributes. Some prepositions can have either an adjectival or adverbial function, so it's important to look at the whole phrase before determining which is its.

In (adjectival): Alice was in a funk.  (more or less the equivalent of Alice was sad.)

In (adverbial): Alice sat in the school gymnasium. (this tells where Alice sat)

Relative Clause as Adjective

A relative clause is a type of subordinate clause that can have an adjectival function. Here are some examples:

The giraffe that is leaning over the fence is named Bartholomew.

Please give the gingerbread to the man who is wearing the seersucker suit.

I dedicate this song to the woman whom I call “Mom.”

This is Mr. Ali whose résumé you found so impressive.