What are Adjectives in English Grammar? What are various types of Adjectives? Examples of Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns. They give more information about the qualities, quantities, or states of the noun or pronoun they refer to.

When we use more than one adjectives, it is known as enumeration of adjectives. 

  • Adjectives qualifying nouns - There are adjectives that describes the characterstics of a noun - what colour, what size, how many, which makes sentences more specific/ exact or clearer. 
  • Adjectives describing pronouns - There are adjectives that describes pronouns - Press yellow buttonm etc.

Here are various types of adjectives:

 1. Descriptive Adjectives
   - Describe qualities or characteristics of a noun.
   - Examples: beautiful, tall, intelligent, bright.

 2. Quantitative Adjectives
   - Indicate the quantity or amount of a noun.
   - Examples: some, much, little, five, enough.

 3. Numeral Adjectives
   - Specify the exact number or order of nouns.
   - Definite Numeral Adjectives: Indicate exact numbers (e.g., one, two, first, second).
   - Indefinite Numeral Adjectives: Indicate an approximate number (e.g., many, several, few).
   - Distributive Numeral Adjectives: Refer to individual members of a group (e.g., each, every, either, neither).

 4. Demonstrative Adjectives
   - Point out specific nouns.
   - Examples: this, that, these, those.

 5. Possessive Adjectives
   - Show possession or ownership.
   - Examples: my, your, his, her, our, their.

 6. Interrogative Adjectives
   - Used to ask questions about a noun.
   - Examples: which, what, whose.

 7. Distributive Adjectives
   - Refer to members of a group individually.
   - Examples: each, every, either, neither.

 8. Proper Adjectives
   - Formed from proper nouns and are usually capitalized.
   - Examples: American (from America), Indian (from India), Victorian (from Queen Victoria).

 9. Emphasizing Adjectives
   - Add emphasis to the noun they modify.
   - Examples: own (as in my own idea), very (as in the very best).

 10. Exclamatory Adjectives
   - Used in exclamations to show a strong emotion.
   - Example: What (as in What a beautiful day!).

Each type of adjective serves a unique purpose and helps provide a richer, more specific understanding of the noun it modifies.