adjectives

(noun)

A part of speech that describes, quantifies, or identifies a noun or pronoun. 

Related Terms

  • adverb

Examples of adjectives in the following topics:

  • Adjectives

    • In some situations, two adjectives may be used to describe a noun.
    • But other times, the adjectives combine to become one adjective joined by a hyphen.
    • Heavy-metal is the compound adjective describing the detector.
    • The standard form for using adjectives for comparison is to add -er to the end of an adjective being used to compare two items (brighter, cooler) and -est to the end of an adjective used to compare more than two items (brightest, coolest).
    • Sometimes, pronouns can be used as adjectives.
  • First and Second Declension

    • Most adjectives in -er are declined like sacer.
  • Adverbs

    • Just as adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
    • Many adjectives can be made into adverbs simply by adding -ly to the end.
    • ["Of this diet" describes the adjective "tired."]
    • Hyphens can be used to combine an adverb and adjective to describe a noun.
    • In this situation, the adverb is describing the adjective, and the adjective is describing the noun.
  • Third Declension

    • But they do not have -ī the Ablative, except when employed as adjectives; when used as participles or as substantives, they have -e; as,—
    • a) usually retain the adjective declension; as,—aequālis, contemporary, Abl. aequālī.cōnsulāris, ex-consul, Abl. cōnsulārīSo names of Months; as, Aprīlī, April; Decembrī, December.b) But adjectives used as proper names have -e in the Ablative Singular; as, Celere, Celer; Juvenāle, Juvenal.c) Patrials in -ās, -ātis and -īs, -ītis, when designating places regularly have -ī; as, in Arpīnātī, on the estate at Arpinum, yet -e, when used of persons; as, ab Arpīnāte, by an Arpinatian.
    • A very few indeclinable adjectives occur, the chief of which are frūgī, frugal; nēquam, worthless.
    • In poetry, adjectives and participles in -ns sometimes form the Gen.
  • Introduction to Adjectives and Adverbs

    • We need adverbs and adjectives in order to be descriptive in our writing.
    • Like adjectives, adverbs can also help add details to your writing.
    • Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
    • Adverbs can also be used to modify adjectives and other adverbs.
    • [The adverb reasonably modifies the adjective early.]
  • Formation and Comparison of Adverbs

    • Many adjectives ending in -ālis, -āris, -idus, -īlis, -icus, imus, īnus, -ōrus.
    • Adverbs are for the most part derived from adjectives, and depend upon them for their comparison.
    • A number of adjectives of the First and Second Declensions form an Adverb in -ō, instead of -ē; as,—
    • A few adjectives employ the Accusative Singular Neuter as the Positive of the Adverb; as,—
    • A few adjectives of the First and Second Declensions form the Positive in -iter; as,—
  • Hyphens

    • Hyphens are often used to connect adverbs and adjectives when describing a noun.
    • Hyphens can be used to combine an adverb and adjective to describe a noun.
    • In this situation, the adverb is describing the adjective, and the adjective is describing the noun.
    • If the adverb and adjective come after the noun being described, a hyphen is not needed.
    • Remember that using hyphens to combine adverbs and adjectives in this way creates a new word.
  • Introduction to Inflection

    • You also might need to change some adjectives based on the grammatical context of the rest of your sentence.
    • For example, if you’re trying to compare how sunny today’s weather is to yesterday’s weather, you would change the adjective “sunny” to “sunnier”: “Today is sunnier than yesterday.”
    • Inflecting adverbs is very similar to how you change adjectives.
  • Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

    • Two common types of modifiers are the adverb (a word that describes an adjective, a verb, or another adverb) and the adjective (a word that describes a noun or pronoun).
    • However, though all adjectives and adverbs are modifiers, not all modifiers are adjectives and adverbs.
    • Above all, it should always be clear to the reader which word an adjective, adverb, or modifying phrase is describing.
    • By paying attention to placement and making sure that if you want to modify a verb you use an adverb instead of an adjective, you will make it much easier for your reader to pick up on your intended meaning.
  • Pronouns as Subjects and Objects

    • Possessive adjectives show ownership.
    • Possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their.
    • For example, when paired with the noun school in a sentence, his becomes a possessive adjective.
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

Except where noted, content and user contributions on this site are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 with attribution required.