What are the Kinds of Adjectives

Like many other parts of the language, there are different kinds of adjectives too and knowing what each kind of adjective does can help you to describe your nouns better in the future. In the English language, especially when writing, you need to be descriptive. In order to be descriptive you should know about different parts of the language such as nouns, verb, adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives are always attached to the nouns. Using proper adjective at the appropriate place can help you express yourself clearly. So, here, we will learn about different kinds of adjectives and their usage.

Definition of Adjective

An adjective is any word that qualifies a noun. When we use the term qualify we mean that this particular word adds more to the noun that is already there. An adjective gives a number, gives a quantity, shows a quality, points out something, or helps to ask about something or someone. There are mainly five kinds of adjectives. They are adjectives of quality, adjectives of quantity, adjectives of number, demonstrative adjectives, and interrogative adjectives.

Kinds of Adjectives

Adjectives of Quality

Adjectives of quality are also known as Descriptive Adjectives. That is because the purpose of this kind of adjectives is to show or portray a quality or kind of a person or a thing. Look at the following examples.

She was a cunning woman.

He had a bright lamp in his hand.

The sight of the huge ocean made me feel insignificant.

In the above sentences, the words cunning, bright, and huge are adjectives of quality as they all describe a quality of each of the nouns. Cunning shows what kind of a woman she was. Bright shows what kind of a lamp he had. Huge shows the kind of the ocean that made the person feel insignificant.

‘The sight of the huge ocean made me feel insignificant.’

Adjectives of Quantity

As the word quantity signifies this kind of adjectives show you how much of something the writer or speaker means. Look at the following examples.

I had some coffee.

She ate the whole cake.

They saw the half of the field that was destroyed by the fire.

In the above sentences, the words some, whole, half are all adjectives of quantity as they answer the question how much.

Adjectives of Number

Adjectives of number are also known as Numeral Adjectives. These adjectives show you how many of something or persons the writer or speaker means. Look at the following examples.

Humans have five fingers in one hand.

Few people came to the auction.

There are seven days in a week.

In the examples given above, five, one, few, and seven indicate the number of something or some people. Therefore, they are adjectives of number. Five shows the number of fingers, one the number of hands, few the number of people, and seven the number days in a week.

‘She ate the whole cake.’

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives are special as they help you to point out a person or a thing. In other words, demonstrative adjectives show what person or thing you meant when you were speaking or writing. Look the sentences given below.

This man is richer than all of you.

That girl is very mischievous.

Those people do not have any money.

These guys are not very nice.

This, that, those, these are all demonstrative adjectives that help you to point out one from a group. Also, note that this and that are used with singular nouns while those and these are used with plural nouns.

Interrogative Adjectives

Interrogative adjectives are there to help you make questions about different people or things. The question words what, which, and whose are known as demonstrative adjectives when we use them to ask questions, while using them with nouns.

What class is she in?

Which way did he take?

Whose box is this?

In each question, the words what, which and whose qualify the noun with which they are used. What specifies a class. The word which specifies the way or road someone took. The word whose specifies the owner of a box. It shows that we are speaking about the owner of the box, not anything else.

Summary:

An adjective is any word that qualifies a noun. There are mainly five kinds of adjectives. They are adjectives of quality, also known as descriptive Adjectives, adjectives of quantity, adjectives of number or numeral adjectives, demonstrative adjectives, and interrogative adjectives. Adjectives of Quality show or portray a quality or kind of a person or a thing. Adjectives of Quantity show you how much of something the writer or speaker means. Adjectives of Number show you how many of something or persons the writer or speaker means. Demonstrative Adjectives show what person or thing you meant when you were speaking or writing. Interrogative adjectives help you to make questions about different people or things.

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