Recognising and Placing Adjectives in Sentences
What is an adjective?
An adjective is a describing word. It is used to describe nouns. The function of adjectives is to modify the noun. These can be concrete or abstract nouns.
- They say that love(n) is blind(adj).
- My workplace(n) has been busy(adj).
- English(adj) grammar(n) can be difficult(adj).
Recognising adjectives
Here are some ways you can identify an adjective in a sentence:
Find adjectives based on their position in a sentence
Look for a describing word that is placed either before or after a noun.
Examples:
- The ginger(adj) cat(n) strolled leisurely into the kitchen.
- The early(adj) bird(n) catches the worm.
- John(n), groggy and bleary-eyed(adj), fumbled with the coffee machine.
Also, look for describing words that come after verbs.
Examples:
- She seems(v) happy(adj). Your nails are(v) long(adj).
- Look for comparative phrases
- Often, adjectives will be used to compare two things.
Examples:
- It’s a shame she thinks everyone(n) is prettier(adj) than her(n).
- The countryside(n) is quieter(adj) than the city(n).
Look for common suffixes
Suffixes – the endings of words – are another way to spot adjectives.
Examples:
- -ful
- -some
- -ous
- -ive