Adjectives play an important role in a sentence by modifying nouns and pronouns. Also adjectives add detail and description to a sentence. They help to create a more specific and interesting sentence. They are typically placed before a noun in a sentence, although they can also come after linking verbs such as “be” or “seem” or in a phrase before a noun.
The 8 types of adjectives with examples are: 1) proper adjectives, 2) descriptive adjectives, 3) quantitative adjectives, 4) demonstrative adjectives, 5) distributive adjectives, 6) interrogative adjectives, 7) possessive adjectives and 8) numeral adjectives.
8 Types of Adjectives – Table of Content
- Proper Adjectives
- Descriptive Adjectives
- Quantitative Adjectives
- Demonstrative Adjectives
- Distributive Adjectives
- Interrogative Adjectives
- Possessive Adjectives
- Numeral Adjectives
1. Proper Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Proper Adjective: Proper adjectives are types of adjectives that are formed from a proper nouns, which can be specific names of a persons, places, or things. They are always capitalized because they are derived from a proper nouns.
Examples of Proper Adjectives
- The Roman empire was one of the most powerful in the ancient world.
- The American dream is the belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work.
- The English language is spoken by many people around the world.
- The Australian outback is a remote and rugged wilderness area.
- The Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on fresh ingredients and simplicity.
- The Egyptian pyramids are ancient architectural wonders.
- The Canadian maple syrup is a delicious and versatile ingredient.
- They love listening to Christian music.
- Jennifer loves Chinese food.
- The African continent is known for its diverse cultures and wildlife.
2. Descriptive Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Descriptive Adjectives: Descriptive adjectives are words that describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun or pronoun. They give more information about the noun or pronoun and make the sentence more specific and interesting. They can describe things such as size, shape, color, age, origin, material, and many other qualities.
Examples of Descriptive Adjectives
- The bright sun shone down on the beautiful countryside.
- The white clouds drifted lazily across the blue sky.
- The fragrant flowers in the garden filled the air with a sweet scent.
- The colorful paintings on the wall caught my eye.
- The large bridge was able to withstand the heavy vehicles.
- The loud music from the concert could be heard from blocks away, causing complaints from the neighborhood.
- The elegant ballerina gracefully danced across the stage, her movements fluid and precise.
- The warm sun on my skin felt good after the cold winter.
- The fluffy blanket kept me warm all night and I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud.
- Peter had an opportunity to see a solar eclipse during the week.
3. Quantitative Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Quantitative Adjectives: Quantitative adjectives are words that describe the quantity or amount of something. They are used to indicate the quantity of a noun, such as how many or how much of something.
Examples of quantitative adjectives include: “many”, “few”, “some”, “several”, “much”, “little”, “enough”. These types of adjectives are usually used to give a sense of how much of something there is, rather than to describe its quality or characteristics.
- David found that several pages in the book were missing.
- It seems that people don’t get enough exercise these days.
- They gave little attention to the details of the exam.
- Much money was needed to complete the project.
- Several people visited the old man in the hospital.
- Some commentators disagree with the findings concerning the pandemic.
- The store had a limited stock and only a few items were left.
- Few students passed the test, indicating that the material was difficult.
- The website received many positive reviews from customers.
- The well-known author has written many bestselling books.
4. Demonstrative Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Demonstrative Adjectives: Demonstrative adjectives are words that indicate the proximity or distance of the noun they modify in relation to the speaker or listener. The four main demonstrative adjectives in English are “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”
In relation to space, “this” and “these” are used to refer to something that is close to the speaker or listener, while “that” and “those” are used to refer to something that is farther away.
In relation to time, “this” and “that” are used to refer to something that is happening now or in the near future, while “these” and “those” are used to refer to something that has already happened or is going to happen in the future.
- These flowers are fresh but those flowers are wilted.
- This cake is delicious but that cake is bland
- That shirt is too big for me.
- We could see that these books were damaged by the bright sun.
- That computer is old and needs replacing.
- Those paintings are valuable.
- That car nearly hit the boy crossing the road.
- This phone is new.
- These cookies are homemade and they are delicious.
- I want to buy that jacket for our camping holiday.
5. Distributive Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Distributive Adjectives: Distributive adjectives are a type of adjective that describe individual items or members within a group.
Examples include “each,” “every,” “either,” and “neither.” These adjectives indicate that the noun being modified is considered one item or one member at a time, rather than as a whole group.
- Each student was given a pencil to write an essay.
- Every student in the class passed the exam.
- I need to buy a gift for every member of my family.>
- He checked every item on the list before leaving the store.
- The team had to choose either player to join their roster.
- I can’t decide between these two options, either one will work for me.
- Neither student has the capacity to go on to greater academic achievements.
- I believe neither player has the ability to perform in the top league.
- The teacher explained the instructions for each exercise.
- We need to water each plant in the garden.
6. Interrogative Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Interrogative Adjectives: Interrogative adjectives are adjectives that are used to ask questions. They include words such as “what,” “which” and “whose.”
- What type of food do you want to eat?
- What kind of movie do you want to watch?
- What time is it?
- Which color would you like your car to be painted?
- Which shirt do you want to wear to the party on Friday night?
- Which country are you planning to visit during your vacation?
- Whose responsibility is it to take care of the garden while your parents are away?
- Whose idea was it to rent this old boat for our fishing expedition?
- Whose wedding are we going to next weekend?
- Whose book are those on the table in the hallway?
7. Possessive Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Possessive Adjectives: Possessive adjectives are used to indicate possession or ownership of a noun. They typically come before the noun they modify. Her are some common examples of possessive adjectives: my book, your car, his shirt, her dress, its tail, our house and their car.
- I have invited my friend to come over and watch a movie with us tonight.
- I washed my car for the wedding party.
- I put my books in the cabinet to protect them.
- Our team will win the game on the weekend.
- Will you take your dog to the park this afternoon?
- Brad went with his sister to the university.
- Rachel bought her sister a new dress for the wedding.
- It was impressive to see their skills being utilized during the mission’s trip to Africa.
- Its tail is wagging, indicating it’s happy.
- My feet are tired from walking all day.
8. Numeral Adjectives With Examples
Definition of Numeral Adjectives: Numeral adjectives are words that describe the number of nouns, the order of nouns or the position of nouns. Numeral adjectives tell how many or how much or in what order.
There are definite numeral adjectives (cardinal or ordinal numbers) indefinite numeral adjectives (answer how many but not specific) and distributive numeral adjectives (tell something about a group).
- There are seven books on the table. (definite cardinal numeral adjective)
- The third speaker held the crowd with his excellent message. (definite ordinal numeral adjective)
- There are several streets that lead to our destination. (indefinite numeral adjective)
- There are many businesses affected by the recession. (indefinite numeral adjective)
- All victims received a final payout for their injuries. (indefinite numeral adjective)
- There were seven people killed in the plane crash. (definite cardinal numeral adjective)
- Every player needs encouragement to reach their potential. (distributive numeral adjective)
- Each toy has a free battery. (distributive numeral adjective)
- There are some parts essential to the workings of the machine. (indefinite numeral adjective)
- The fourth applicant got the job because of his advanced skills. (definite numeral adjective)
Remember Adjectives play an important role in a sentence by modifying nouns and pronouns, adding detail and description to a sentence. They help to create a more specific and interesting sentence. They are typically placed before a noun in a sentence, although they can also come after linking verbs such as “be” or “seem” or in a phrase before a noun.
List of 8 Types of Adjectives With Examples
ORDER | TYPE OF ADJECTIVES | EXAMPLES |
---|---|---|
1 | Proper Adjectives | English, Shakespearean, Japanese |
2 | Descriptive Adjectives | beautiful, attractive, bright |
3 | Quantitative Adjectives | little, much, enough |
4 | Demonstrative Adjectives | that, these, this, those |
5 | Distributive Adjectives | each, every, either, neither |
6 | Interrogative Adjectives | what, which, whose |
7 | Possessive Adjectives | my, your, our, his, its, their |
8 | Numeral Adjectives | seven, third, several, each |