ADJECTIVE

Derivation:
The word adjective is derived from a Latin word “Adjectivus” which means added.

Definition: It is a word which modifies, explains, or gives extra information

about a noun or a pronoun in a sentence. Modern definition: adjective is a word
which adds the followings to the meaning of a noun or a pronoun.
1: Opinion
2: Shape
3: Color
4: Material
5: Size
6: Age
7: Origin
8: Distance
9: Temperature
10: Purpose
11: Quantity
12: Number
13: Time

Examples:
My friend is silly.
The world is round.
Rose is red.
We use wooden Charis.

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She is chubby.
She is young.
I am Pakistani.
Let’s go on a long drive.
The weather is hot.
We need sleeping bags.
She has much knowledge.
She bought two goats.
We have had an early start.

Roots of an Adjective
1: Cases of adjective
2: Kinds of adjective
3: Degrees of adjective or forms of adjective

1: Cases of adjective: there are four cases of an adjective.

1: Attributive case
2: Predicative case
3: Post positive case
4: Abridging case

1. Predicative Case:
In this case an adjective is always followed by linking verb. It directly modifies the
subject of the sentence.
It never comes along with a noun.

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Examples:
She looks unhappy.
He is smart.

2. Attributive Case:
In this case an adjective always comes before a noun and modifies the same
noun. It never modifies subject. In this case it always comes after a determiner.

Examples:
He bought a beautiful car.
She ate delicious burger.

3. Post Positive Case:

In this case we use an adjective after a noun.

Examples:
He is a player intelligent.
She is a dancer excellent.

4. Abridging Case:

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 KINDS OF ADJECTIVE
There are 13 kinds of adjective.
• Interrogative adjective
• Possessive adjective
• Demonstrative adjective
• Distributive adjective
• Exclamatory adjective
• Emphatic or pseudo adjective
• Relative adjective
• Descriptive adjective or Qualitative Adjective
• Proper adjective
• Numerical adjective
• Quantitative adjective
• Participle adjective
• Denominal adjective

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[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is used to ask a
question in order to get information about someone or something.
They are:
What
Whose + noun
Which

Examples:
What time is it?
Whose car are you driving?
Which class do you read in?

Note:
Every WH word that comes with a noun functions as an adjective.

[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is used to show

possession or ownership of someone or something.
Pronouns Possessive adjectives
I my
We our
You your
They their + noun
He his
She her
It its

Note:
It always comes before a noun.

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Examples:
She is my mother.
They are our best players.
It is his marker.
I didn’t steal her purse.
I saw their parents.
I have a mobile. I don’t like its battery.
I love their daughter.

3. DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that points out a

near or far person or persons, thing or things, and place or places.
They are:
This = near singular Note:
These = near plural According to grammar (near) means
touch to the body.
That = far singular
(far) means not touched to the body.
Those = far plural
Such + noun for all above four.

Note: If an adjective is used in both predicative and attributive case, it will be the
real adjective and if an adjective is used only in attributive case and it isn’t
followed by linking verb, it won’t be a real adjective. It will be a determiner.

Examples:
This pen is not working.
These chairs are wooden.
Those girls are very rude.
Such student is very hardworking.
Such students are very hardworking.

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[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is used to show
surprise or sudden emotions.

Structure:
What + (a, an) + adjective + noun

Examples:
What a shot!
What an awful coffee!
What people!

[Link] OR PSEUDO ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is used to

emphasize a noun.
They are:
Own
Very + noun

Examples:
I want to start my own business.
I also give the very idea.

[Link] ADJECTIVE or Qualitative Adjective: It is also called

adjective of quality.
It is an adjective that is used to show the quality of a person, place, or thing. It is
also a kind of real adjective.

Examples:
He is a famous actor.
He is famous.

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Ali is a kind doctor.
Ali is kind.
Qualitative Adjective is further divided into two kinds.
1. Gradable Adjective
2. Non Gradable Adjective
1. GRADABLE ADJECTIVE: They have degrees and can be used in
comparative and superlative degrees.

Positive comparative superlative

Tall taller tallest
Fat fatter fattest
Thin thinner thinnest

2. NON GRADABLE ADJECTIVES: They don’t have degrees. They can’t be

used in comparative and in superlative degrees.

Examples:
Unique
Superb
Excellent
Perfect
Alive
Incomplete
Possible
Dead

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[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is used to combine two
clauses and make an adjective clause from the sentence or clause.

Structure:
Whose + noun + (sub) + verb + comp

Examples:
1. The boy is sad. His father has been killed.
The boy whose father has been killed is sad.
[Link] have a car. Its sound system costs one lack.
We have a car whose sound system costs one lack.

[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that talks about each

person or thing separately.
They are:
Each
Every
Either + singular noun + singular verb.
Neither

Examples:
Every man, woman, child, girl and boy is coming.
I will hair either boy.
Neither teacher helps me in math.
Each day has a responsibility to fulfill.

[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is derived form a proper

noun and shows origin and nationality.

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Examples:
1 Usman is form Afghanistan.
He is Afghan.
2 Atif Aslam is a Pakistani singer.

[Link] ADJECTIVE: It is a kind of adjective that is used before

countable noun to show number.
It has two kinds.
1. Adjective of definite number: it shows a specific number.
It has two kinds.
• CARDINAL NUMBER: It shows how many persons or things we mean.
Examples:
I have 20 students in my class.
She bought two cars.
• ORDINAL NUMBER: It shows a specific sequence.
Examples:
She got the first position.
It is your second mistake.
2. ADJECTIVE OF INDEFINITE NUMBER: It doesn’t show any specific number.
Some
Any
A lot of
Lots of
A Few + plural noun

Few

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Many
More
Several
Examples:
Some boys are very rude to their teacher.
I don’t have any questions.
There were a lot of doctors at RMI.
Lots of the doctors left RMI.
A few doctors gave resignation at RMI.
Few doctors made passports in Pakistan.
Many people used to like Benazir.

11. QUANTITATIVE ADJECTIVE: It is also called adjective of quantity. It is an

adjective that shows the quantity of non-count Nouns
A little
Little
Some
Any + non-count noun
A lot of
Lots of
Much
More

Examples:

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A little water went into the engine of my bike.
I need a little time for making an example.
Pour some sugar in my tea.
Do you have any doubt?
I spent a lot of money to build a new house.
Lots of people were killed in Afghanistan by Americans.
Ali has much experience for this job.
If you want to have this post, you must have more experience.

12. Participial adjective: It is a kind of adjective which is made of present

participle (verb ing) or past participle (verb 3) form of the verb.

Examples:
The news is surprising.
He told me a surprising news.
We were surprised.
They were surprised people.

Note: Present participle adjective affects someone or something and past

participle shows that someone or something is affected.

Examples:
The earthquake was destroying. (Present participle shows cause)
The village are destroyed. (Past participle shows the result)

[Link] Adjective:
When a noun functions as an adjective it is called Denominal adjective.

Examples: Bus driver, cricket match, etc.

DEGREES OF ADJECTIVE

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There are three degrees of adjectives.
• Positive degree
• Comparative degree
• Superlative degree

1. POSITIVE DEGREE: In this degree, we don’t compare persons, places, or

things. It just shows the quality of someone place or something.

Examples:
Ali is a nice teacher.
Peshawar is hot.
Nokia is a durable mobile.

2. COMPARATIVE DEGREE: In this degree, we compare one person, place,

or thing with another person, place or thing.

Examples:
Ali is taller than Mahmood.
Peshawar hotter than Kabul.
Snow man marker is more expensive than dollar.

3. SUPERLATIVE DEGREE: In this degree, we compare one person, place or

thing with a group of persons, places or things.

Examples:
Ali is the most intelligent student of our college.
Peshawar is the most beautiful city in Pakistan.
I phone mobiles are the nicest mobiles in the market.

Rules of changing the positive to comparative or superlative degree

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  One syllable adjective ending in “E” will take “R” in comparative and “ST” in
superlative degree.
Positive comparative superlative
Nice nicer nicest
Cute cuter cutest
White whiter whitest
Wide wider widest
Fine finer finest
Large larger largest
Simple simpler simplest
Close closer closest

Note: Than is used after a comparative degree. It is a preposition here. “The” is

used before a superlative degree.
 One syllable adjective: not ending in “E” will take “ER” in comparative and
“EST” in superlative degree.
Positive comparative superlative
Tall taller tallest
Small smaller smallest
Big bigger biggest
Hot hotter hottest
Fat fatter fattest
Cool cooler coolest
Thin thinner thinnest

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  Two syllable adjective ending in “y”. Change “y” into “I” and add “ER” along
with “I” in comparative and “IEST” in superlative.
Positive comparative superlative
Funny funnier funniest
Lazy lazier laziest
Crazy crazier craziest
Heavy heavier heaviest
Happy happier happiest
Pretty prettier prettiest
Busy busier busiest
Greedy greedier greediest
 One syllable irregular adjective: will not take R, ER, IER and ST, EST, and
IEST. Their whole spelling will be changed.
Positive comparative superlative
Good better best
Bad worse worst
Old older, elder oldest, eldest
Far farther, further farthest, furthest
Little less least
Many,much more most
More more most
 Adjectives of two, three, four or more syllable will take more and less in
comparative and most and least in superlative degree.

Positive comparative superlative

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Modern less, more modern least, most modern
Famous less, more famous least, most famous
Beautiful
Spectacular
Intelligent
Elegant
Outgoing
Expert
Astonishing
Note: Use these adjectives carefully in comparative and superlative degrees.
Senior
Junior + to + noun
Superior Inferior + most
Use “to” instead of than in comparative degree.
Use “most” after the above adjective in superlative.

Examples:
Ex: Ali is senior to Usman.
Ex: Ahmad is the senior most doctor at RMI.
Ex: I am junior to Mahmood.
Ex: I am the junior most student in my college.
Ex: Nokia is superior to Huawei.
Ex: Nokia is the superior most mobile in the market.
Ex: Chinese products are inferior to Pakistani products.
Ex: Chinese products are inferior most products in the world.
Note:

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Never use “the” name of Allah because “the” is used for comparison and Allah
can’t be compared with anyone in this world.
Ex: Allah is most merciful and compassionate. (Best)
Ex: Allah is the most merciful and compassionate. (Wrong)
Ex: Starting in the name of Allah, who is most beneficent. (Best)
Ex: Starting in the name of Allah, who is the most beneficent. (Wrong)
CVC formula = consonant + vowel + consonant. If a verb has this formula, we
have to double the last consonant and “ER” is added in comparative and “EST” is
added in superlative.
Positive comparative superlative
Hot hotter hottest
Fat fatter fattest
Thin thinner thinnest

Sequence of Adjective

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For Human
He is
1. Opinion handsome
2. Size tall
3. Age young
4. Shape fat
5. Color brown
6. Origin Afghan
7. Personality friendly
8. Physical characteristics strong body (person)
For Thing
It is
1. Opinion nice
2. Size small
3. Shape round
4. Color white
5. Material woody
6. Purpose useful
7. Origin Pakistani
8. Physical characteristics Old (table)

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