Kinds of Adjectives:
1. Adjectives of Quality or Descriptive Adjectives:
Adjectives that show the kind or quality of a person or thing and answers the question – of what
kind? are called as Adjectives of Quality or Descriptive Adjectives.
Example:
Mumbai is a large city.
Thea is a courageous girl.
2. Proper Adjectives:
Adjectives that are formed from Proper Nouns and answers the question – of what kind? are
called as Proper Adjectives.
Example:
French fries
Salem mangoes
3. Adjectives of Quantity:
Adjectives that show how much of a thing is meant and answers the question – how much? are
called as Adjectives of Quantity.
Example:
Frido did not eat any rice.
Students had enough activities.
4. Adjectives of Number or Numeral Adjectives:
Adjectives that show how many persons or things are meant or in what order a person or
thing stands and answers the question – how many? are called as Adjectives of Number or
Numeral Adjectives.
Example:
July has thirty-one days.
There are three kinds of Adjectives of Number or Numeral Adjectives.
(I) Definite Numeral Adjectives – denotes an exact number.
Example:
There are twelve months in a year.
February is the second month of the year.
One, two, three …. – Cardinals - denotes how many
First, second, three …. – Ordinals - denotes order of things
(II) Indefinite Numeral Adjectives – do not denote an exact number.
Example:
All boys like cricket.
Pencil is available in several stationery shops.
(III) Distributive Numeral Adjectives – refers to each one of a number.
Example:
Every word written in the letter is false.
On either side of the road is a narrow lane.
Note: According to the Usage, the same adjective can be classified as Adjective of Quantity
or Adjectives of Number.
Example:
Adjectives of Quantity
Adjectives of Number
Sri have enough spoons
There are enough spoons
Rudra has lost all his toys
All toys must be disposed
5. Demonstrative Adjectives:
Adjectives that point out which person or thing is meant and answers the question – which? are
called as Demonstrative Adjectives.
Example:
This mango is sour than that mango.
Those boys are elder than these boys.
Note – this and that are used with singular nouns
those and these are used with plural nouns
this and these - indicate something near
that and those - indicate more distant object
6. Interrogative Adjectives:
Adjectives like what, which and whose, when they are used with nouns to ask questions are
called as Interrogative Adjectives.
Example:
What attitude is this?
Which place is this?
Whose pen is this?
7. Emphasizing Adjectives:
Adjectives that lay stress on the noun are called as Emphasizing Adjectives.
Example:
Frank arranged the event by his own efforts.
That is the very toy Sam wanted.
8. Exclamatory Adjectives:
Adjective – what, when used to express a strong emotion about the proceeding noun are
called as Exclamatory Adjectives.
Example:
What a scene!
What a blessing!