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Adjectives describe the quality/features/quantity of the noun in a sentence. Adjectives give additional information about the noun in the sentence. It can modify the noun to denote quality, to indicate its quantity, order or extent, or can act as a complementing verb (action word).
Example:
1. She had a beautiful dress in her closet.
In this statement, the noun (dress) is described by the adjective (beautiful).
Here, the adjective has been used to define the quality of the dress.
In this statement, the noun (dress) is described by the adjective (silky).
Here, the adjective has been used to define the feature of the dress.
In this statement, the noun (dress) is described by the adjective (eight).
Here, the adjective has been used to define the quantity of the dress.
An adjective not only describes a noun but can also act as a complementing verb. Adjectives in the first position, before the noun, is called an attributive adjective. Adjectives, when used after the noun as a verb, is called a predicative adjective.
Example:
1. The excited child ran towards us --->The adjective "excited" is used before the noun (child).
2. The child was excited and ran towards us --->The adjective "excited" is used after the noun(child), as a verb.
In the first sentence, "excited" is used attributively (used before the noun) and in the second, predicatively (used after the noun, as a verb).
Adjectives used in the poem "The Shed":
- Rusty — The hinges are rusty and creak in the wind
- Dusty — There’s a dusty old window around
- Old — There’s a dusty old window around at the side
- Three — With three cracked panes of glass
- Cracked — With three cracked panes of glass
- Rotten — Who hides under the rotten floorboards
- Strange — There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises
Important!
While the \(1\)st adjective is an example of a predicative adjective, the rest \(6\) are examples of an attributive adjective.
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