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Adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe nouns. They give more details or information about the nouns they are associated with.

A: Tell me about your boyfriend

B: Well, he is tall, dark, and handsome.

A: Sounds like mine.

Adjectives can be used to answer the questions What kind (of) or Which one?

A: Hi. I'm calling about the car you're selling?

B: It's a great car. (It's) in excellent condition.

A: What kind of seats does it have?

B: They're very comfortable seats, (soft, plush, just like a sofa.)

A: Uh. I think I'll sleep on it.

A: Hand me a book.

B: Which one do you want?

A: The red book. The red one.

Adjectives come before the nouns they modify (not after).

Three happy hippies lived in the Heartquake Hotel.

WRONG: Three hippies happy lived in the Heartquake Hotel.

When used in this manner, the adjective(s) come after the linking verb.

My mother is tall and slender.

WRONG: My mother tall and slender. (No linking verb.)

Seem, become, appear, and verbs of perceptioncan also be used as linking verbs. Note how they are used with adjectives in the following. Can you identify the linking verbs and the adjectives?

The journey seemed long. (It appeared strenuous and boring.)

You smell nice today. What kind of cologne are you wearing?

A: What do you want to do this weekend? Bowling? Shopping? A movie?

B: Bowling sounds good.

 

CAUTION/BE CAREFUL:

Tom looked greedy. (He appeared to be a greedy person.)

The adjective greedy is used to describe Tom.

Tom looked greedily at the pie on the table.

(He saw it and wanted it for himself.)

The adverb greedily is used to describe Tom's action.

 

Example: Three tired tigers tried to tie a triangular tie.

Not: Not three tireds tigers.

• Grammar Index