What is an adjective?
An adjective is a word that describes a noun. Words such as happy, ugly, blue, and smart are adjectives.
Adjectives allow the writer to explain what the object is like.
Take a look at the following samples:
George has a dog.
What type of dog does George have? Is it a black dog, a brown dog, a smart dog, a dumb dog, an old dog, a big dog?
If an adjective were to be added, the reader would get a clearer idea as to the description of the dog.
George has an old dog.
Now the reader is aware that George's dog is old. If other adjectives are added, there will be a clearer description of the dog.
George has an old, brown dog.
Now the reader knows the dog's color as well as having an idea of the age of the dog.
Read the following sets of sentences and decide how you would describe the subject in each sentence.
1. Brian's cat is lying on the chair with his eyes closed. How would you describe Brian's cat?
2. Sara just learned that her grandmother passed away. She was crying. How would you describe Sara?
3. The man tried to sit in a seat, but he could not fit. How would you describe the man?
4. Having spent his money on paints, the artist did not have any supper that night. How would you describe the artist? (Hint: You could actually use two adjectives)
5. The flashlight was the same color as the Smurfs. How would you describe the flashlight?
Here are a few activities dealing with adjectives:
Comparative/Superlative Adjective Worksheet
Comparative Adjective Worksheet 2
Source: Sources are within the hyperlinks
Things Learned in this Packet:
Adjectives are used to describe a noun
Adjectives give the readers an idea of what a certain person, object, etc. is like.
Adjectives should be used in moderation
Some Adjectives are "postpositive," meaning they come AFTER the noun they modify (e.g. president elect)
Comparative Adjectives are used to describe two nouns (e.g. happier, funnier, more polite)
Superlative Adjectives describe more than two nouns (e.g. fastest, hottest, most popular)
As a rule of thumb, if an adjective has two to three syllables, "more" or "most" will be used.
Source: see above sections for sources
