1. Forms and Functions

Definition: Describing nouns (people, places and objects)

Rules: Come before a noun or after verb to be.

e.g. She is happy. I am happy too.

- They can also come after these linking verbs:

become, feel, get, look, seem, smell etc

2. Types of Adjectives

2.1 Possessive Adjectives

Definition: To describe the ownership of a noun. They are my, your, our, their, his, her and its.

e.g. This is my iPad.

Her father is a lawyer.

2.2 Descriptive Adjectives

Definition: To describe the condition or quality of a noun.

(a) Proper Adjectives – A noun that is used as an adjective to describe another noun.

e.g. Malaysian food

School bag

(b) Common Adjectives

e.g. beautiful, exciting, exhausted etc

2.3 Numeral Adjectives

2.3.1 Definite Numeral Adjectives

Definition: To show an exact number of a noun.

(a)    Ordinal
e.g.   first, second, third
(b)   Cardinal
  e.g.   one, two, three

2.3.2          Indefinite Numeral Adjectives

Definition: To show an inexact number of a noun. They are some, any, much, many, little, a few etc.

e.g. Some of the students are lazy.

I don’t have much money.

2.3.3 Distributive Adjectives

Definition: To conceal a noun. They are every, each, another, other etc.

e.g. Each team will be given 10 minutes to present their findings.

I don’t want to trouble other people.

2.4 Demonstrative Adjectives

Definition: To point out the noun in the sentence. They include this, that, these, those.

e.g. That girl is talking to the beggar.

These children are very naughty.

2.5 Interrogative Adjectives

Definition:
To ask questions. It includes all the WH questions.
However, they are different from Interrogative
Pronoun because they can’t stand on their own.
They are used to describe the nouns in the sentence.
They are why, what, which, where, when,
who, whom, whose and how.

e.g. What car is Mr. Richard driving? (Describe the car)

Which bag is yours? (Describe the bag)

2.6 Articles

Definition: Definite article ‘the’ is used to indicate a specific noun. However, indefinite articles ‘a’ and ‘an’ are not used to indicate a specific noun.

e.g. The man was staring at the lady’s handbag.
(The specific man and specific lady.)

A whale is a mammal.
(Any whales.)

Visual aids Click here.

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3. Order of Adjectives

Opinion	Size	Other qualities	Age	Shape	Colour	Origin	Material	Type
delicious awful	big small	hot difficult	old new	round square	blue yellow	Malaysian African	plastic wooden	electric digital

Examples: A beautiful small wooden house

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4.   Comparisons of Adjectives

4.1    Comparative Adjectives

Definition: Making comparisons between two things

   (a) One syllable adjectives

Rule: To make a comparative form adjectives with one syllable, we add ‘-er’.

e.g. cheap – cheaper

strong – stronger

(b)  Adjective ends in –y

Rule: To make a comparative from adjectives that end in-y, we change the ‘-y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘-er’.

e.g. ugly       – uglier

happy – happier

(c) Two or more syllable adjectives

Rule: To make a comparative from adjectives with two syllables that don’t end in '-y', we use the word ‘more’ before the adjective.

e.g. beautiful   – more beautiful

  dangerous – more dangerous

We often use ‘than’ with comparatives:

e.g. Douglas is taller than* Freddy.

Douglas is more intelligent than Freddy.

Practice makes perfect! Click here.

4.2     Superlative Adjectives

Definition: Comparing something with two or more other things

4.2.1 One syllable adjectives

Rule: To make a superlative form adjectives with one syllable, we add
‘-est’.

e.g. cheap – cheapest

strong – strongest

4.2.2 Adjective ends in -y

Rule: To make a superlative from adjectives that end in-y, we change the ‘-y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘-est’.

e.g. ugly – ugliest

happy – happiest

4.2.3 Two or more syllable adjectives

Rule: To make a superlative from adjectives with two syllables that don’t end in -y, we use the word ‘most’ before the adjective.

e.g. beautiful – most beautiful

dangerous – most dangerous

*We often use ‘the’ with superlative s:

e.g. Douglas is the tallest boy in class.

Douglas is the most intelligent student in school.

Practice makes perfect! Click here.

4.3. Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Definition: There are some irregular
adjectives that you need to know.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
*good*	better	best
*bad*	worse	worst
*far*	farther/further	farthest/furthest
*many*	more	most
*little*	less	least