An adjective modifies or describes a noun. The central adjectives describe size, shape, colour, worth and age. Most adjectives are gradable (e.g., big, bigger, more interesting, most interesting). Adjectives can usually be modified by an adverb.
In English, multiple adjectives preceding a noun typically follow a specific, natural-sounding order: Opinion, Size, Age, Shape, Color, Origin, Material, and Purpose (often remembered by the acronym OSASCOMP). These adjectives move from subjective (opinion) to objective (fact) before the noun.
A list of adjectives
[change]You can see a list of adjectives here
Where adjectives go
[change]Most adjectives can be used attributively and predicatively.
Examples of attributive adjective form (adj + noun):
- The apple
- The man
- The cat
Examples of predicative adjective from (verb + adj):
- The apple is
- The man is very
- The cat is
Examples of combination:
- The apple is
- The man is very
- The cat is
How to modify adjectives
[change]You can usually modify adjectives with adverbs.
- The big cat is sleeping.
- This book is heavy.
Grading
[change]Adjectives can usually be graded. There are two levels of grading: comparative and superlative
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
| big | bigger | biggest |
| fast | faster | fastest |
| good | better | best |
| interesting | more interesting | most interesting |
| dangerous | more dangerous | most dangerous |
A comparative compares two similar things. You can usually make a comparative by adding er to the end of an adjective.
A superlative compares one thing to a group of similar things. You can usually make a superlative by adding est to the end of an adjective.
- The savannah elephant is the largest type of elephant.
- Rock music is the loudest type of music.
Often, the group of other things is not said:
- Rock music is the loudest.
If the adjective ends in an "e", then just -r or -st is added.
- nice - nicer - nicest.
If adding an "e" to the end of the word will change the sound of the word, then the consonant is doubled. This happens when the last three letters of the adjective are a consonant, a vowel, and a consonant.
A few common adjectives have irregular comparatives and superlatives: