What is the adjectives job?

To modify a noun or pronoun

modify means to change in some wayin this case,
to make more descriptive

An adjective describes a
noun or a pronoun.
An adjective answers:
What kind?
Which one?
How many?

Example:
happy dog
tired boy
seven girls

Adjectives or Pronouns?
Some words can be used as adjectives or
pronouns.
They are pronouns when they stand
alone (replacing the noun).
Which did you buy?
She likes those.
They are adjectives when they modify
a noun or pronoun.
Which book did you buy?
She likes those shoes.

Adjective or Noun?
Sometimes we use a noun to
describe another noun.

The noun as adjective always

comes first.
a race horse is a horse that runs in races
a horse race is a race for horses
a boat race is a race for boats
a love story is a story about love
a war story is a story about war

FUNCTION
Adjectives tell us more about a noun.
Describe feelings or qualities:
He is a lonely man.
They are honest people.
Give nationality or origin:
Pierre is French.
This clock is German.
We live in the Victorian house.

 Tell more about a things characteristics:

A wooden table.

The knife is sharp.

Tell us about age:

Hes an old man.

The country was young.

Tell us about size and measurement:

Janet is a tall woman and Dave is a short man.

This is a very long movie.

 Tell us about color:

Angela wore a red dress.

The rose was a pale
pink.

Tell us about shape:

A round button or A rectangular box

Express a judgment or a value:

A boring show
Grammar is fun!

FORM
Adjectives are invariable:
do not change form depending on gender
or number of the noun
A hot potato

Some hot potatoes

To emphasize or strengthen the meaning of

an adjective use very or really
A very hot potato

Some really hot potatoes

Bottom Line. . .
Adjectives answer these questions about the
noun:
WHAT KIND of a noun is it?
WHICH noun is it?
HOW MANY of that noun are there?

To find an adjective you need

to locate the nouns first.
Three happy children played at the park.
The donkey stepped on my large hat.

The child was brave.

Can you find the adjectives?

First find the nouns

We saw the gray elephant at the zoo.

Then ask, What words describe the nouns?
WHAT KIND?
WHICH ONE?
HOW MANY?

Can you find the adjectives?

First find the nouns

The children heard the loud bell.

Then ask, What words describe the nouns?
WHAT KIND?
WHICH ONE?
HOW MANY?

Can you find the adjectives?

First find the nouns

The brown dog growled at the tall man.

Then ask, What words describe the nouns?
WHAT KIND?
WHICH ONE?
HOW MANY?

Special adjectives. . .
Articles tell us which one
There are only three articles.
a, an, the

The woman pushed a cart full of

groceries and an excited boy
while walking a dog.

Some practice. . .
The two dark cats were walking on the fence.
The modifies the noun cats and is an
article
Two modifies the noun cats and answers
the question HOW MANY

Dark modifies the noun cats and answers

the question WHAT KIND
The modifies the noun fence and is an
article