Descriptive adjectives tell us the size, shape, age, colour, weight, height, make, nature and origin of the nouns they are describing.
Table of Contents
Descriptive adjective are of two types.
1) Common descriptive adjectives
These are adjectives that give general features of somebody or something.
They are the adjectives of size, shape, age, colour, weight, height, make and nature.
Refer to the examples in the diagram above.
2) Proper adjectives
These ones are formed from proper nouns.
They are always capitalized.
They always appear last in a string of adjectives modifying the same noun, just before the noun itself.
Examples of proper adjectives:
The Japanese ambassador
A Mexican carpet
An Italian chef
Note that when a proper adjective comprises of two words, both are capitalized.
Examples: A South African farmer
A North American cowboy
Exercise
Find the adjectives in the following sentences and indicate what types they are.
- Alaska is the largest state in the USA.
- The Alaskan Senator is Lord John Mc Dougal.
- Mt. Kenya is the tallest mountain in Kenya.
- Alaska has a tiny population of one and a half million people.
- Northern Province has small, scattered towns.
- A trip to Northern Kenya will take you across vast wilderness.
- American tourists are fond of wild animals.
- There is a huge lake in the Rift Valley Province.
- I sent a letter to my Australian pen pal.
- I have a beautiful Egyptian robe.
See also:
TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS