Adjectives Part Two

Indefinite numeral adjective: When the numeral adjective all, some, many, enough, several, few, sundry, no, etc cannot express exact number, is called indefinite number adjective. See the difference given below –

           

“We have seen “all, some, enough” used as quantitative adjective. So it might be questioned that what does “all” denotes? when “all” is quantitative and in the same way, what does it denote when “all” is numeral. Therefore, see the difference below”

[All (any other Adj) + Uncountable Noun] (In this way, if “all” is used, it’s quantitative adjective)

[All (any other Adj) + Countable Noun] (In this way, if “all” is used, it’s numeral adjective)

1)     Pronominal Adjective: When a pronoun is used before any noun and acted as adjective, is called pronominal adjective because this type of adjective derived from pronoun. And bear in mind, pronoun is usually used alone but as an adjective when the pronoun is acted, must be setup before noun. Here some examples –

“This is a book. That is a dog” (This/that is demonstrative pronoun generally used alone in the sentence) but see some other examples –

“This book is mine. That lion is mad”  

                                                noun                      noun

In the above last two sentences, (this/that) is used before the noun acts as an adjective and modifies nouns (book/lion)

Classes of Pronominal Adjectives:

a)     Demonstrative Adjective: (Demonstrative Pronoun + Noun) in this way if the pronouns are used, they are acted as demonstrative adjective. See the table –

Demonstrative Pronoun	Demonstrative Adjective	Example	Sentence
This That These Those	this + noun that + noun these + noun (pl.) those + noun (pl.)	this man that man these things those cows	I know this man I saw that man last day She bought these things Those cows are grassing

b)     Distributive Adjective: When distributive pronoun is used as adjective is called distributive adjective. See bold words in the below –

Each of them went there.

There are two pens here; you can take either.

Either of the two brothers has told this.

  

See the table –

Distributive Pronoun	Distributive Adjective	Example	Sentence
Each Every Either Neither	Each + noun Every + noun Either + noun Neither + noun	Each boy Every mother Either bank Neither pen	Each boy was present Every mother loves her child There are tresses on either bank There are two pens but neither will do

Note: “every” can only be used as an adjective but not as a pronoun. Such as –

Every of them was present (incorrect)

Each of them was present (correct)

Or Everyone of them was present.

c)     Interrogative Adjective: When interrogative pronouns are used as the adjective is called an interrogative adjective. See some examples given below –

What do you want?

Which is better?

(What/which is pronoun but not adjective because they are used alone)

[what/which + Noun] in this way if they are used is called interrogative adjective.

Interrogative pronoun	Interrogative adjective	Examples	Sentence
What	What+noun	What color	What color do you like most?
Which	Which+noun	Which man	Which man is your uncle?

d)     Possessive Adjective: “this is my pen” and “we love our country” in these two sentences “my”/“our” is possessive pronoun and they also denote a relation with “pen” and “house” and therefore, in this way, if any possessive pronoun used and modifies the noun through having a relation is called possessive adjective.

 

e)     Relative Adjective: Can you remember relative pronoun? If you cannot then Click Here…

“This is the book which you gave me” 

In this sentence “which” is a relative adjective because it modifies noun (book)
The words “a, an, and the” are the most frequently used as adjectives in the sentence. Although they are sometimes referred to as articles or noun markers, they are really adjectives, plain and simple. Use a before words that start with a consonant sound (a joking man or a lucky lottery player) and an before words that start with a vowel sound (an hour’s wait or an interesting story).

There are several types of adjectives:

a)     A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun. See the below

Italian bread, Herculean strength, Midas touch, Canadian sunset

b)     A compound adjective is a word composed of two or more words. Sometimes these words are hyphenated.

“This is an out-of-date house, I want a five-year-old boy”

Landmark decision, Black-and-blue mark, Hometown hero

c)     Emphasizing Adjective: “Is this your own cat?”, “He will come this very day”, “I want this very pen” (in these sentences own, and very are possessive adjectives because they are used to insist or emphasize.