English

Adjectives are words that describe a noun or pronoun. Depending on the way they describe the noun or pronoun, adjectives can be grouped into these categories: descriptive, possessive, interrogative and demonstrative. Here are some examples for each category:

Descriptive (describes a quality of the noun or pronoun)

  • I bought the blue shirt yesterday.
  • She has innovative ideas to share with the team.

Possessive (indicates whose noun it is)

  • Where are my shoes?
  • His family wants to help organize the celebration.

Interrogative (asks a question about a noun)

  • What article will you read next?
  • Which lesson are we on now?

Demonstrative (shows which noun the speaker refers to)

  • Is this the computer that won’t reboot?
  • What are those people doing?

Generally, adjectives in English do not change form. However, you will find that in many Romance languages they do change to agree in number and gender with the noun they describe. Watch out for this as you study a second language. It is common for second language learners to make mistakes with agreement between nouns and adjectives. However, with practice and exposure to the language it is a skill that you can learn.

Last revised on July 1, 2019.