Adjectives

List of Descriptive Adjectives

Descriptive adjectives can be divided into different categories such as colors, sizes, sound, taste, touch, shapes, qualities, time, personality and ages. The following lists provide a few examples of descriptive adjectives in each of their categories:

• Colors are adjectives
  Colors - examples: black, blue, white, green, red

• Sizes
  Sizes - examples: big, small, large, thin, thick

• Shapes
  Shapes- examples: triangular, round, square, circular

• Qualities
  Qualities- examples: good, bad, mediocre

• Personality Traits
  Personality - examples: happy, sad, angry, depressed

• Time related
  Time - examples: Yearly , monthly, annually

• Age related
  Ages - examples: new, young, old, brand-new, second-hand

• Sound related
  Sound related - examples: loud, noisy, quiet, silent

• Touch related
  Touch related - examples: slippery, sticky

• Taste related
  Taste related - examples: juicy, sweet

For a full list of common English Adjectives or to check out your understanding of English adjectives click one of the following links:

Examples Help! Types of Adjectives

An adjective is a word which qualifies a noun, that is, shows or points out some distinguishing mark or feature of the noun; as, A black dog. Adjectives have three forms called degrees of comparison:

• the positive

• the comparative

• the superlative

Positive Adjectives

The positive adjective is the simple form of the adjective without expressing increase or diminution of the original quality: nice. Adjectives expressive of properties or circumstances which cannot be increased have only the positive form; a circular road; the chief end; an extreme measure.

Comparative Adjectives

The comparative adjective is that form of the adjective which expresses increase or diminution of the quality: nicer. Examples are older than or more expensive than or bigger than or faster than or taller than etc. Adjectives are compared in two ways, either by adding er to the positive to form the comparative and est to the positive to form the superlative. The following adjectives are exceptions to this rule ( irregular ):

• bad becomes worse or worst

• good becomes better or best.

 
Comparative adjectives are also formed by prefixing more to the positive for the comparative and most to the positive for the superlative;  handsome, handsomer, handsomest or handsome, more handsome, most handsome

Superlative Adjectives

The superlative adjective is that form which expresses the greatest increase or diminution of the quality: nicest. An adjective is in the superlative form when it expresses a comparison between one and a number of individuals taken separately; "John is the richest man in Boston.".

An adjective is also in the positive form when it does not express comparison; as, "A rich man." Adjectives of two or more syllables are generally compared by prefixing more and most. Example: Paris is the most romantic city in the world.

Predicate Adjective

A Predicate Adjective is an adjective that functions as a predicate, such as "John is handsome", handsome being the Predicate Adjective.