Chapter 9

THE ADJECTIVE
Read the following sentences :-

1. Sita is a clever girl. (Girl of what kind?)

2. I don't like that boy. (Which boy?)
3. He gave me five mangoes. (How many mangoes?)
4. There is little time for preparation. (How much time?)

In sentence 1, ‘clever’ shows what kind of girl Sita is; or, in other words, ‘clever’ describes the
girl Sita.
In sentence 2, ‘that’ points out which boy is meant.
In sentence 3, ‘five’ shows how many mangoes he gave me.
In sentence 4, ‘little’ shows how much time there is for preparation.

A word used with a noun to describe or point out, the person, animal, place or thing which the
noun names, or to tell the number or quantity, is called an Adjective. So we may define an
Adjective as a word used with a noun to add something for its meaning.
[Adjective means added to.]

Look at the following sentences:-

1. The lazy boy was punished.

2. The boy is lazy.

In sentence 1, the Adjective lazy is used along with the noun boy as an epithet (descriptive
word or phrase) or attribute (A construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished).
It is, therefore, said to be used Attributively.

In sentence 2, the Adjective lazy is used along with the verb is, and forms part of the
Predicate. It is, therefore, said to be used Predicatively.

Some Adjectives can be used only Predicatively; as,

She is afraid of ghosts.

I am quite well.

Kinds of Adjectives
Adjectives may be divided into the following classes:-

1. Adjectives of Quality (or Descriptive Adjective) show the kind or quality of a person or
thing; as,
Kolkata is a large city.
He is an honest man.
The foolish old crow tried to sing.
This is a Grammar of the English.

(Adjectives formed from Proper Nouns (e.g., French wines, Turkish tobacco, Indian tea, etc.)
are sometimes called Proper Adjectives. They are generally classed with Adjectives of
Quality).
Adjectives of Quality answer the question: Of what kind ?
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2. Adjectives of Quantity show how much of a thing is meant; as,

I ate some rice.

He showed much patience.
He has little intelligence.
We have had enough exercise.
He has lost all his wealth.
You have no sense.
He did not eat any rice.
Take great care of your health.
He claimed his half share of the booty.
There has not been sufficient rain this year.
The whole sum was expended.

Adjectives of Quantity answer the question: How much?

3. Adjectives of Number (or Numeral Adjectives) show how many persons or things are
meant, or in what order a person or thing stands; as,

The hand has five fingers.

Few cats like cold water.
There are no pictures in this book.
I have taught you many things.
All men must die.
Here are some ripe mangoes.
Most boys like cricket.
There are several mistakes in your exercise.
Sunday is the first day of the week.

Adjectives of Number (or Numeral Adjectives) are of three kinds:-

i) Definite Numeral Adjectives, which denote an exact number; as.,

One, two, three, etc. -- These are called Cardinals.

First, second, third, etc. -- These are called Ordinals.

A Cardinal denotes how many, and an Ordinal the order of things in a series. It will be seen
that Ordinals really do the work of Demonstrative Adjectives.

(ii) Indefinite Numeral Adjectives, which do not denote an exact number; as.,

All, no; many, few; some, any; certain, several, sundry.

(iii) Distributive Numeral Adjectives, which refer to each one of a number; as.,

Each boy must take his turn.

India expects every man to do his duty.
Every word of it is false.
Either pen will do.
On either side is a narrow lane.
Neither accusation is true.
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The same Adjective may be classed as of Quantity or Number, according to its use.

Adjectives of Quantity Adjectives of Number

I ate some rice. Some boys are clever.

He has lost all his wealth. All men must die.
You have no sense. There are no pictures in this book.
He did not eat any rice. Are there any mango-trees in this garden?
I have enough sugar. There are not enough spoons.

4. Demonstrative Adjectives point out which person or thing is meant; as,

This boy is stronger than Hari.

That boy is industrious.
These mangoes are sour.
Those rascals must be punished.
Yonder fort once belonged to Shivaji.
Don't be in such a hurry.
I hate such things.

Demonstrative Adjectives answer the question: Which?

[It will be noticed that this and that are used with Singular nouns and these and those with
Plural nouns.]

5. What, which and whose, when they are used with nouns to ask questions, are called
Interrogative Adjectives; as,

What manner of man is he?

Which way shall we go?
Whose book is this?

[It will be seen that what is used in a general sense, and which in a selective sense.]

6. In the following sentences the words own and very are used as Emphasizing Adjectives:-

I saw it with my own eyes.

He was beaten at his own game.
Mind your own business.
He is his own master.
That is the very thing we want.
“When all else left my cause.
My very adversary took my part”.

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7. The word what is sometimes used as an Exclamatory Adjective; as.

What genius!
What folly!
What an idea!
What a blessing!
What a piece of work is man!

Note; this and that are the only Adjectives which are inflected or changed in form to show
number.

This girl sings.

These girls sing.
That boy plays.
Those boys play.

This, these indicate something near to the speaker. That, those indicate more distant objects.

Formation of Adjectives

(i) Many Adjectives are formed from Nouns.

Noun -- Adjective
Boy -- boyish Courage -- courageous
Fool -- foolish Trouble -- troublesome
Dirt -- dirty Glory -- glorious
Storm -- stormy Shame -- shameless
Care -- careful Envy -- envious
Pardon -- pardonable Sense -- senseless
Play -- playful Man -- manly
Laugh -- laughable Silk -- silken
Hope -- hopeful King -- kingly
Outrage -- outrageous Gold -- golden
Venture -- venturesome Gift -- gifted

(ii) Some Adjectives are formed from Verbs.

Verb – Adjective
Tire -- tireless
Cease -- ceaseless
Talk -- talkative
Move – moveable

(iii) Some Adjectives are formed from other Adjectives.

Adjective -- Adjective
Tragic -- tragical
Black -- blackish
Whole -- wholesome
White -- whitish
Three -- threefold
Sick – sickly

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Comparison of Adjectives

Read these sentences:

1. Rama's mango is sweet.

2. Hari's mango is sweeter than Rama's.
3. Govind's mango is the sweetest of all.

In sentence 1, the adjective sweet merely tells us that Rama's mango has the quality of
sweetness, without saying how much of this quality it has.

In sentence 2, the adjective sweeter tells us that Hari's mango, compared with Rama's, has
more of the quality of sweetness.

In sentence 3, the adjective sweetest tells us that of all these mangoes Govind's mango has
the greatest amount or highest degree of the quality of sweetness.

We thus see that Adjectives change in form (sweet, sweeter, sweetest) to show comparison.
They are called the three Degrees of Comparison.

The Adjective sweet is said to be in the Positive Degree.

The Adjective sweeter is said to be in the Comparative Degree.
The Adjective sweetest is said to be in the Superlative Degree.

The Positive Degree of an Adjective is the Adjective in its simple form. It is used to denote the
mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used when no comparison is
made.

The Comparative Degree of an Adjective denotes a higher degree of the quality than the
Positive, and is used when two things (or sets of things) are compared; as,

This boy is stronger than that.

Which of these two pens is the better?
Apples are dearer than oranges.

The Superlative Degree of an Adjective denotes the highest degree of the quality, and is used
when more than two things (or sets of things) are compared; as,

This boy is the strongest in the class.

Note 1:- There is another way in which we can compare things. Instead of saying 'Rama is
stronger than Balu we can say 'Balu is less strong than Rama'. Instead of saying 'Hari is the
laziest boy in the class', we can say 'Hari is the least industrious boy in the class.

Note 2:- The Superlative with most is sometimes used where there is no idea of comparison,
but merely a desire to indicate the possession of a quality in a very high degree; as,

This is most unfortunate.

It was a most eloquent speech.
Truly, a most ingenious device!

This usage has been called the Superlative of Eminence, or the Absolute Superlative.

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Formation of Comparative and Superlative

1. Most Adjectives of one syllable, and some of more than one syllable, form the
Comparative by adding er and the Superlative by adding est to the positive.

Positive Comparative Superlative

sweet sweeter sweetest
small smaller smallest
tall taller tallest
bold bolder boldest
clever cleverer cleverest
kind kinder kindest
young younger youngest
great greater greatest

2. When the Positive ends in e, only r and st are added.

brave braver bravest

fine finer finest
white whiter whitest
large larger largest
able abler ablest
noble nobler noblest
wise wiser wisest

3. When the Positive ends in y, preceded by a consonant, the y is changed into i before
adding er and est.

happy happier happiest

easy easier easiest
heavy heavier heaviest
merry merrier merriest
wealthy wealthier wealthiest

4. When the Positive is a word of one syllable and ends in a single consonant, preceded by a
short vowel, this consonant is doubled before adding er and est.

red redder reddest

big bigger biggest
hot hotter hottest
thin thinner thinnest
sad sadder saddest
fat fatter fattest

5. Adjectives of more than two syllables form the Comparative and Superlative by putting
more and most before the Positive.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
Difficult more difficult most difficult
Industrious more industrious most industrious
Courageous more courageous most courageous

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Two-syllable adjectives ending in ful (e.g. useful), less (e.g. hope less), ing (e.g. boring) and
ed (e.g. surprised) and many others (e.g. modern, recent, foolish, famous, certain) take more
and most.

The following take either er and est or more and most. :

polite narrow pleasant

simple cruel stupid
feeble common
gentle handsome

She is politer/more polite than her sister.

He is the politest/most polite of them.

#The Comparative in er is not used when we compare two qualities in the same person or
thing. If we wish to say that the courage of Rama is greater than the courage of Balu, we say;

Rama is braver than Balu.

But if we wish to say that the courage of Rama is greater than his prudence, we must say,

Rama is more brave than prudent.

#When two objects are compared with each other, the latter term of comparison must exclude
the former; as,

Iron is more useful than any other metal.

If we say,

Iron is more useful than any metal,

that is the same thing as saying 'Iron is more useful than iron' since iron is itself a metal.

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Irregular Comparison

The following Adjectives are compared irregularly, that is, their Comparative and Superlative
are not formed from the Positive:-

Positive Comparative Superlative

good, well better best
bad, evil, ill worse worst
little less, lesser least
much more most (quantity)
many more most (number)
late later, latter latest, last
old older, elder oldest, eldest
far farther farthest
(fore) further furthest
(in) inner inmost, innermost
(up) upper upmost, uppermost
(out) outer, (utter) utmost, uttermost

The double forms of the Comparative and Superlative of the Adjectives given above are used
in different ways.

Later, latter; latest, last - Later and latest refer to time; latter and last refer to position.

He is later than I expected.

I have not heard the latest news.
The latter chapters are lacking in interest.
The last chapter is carelessly written
Ours is the last house in the street.

Elder, older; eldest, oldest.- Elder and eldest are used only of persons, not of animals or
things; and are now confined to members of the same family. Elder is not used with than
following. Older and oldest are used of both persons and things.

John is my elder brother.

Tom is my eldest son.
He is older than his sister.
Rama is the oldest boy in the eleven.
This is the oldest temple in Kolkata.

Farther, further.- Both farther and further are used to express distance. Further, not farther,
is used to mean “additional”.

Kolkata is farther/further from the equator than Colombo.

After this he made no further remarks.
I must have a reply without further delay.

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The Correct Use of Some Adjectives

Some, any- To express quantity or degree some is used normally in affirmative sentences,
any in negative or interrogative sentences.

I will buy some mangoes.

I will not buy any mangoes.
Have you bought any mangoes?
But any can be used after if in affirmative sentences.
If you need any money I will help you.

Some is used in questions which are really offers/requests or which expect the answer “yes”.

Will you have some ice-cream? (Offer)

Could you lend me some money? (Request)
Did you buy some clothes? (= I expect you did.)

Each, every.- Each and every are similar in meaning, but every is a stronger word than each;
it means, 'each without exception'. Each is used in speaking of two or more things; every is
used only in speaking of more than two. Each directs attention to the individuals forming any
group, every to the total group. Each is used only when the number in the group is limited and
definite; every when the number is indefinite.

Every seat was taken.

Five boys were seated on each bench.
Every one of these chairs is broken.
Leap year falls in every fourth year.
He came to see us every three days [i.e., once in every period of three days].
It rained every day during my holidays.
I was away ten days and it rained each day.

Little, a little, the little.- Note carefully the use of-

(1) little,
(2) a little,
(3) the little.

Little = not much (i.e., hardly any). Thus, the adjective little has a negative meaning.

There is little hope of his recovery, i.e., he is not likely to recover.

He showed little concern for his nephew.
He has little influence with his old followers.
He showed little mercy to the vanquished.
He has little appreciation of good poetry.

A little = some though not much. 'A little' has a positive meaning-

There is a little hope of his recovery, i.e., he may possibly recover.

A little tact would have saved the situation.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
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The little = not much, but all there is.

The little information he had was not quite reliable.

The little knowledge of carpentry that he possessed stood him in good stead.

[The sentence means-The knowledge of carpentry he possessed was not much; but all that
knowledge stood him in good stead.]

Few, a few, the few. Note carefully the use of:-

(1) few,
(2) a few,
(3) the few.

Few = not many, hardly any, 'Few' has a negative meaning.

Few persons can keep a secret.

Few people are so hopeless as drunkards.
Few towns in India have public libraries.
Few works of reference are so valuable as the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Few men are free from faults.
Few men reach the age of one hundred years.
Few Parsees write Gujarati correctly.

A few = some. 'A few' has a positive meaning, and is opposed to 'none'.

A few words spoken in earnest will convince him.

A few Parsees write Gujarati correctly.

The few = not many, but all there are.

The few remarks that he made were very suggestive.

[The sentence means- The remarks that he made were not many; but all those remarks
were very suggestive.]
The few friends he has are all very poor.
The few clothes they had were all tattered and torn.

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