Adjectives
An adjective describes, or modifies, a noun or a pronoun.
Limiting Adjectives:
1. Determiners
 Articles:
a, an, and the
 Demonstrative pronouns:
this, that, those, and these
 Numbers
 Possessive pronouns:
his, her, their, our, its, your, my
 Possessive nouns: Tom’s car
 Indefinite pronouns:
some, few, many, several, no, any
Descriptive Adjectives:
1. Describe
Examples: red, high, fine
2. Tell what kind?
3. May end in the following suffixes:
ous
dangerous, courageous, famous
ful
cheerful, beautiful, sorrowful
able
remarkable, capable, adorable
y
silly, watery, rainy
ible
incredible, irresistible, deductible
ive
creative, productive, secretive
less
priceless, penniless, sugarless
al
special, final, postal
Proper Adjective
Proper adjectives are descriptive words derived from proper nouns and
are therefore, always capitalized.
Swiss cheese
Chinese food
Degrees of Adjectives
Adjectives often make comparisons.
a. Comparative
compares two
b. Superlative
compares three or more
Comparative:
1. Add er to most one-syllable adjectives:
high/higher
big/bigger
2. Add er to many two-syllable adjectives.
lovely/lovelier
happy/happier
3. Place more (or less) before many two-syllable adjectives.
partial/more partial
loyal/ less loyal
4. Some adjectives totally change form.
good/better
bad/worse
Superlative:
1. Add est to most one-syllable adjectives
high/highest
big/biggest
2. Add est to many two-syllable adjectives
lovely/loveliest
happy/happiest
3. Place most (or least) before many two-syllable words.
partial/most partial
loyal/ least loyal
4. Place most (or least) before three-syllable adjectives.
wonderful/most wonderful
beautiful/most beautiful
5. Some adjectives totally change form.
good/best
bad/worst
Predicate Adjective
1. Occurs after the verb in a declarative sentence.
2. Describes the subject of the sentence.
3. Must contain a linking verb:
feel
become
remain
taste
seem
stay
look
sound
be ( is, am, are, was,
smell
grow
were, being, be,
appear
be)
Remember: to check for a linking verb, try replacing the verb with a form
of be. If you can do this without altering the meaning of the sentence,
the verb is linking.
The milk smells sour.
The milk is sour.
4. An interrogative sentence usually has the predicate adjective and
the noun or pronoun after the verb.
Are your eyes blue?
Make a question into a statement and then find the predicate
adjective.
Your eyes are blue.
5. When you believe there is a predicate adjective in the sentence,
ask yourself these three questions.
 Is there a linking verb?
 Does the adjective occur after the verb?
 Does the adjective go back and describe the subject?
Order of Adjectives
In English, it is common to use more than one adjective before a noun –
for example, “He’s a silly young fool,” or “She’s a smart, energetic
woman.” When you use more than one adjective, you have to put them
in the right order, according to type.
Numbers Any number or numeral
Two children, 10 years
Opinion An opinion adjective explains what you think about something
(other people may not agree with you. Examples: silly,
beautiful, horrible, difficult
Size
A size adjective, of course, tells you how big or small something
is. Examples: large, tiny, enormous, little
Age
An age adjective tells you how young or old something or
someone is. Example: ancient, new, young, old
Shape
A shape adjective describes the shape of something.
Examples: square, round, flat, rectangular
Color
A color adjective, or course, describes the color of something.
Examples: blue, pink, reddish
Origin
An origin adjective describes where something comes from.
Examples: French, lunar, American, eastern
Material A material adjective describes what something is made from.
Examples: wooden, metal, cotton, paper
Purpose A purpose adjective describes what something is used for.
These adjectives often end with “-ing”.
Examples: sleeping (as in “sleeping bag”)
Ability – condition
able
adequate
alive
assured
authoritative
bold
brainy
brave
busy
careful
capable
cautious
clever
competent
concerned
confident
courageous
curious
determined
durable
dynamic
eager
easy
effective
energetic
fearless
firm
forceful
gallant
gentle
hardy
healthy
heavy
heroic
important
influential
innocent
intense
inquisitive
jerky
Anger-Hostility
agitated
aggravated
aggressive
angry
annoyed
arrogant
belligerent
biting
blunt
bullying
callous
combative
contrary
cool
cranky
creepy
cross
cruel
cranky
creepy
cross
cruel
defiant
disagreeable
enraged
envious
evil
fierce
furious
hard
harsh
hateful
hostile
impatient
inconsiderate
insensitive
intolerant
irritated
mad
mean
nasty
obnoxious
obstinate
outrage
perturbed
repulsive
resentful
rough
rude
savage
severe
spiteful
tense
terse
vicious
vindictive
violent
wicked
wrathful
Alive
animated
frisky
playful
courageous
impulsive
provocative
energetic
liberated
spirited
free
optimistic
thrilled
knotted
spirited
light
stable
lively
steady
loose
stouthearted
lucky
strong
manly
super
mighty
sure
modern
tame
open
tough
outstanding
victorious
powerful
virile
real
zealous
relaxed
rich
robust
secure
sharp
shy
skillful
smooth
Confused
disillusioned
hesitant
perplexed
stupefied
uneasy
distrustful
indecisive
pessimistic
tense
unsure
doubtful
lost
shy
unbelieving
upset
embarrassed
misgiving
skeptical
uncertain
Depression-Sadness-Gloom
abandoned
debased
alien
defeated
alienated
degraded
alone
dejected
awful
demolished
battered
depressed
blue
desolate
bored
despairing
burned
despised
cheapened
despondent
crushed
destroyed
loathed
obsolete
lonely
ostracized
lonesome
overlooked
lousy
pathetic
low
pitiful
miserable
rebuked
mishandled
regretful
mistreated
rejected
moody
reprimanded
mournful
rotten
discarded
discouraged
dismal
downcast
downhearted
downtrodden
dreadful
estranged
excluded
forlorn
forsaken
ruined
rundown
sad
scornful
sore
stranded
tearful
terrible
tired
unhappy
gloomy
glum
grim
hated
homeless
hopeless
horrible
humiliated
hurt
jilted
kaput
unloved
whipped
worthless
wrecked
Distress
afflicted
anguished
awkward
baffled
bewildered
clumsy
confused
constrained
disgusted
disliked
displeased
dissatisfied
nauseated
offended
pained
perplexed
puzzled
ridiculous
sickened
silly
skeptical
speechless
strained
suspicious
swamped
tormented
touchy
troubled
ungainly
unlucky
unpopular
unsatisfied
unsure
weary
distrustful
disturbed
doubtful
foolish
futile
grief
helpless
hindered
impaired
impatient
imprisoned
lost
Doubtful
distrustful
perplexed
unbelieving
dubious
questioning
uncertain
hesitant
skeptical
wavering
indecisive
suspicious
Eager
anxious
earnest
keen
ardent
enthusiastic
zealous
avid
hot-headed
desirous
intent
Fear-Anxiety
afraid
agitated
alarmed
anxious
apprehensive
bashful
dangerous
desperate
dreading
eerie
embarrassed
fearful
frantic
frightened
hesitant
horrified
insecure
intimidated
jealous
jittery
jumpy
nervous
on edge
overwhelmed
panicky
restless
scared
shaky
shy
strained
tense
terrified
timid
uncomfortable
uneasy
upset
worrying
Fearless
audacious
courageous
encouraged
heroic
self-reliant
bold
daring
enterprising
reassured
spirited
brave
dauntless
gallant
resolute
stout hearted
certain
determined
hardy
secure
Feeling Words
hard
hassled
hateful
helpful
helpless
hesitant
high
hollow
hopeful
horrified
hostile
humiliated
hung up
involved
irate
irked
irresponsible
irritated
jealous
jittery
joyous
left out
lively
lonely
lost
loving
paralyzed
peeved
perceptive
perturbed
petrified
phony
pressured
proud
pulled apart
put-down
quarrelsome
ravished
ravishing
sneaky
sorry
spontaneous
squelched
wild
willing
wiped-out
withdrawn
stiff
stimulated
stifled
strangled
stubborn
hurt
hyper
ignorant
impatient
important
impotent
impressed
incompetent
incomplete
independent
insecure
innocent
insignificant
insincere
inspired
insulted
intimate
intolerant
lucky
low
malicious
miserable
misunderstood
moody
mystified
nervous
numb
obsessed
offended
open
ornery
out of control
overwhelmed
overjoyed
pampered
panicky
refreshed
regretful
rejected
violent
vulnerable
relaxed
relieved
repulsed
repulsive
revengeful
rotten
safe
satiated
secure
self-centered
self-conscious
shattered
shot-down
stunned
subdued
submissive
suffocated
tender
thrilled
ticked
tolerant
tormented
unapproachable
unaware
uncertain
valuable
valued
zapped
Helpless
alone
empty
hesitant
paralyzed
vulnerable
despair
fatigued
incapable
pathetic
woeful
distressed
forced
inferior
tragic
dominated
frustrated
in a stew
useless
Hurt
aching
appalled
distressed
humiliated
mournful
piteous
tormented
woeful
afflicted
crushed
grieved
in despair
offended
rejected
tortured
worried
agonized
dejected
hapless
injured
pained
rueful
tragic
wronged
alienated
deprived
heartbroken
in pain
pathetic
suffering
victimized
Indifferent
bold
insensitive
preoccupied
cold
lifeless
reserved
disinterested
neutral
weary
dull
nonchalant
Inability-Inadequacy
anemic
exposed
ashamed
fragile
broken
frail
catatonic
harmless
cowardly
helpless
crippled
impotent
defeated
inadequate
defective
incapable
deficient
incompetent
demoralized
ineffective
disabled
inept
exhausted
inferior
insecure
meek
mummified
naughty
powerless
puny
shaken
shivering
sickly
small
trivial
unable
uncertain
unfit
unimportant
unqualified
unsound
useless
vulnerable
weak
Interested
absorbed
engrossed
inquisitive
concerned
fascinated
nosy
curious
inquiring
snoopy
Love-Affection-Concern
admire
considerate
adorable
cooperative
affectionate
cordial
agreeable
courteous
altruistic
dedicated
amiable
devoted
benevolent
empathetic
benign
fair
brotherly
faithful
caring
forgiving
charming
friendly
charitable
generous
comforting
genuine
congenial
giving
conscientious
honest
honorable
hospitable
interested
just
kind
kindly
lenient
lovable
loving
mellow
mild
moral
neighborly
obliging
open
optimistic
patient
receptive
reliable
sympathetic
tolerant
trustworthy
truthful
understanding
unselfish
warm
worthy
Open
accepting
free
reliable
confident
kind
sympathetic
easy
receptive
understanding
affected
excited
intrigued
amazed
interested
satisfied
Positive
anxious
enthusiastic
keen
Quantity
ample
abundant
chock-full
copious
dearth
empty
few
heavy
determined
excited
eager
inspired
earnest
intent
lavish
liberal
light
loads
lots
many
meager
much
numerous
oodles
paucity
plentiful
plenty
profuse
scads
scant
scarcity
skimpy
sparing
sparse
sufficient
well-stocked
fluid
fluffy
foggy
freckled
fresh
fuzzy
gigantic
glamorous
glassy
glazed
gleaming
glistening
glossy
glowing
graceful
grimy
grotesque
hazy
heavy
high
hollow
homely
huge
immense
imposing
iridescent
irresistible
jammed
jeweled
large
lavish
lean
light
lithe
lively
loose
massive
miniature
misty
motionless
mottled
muddy
murky
muscular
nappy
narrow
nervous
obtuse
old
opaque
opulent
orderly
overloaded
packed
Sight-Appearance
adorable
crooked
alert
crowded
animated
crystalline
arrogant
curved
awkward
cute
beautiful
dark
blazing
dazzling
blinding
decorative
blotched
deep
bright
dingy
brilliant
dismal
broad
dim
bruised
distinct
blonde
dotted
bloody
drab
blushing
dramatic
bold
dull
cheap
elegant
chubby
energetic
clean
erect
clear
exotic
cloudy
fancy
cluttered
fiery
congested
filthy
contoured
flashy
crinkled
flat
crisp
flowery
pale
patterned
perky
poised
pretty
quaint
radiant
ramshackle
regal
rigid
rotted
rotund
round
shady
shadowy
shallow
sheer
shimmering
shiny
showy
shy
small
skinny
slender
smoggy
sparkling
spotless
spotted
square
stately
steep
stormy
stout
straight
strange
stretched
striped
sturdy
supple
tall
tantalizing
tied
timid
tiny
translucent
transparent
ugly
unsightly
unusual
weird
wide
wild
wizened
wrinkled
young
Size
ample
average
behemoth
bulky
colossal
diminutive
dwarfed
elfin
enormous
fat
gigantic
great
huge
hulking
immense
mammoth
massive
microscopic
middle-sized
miniature
minute
petite
portly
prodigious
puny
stupendous
towering
vast
voluminous
Smell
acid
briny
earthy
gamy
moldy
piney
reeking
sharp
spoiled
tempting
acrid
burnt
fishy
gaseous
musty
pungent
rotten
sickly
stagnant
aromatic
damp
fragrant
heady
odorous
putrid
savory
sour
stench
balmy
dank
fresh
mildewed
perfumed
rancid
scented
spicy
sweet
Loud Sounds
bang
blare
brawl
clap
din
explode
noise
rage
roar
screech
squawk
thump
whine
bark
blatant
bray
clash
discord
grate
pandemonium
rasp
rowdy
shout
stamp
thunder
yell
bawl
bluster
bump
crash
disorderly
hubbub
piercing
raucous
rumble
slam
stomp
tumult
bedlam
boom
clamor
deafening
earsplitting
jangle
racket
riot
scream
smash
thud
whistle
Speech Sounds
bellow
growl
scream
speak
whimper
chatter
guffaw
screech
stammer
whisper
drawl
laugh
sing
stutter
yell
giggle
murmur
snort
talk
Soft Sounds
beep
clink
harmony
inaudible
mute
resonance
snap
tinkle
bleat
crackle
hiss
melody
mutter
rush
speechless
twitter
buzz
faint
hum
murmur
patter
rustle
still
whir
chime
gurgle
hush
musical
peep
sigh
swish
whisper
dynamic
rebellious
free
sure
hardy
tenacious
Strong
certain
impulsive
unique
Taste
alkaline
burnt
fruity
medicinal
peppery
salty
sugary
unripe
bitter
buttery
gingery
mellow
raw
sour
sweet
vinegary
bittersweet
crisp
hearty
oily
ripe
spicy
tangy
bland
fishy
hot
overripe
rotten
spoiled
tasteless
Touch
cold
dry
fleshy
gritty
leathery
prickly
sandy
slippery
steamy
thick
warm
cool
dull
fragile
hairy
lukewarm
pulpy
satiny
smooth
sticky
thin
waxy
crisp
elastic
furry
hot
mushy
rough
sharp
soft
tender
tough
wet
damp
feathery
fuzzy
icy
oily
rubbery
silky
spongy
tepid
velvety
wooly
Outstanding Color Adjectives
Black/ Gray
ashen
dove
ebony
jet
licorice
steel
tar
Green
apple
army
avocado
celery
chartreuse
emerald
forest
kelly
leafy
lime
mint
olive
pistachio
spinach
Yellow/Orange
apricot
buff
butter
buttercup
butterscotch
canary
custard
ochre
peach
persimmon
sulphur
tangerine
topaz
Blue
aqua
aquamarine
azure
baby
cobalt
cornflower
midnight
navy
peacock
porcelain
royal
sapphire
sky
teal
turquoise
twilight
violet
Brown
almond
amber
beige
bronze
burnt
chocolate
cobalt
coffee
copper
ginger
hazel
mahogany
emerald
nutmeg
russet
sandy
umber
Purple
lavender
lilac
magenta
mauve
mulberry
orchid
plum
violet
Red
burgundy
cardinal
cherry
coral
cranberry
crimson
garnet
maroon
pink
raspberry
rose
ruby
salmon
scarlet
strawberry
vermilion
wine
White
cream
ivory
marble
milky
oyster
pearl
platinum
silver
snow
Personality Attributes
Give your characters personality. Never again leave your readers wondering
exactly what type of person it is they are reading about.
absent-minded
active
affectionate
aloof
ambitious
analytical
angry
argumentative
artistic
astute
assertive
boisterous
bragging
brash
brave
bubbly
bully
caring
clever
clinging
comical
confident
conscientious
courteous
cowardly
creative
cynical
discourteous
defensive
dependable
depressed
dishonest
dreamer
erratic
ethical
excitable
expedient
extravagant
extroverted
flexible
forgetful
forthright
frightened
genius
gentle
grief-stricken
guilty
happy
hateful
honest
humble
hysterical
ill-tempered
imaginative
immature
impish
impulsive
introverted
jealous
kind
liberal
logical
lonely
loud
mad
mature
mischievous
moralistic
nervous
neurotic
no-nonsense
obnoxious
obsessed
opinionated
optimistic
outgoing
outlandish
passive
patriotic
practical
persuasive
pessimistic
philosophical
pleasant
precise
prudent
pushy
quiet
radical
reflective
relaxed
remorseful
reserved
sad
sarcastic
sense of humor
serene
shy
smart
somber
sophisticated
stupid
suspicious
talented
tearful
tender
tense
tough-minded
thoughtful
timid
threatening
troubled
uncontrolled
undisciplined
upset
urgent
venturesome
visionary
weak
wise
Object Attributes
Leave no doubt in the reader’s mind what is being described. Be specific!!
airy
angled
angular
arid
awkward
bitter
blazing
blotchy
bold
bony
bouncy
branching
bright
bumpy
clean
cheap
clear
coarse
coils
coil-like
congested
cork
cork-like
crisp
crooked
crunchy
curved
dark
dazzling
diluted
dingy
dismal
dots
dotted
dull
dusty
drab
dry
elliptical
exhausted
exotic
faded
feathery
fibery
fiery
flashy
flimsy
flowery
fluffy
fluid
foamy
formal
freckled
fresh
geometric
glassy
glazed
glistens
glittery
glowing
gold-like
golden
grainy
gummy
hair-like
hairy
hardy
iridescent
irregular
leafy
lean
liquidy
loose
loose-fitting
magnetic
magnified
meaty
meandering
messy
metallic
microscopic
miniature
mirror-like
muddy
mulchy
murky
muscular
narrow
nutty
oily
opaque
opulent
orderly
overloaded
packed
patterned
perforated
perfumed
plastic
porous
powdery
puffy
putrid
ramshackled
reflecting
rough
ridges
rigid
robust
rod-like
rounded
salty
sappy
scented
scratchy
shabby
shallow
shell-like
sheer
shiny
shimmering
shy
silvery
slender
slimy
slippery
slinky
slushy
smelly
smooth
soapy
sparkling
spherical
spindly
spiral
spongy
spotted
springy
squared
squashed
squeaky
squishy
star-like
sticky
stout
straight
striped
sturdy
sugary
supple
sweet
tart
textured
thin
tight
tiny
tired
translucent
transparent
triangular
untidy
ugly
used
veiny
watery
web-like
wide
wild
willowy
woody
worn
wrinkled
young