46d. Adjectives

46dAdjectives

An adjective is a word used to modify, or describe, a noun or pronoun. An adjective usually answers one of these questions: Which one? What kind of ? How many?

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Adjectives usually precede the words they modify. They may also follow linking verbs, in which case they describe the subject. (See 47b.)

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The definite article the and the indefinite articles a and an are also classified as adjectives.

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Some possessive, demonstrative, and indefinite pronouns can function as adjectives: their, its, this, all (see 46b). And nouns can function as adjectives when they modify other nouns: apple pie (the noun apple modifies the noun pie; see 46a).

tip: You can find more details about using adjectives in 26. If you are a multilingual writer, you may find help with articles and specific uses of adjectives in 29, 30g, and 30h.

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  • Grammar basics > Exercises: 46–10 to 46–12, 46–19 and 46–20 (all parts of speech)
  • Grammar basics > LearningCurve: Verbs, adjectives, and adverbs