I'm Jake, and I modify nouns and pronouns. I tell what kind, which one, how many, or how much. Stick with me, and the whole world gets more colorful. Watch.
Parts of Speech · Today with Jake
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Section 1 · Meet the Adjectives
Sections 2–6
Meet the Adjectives!
An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun. It answers one of four questions: what kind, which one, how many, or how much.
What kind
Tells what kind.
Santiago chose a purple necktie.
Which one
Tells which one.
I want to open that package!
How many
Tells how many.
It has been raining for seven days in a row.
How much
Tells how much.
Molly added more salt than I did.
Identifying Adjectives
Every adjective answers one of Jake's four questions: what kind, which one, how many, or how much. Find the word doing the answering. When you are stuck, borrow a sense: tell what a thing looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels like.
In a sentence
Each sentence here holds more than one adjective. The highlighted one answers a question; see if you can spot the others.
Kyle gave his favorite teacher an enormous red apple.
I'll give you two days to find some answers.
Library
Now you try
What kind of soup is it? You could try peppery, or salty, or green. Lean on a sense if you're stuck.
Files it under done
Where the Adjective Sits
Adjectives can come before a noun (the playful children) or after a linking verb (the children seem playful). When multiple adjectives describe one noun, separate them with commas (the big, red barn).
In a sentence
One adjective sits before its word. One sits after a linking verb. Both are describing.
The brown squirrel ran straight up the tallest tree in the park.
My teacher always looks relieved at the end of the week.
Now you try
Describe how they feel after the parade, love. You could try exhausted, or proud, or sleepy. Any describing word works.
Files it under done
Articles: Jake's Little Ones
In a sentence
Three little words, three little jobs. Watch them point the way to their nouns.
Jake squeezed a fresh tube of paint.
Nelson filed an orange folder.
The paisley shirt hung by the door.
Now you try
Try a or the. Save an for words that start with a vowel sound, like an easel.
Files it under done
Demonstrative, Possessive, and Interrogative Adjectives
Demonstrative
Demonstrative adjectives point at a noun: this, that, these, those.
Please let me borrow that pen.
Possessive
Possessive adjectives claim a noun: my, your, his, her, our, their.
Sandra let me borrow her pen.
Interrogative
Interrogative adjectives ask about a noun: which, what, whose.
Which pen belongs to Sandra?
Now you try
A demonstrative adjective points right at it. You could try These, or Those. Both point at more than one.
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Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Comparative
A comparative adjective judges a match between two: add -er or use more.
I want a smaller backpack than the one I have now.
Superlative
A superlative adjective crowns a winner among three or more: add -est or use most.
My goal is to have the smallest backpack in the world.
Now you try
Comparing two murals calls for an -er word, love. You could try brighter, or bolder, or fancier. Any comparison works.
Files it under done
And that's every color on the palette. Get out your brushes, people! The Big Adjective Quiz is eight questions down the hall, and I'll be cheering for every single one.
Or skip ahead to the quiz without checking in.