Adjectives

Adjectives

1. Semantically: Describe properties or qualities. Nearly always they appear immediately beforre the noun or noun phrase they modify.

2. Comparative

   • Compare differences between two objects they modify. Suffix -er

3. Superlative

   • Describe an object which is at the upper or lower limit of a quality. Suffix -est

4. Descriptive

   • Describe qualities of the noun they modify.
     • Simple: Most basic kind of adj. Feelings, time, sound, quantity, taste, size, age, colo, shape, etc.
       • Compound: Two words are combined to create an adj. A hyphen is used between them.
         • Proper: Nations, regions and religions are described by these. Proper adj, are derived from proper nouns: American, Pacific, Greek, etc.

5. Relational

   • Classify their nouns. Do not denote a property of the noun but a relation between two entities.
     • Musical instrument / national history / nervous desease

6. Adjectival Participles

   • Major subclass. They might come from a verb or imitate their structure but are always adj.
     • Fascinating, thrilling, bored, interesting, frustrating, etc.

7. Nominal/Nominalized

   • Function as nouns.
     • I prefer the OLD rather than the NEW.