Grammar: Word classes: Adjectives

Overview

What are adjectives?

Adjectives are those words that give us more information about the thing we are referring to. Rather than simply referring to ‘the dog’, for example, we can add further information which helps us to ‘see’ the dog:

Most adjectives are ‘gradable’, that is, they can be arranged on a scale:

a bit friendly > rather friendly > quite friendly > very friendly > extremely friendly

What do adjectives do?

Adjectives provide many different types of information:

Adjectives can provide information about the physical attributes of something:

Adjectives can describe abstract qualities:

Adjectives can express a personal attitude:

Adjectives can indicate probability:

Adjectives can classify the thing being referred to:

Adjectives can show possession:

For more information on possessives, see Grammar: Word classes: Determiners: Referring to specific people, things, etc: Possessives (my, your, his)

When we teach adjectives, we are also developing important concepts and skills:

	identifying attributes such as shape, size, colour
	understanding abstract qualities such as 'an honest person', 'a difficult problem'
	comparing two or more things
	expressing an attitude or opinion

For a summary of the relationship between the form and the functions of adjectives, click here:

For information about forming adjectives and their position in the clause, click on the menu on the left: Adjective formation.

For information about adjective groups, see Grammar: Groups & phrases: Adjective group: Overview

For PrimeTeach teaching activities which provide KS2 students with practice in using adjectives, see:

	Creatures from other planets
	Creating poems about planets