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What is an Adjective?

September 23rd, 2009 in English Grammar

An adjective is a word like big, beautiful, sad, happy, interesting and sudden. An adjective qualifies a noun and denotes a temporary or permanent quality associated with it. For example, a beautiful woman is a woman who is distinguished from other women by being beautiful. Here the adjective beautiful denotes a permanent quality associated with the noun woman.
Similarly, a sad woman is a woman distinguished from other women by being sad. Here the adjective sad denotes a temporary quality associated with the noun woman.
Some adjectives are different: they do not denote a quality of the noun. For example, the adjective heavy as used in heavy smoker does not denote a quality of the noun smoker. It just shows a habit of the smoker.