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9.2.1.2 Possessive Adjectives / Possessive Determiners

A possessive adjective, also known as possessive determiner, modifies a noun by telling who owns or “possesses” something. It answers the question “Whose?”

Possessive adjectives/determiners can eliminate repetition in a sentence by replacing a determiner phrase, which is also a noun phrase. They allow us, for example, to say: “The boy took off his hat.” instead of “The boy took off the boy's hat.”
The possessive adjectives are:

my, your, his, her, its, our, their
whose (interrogative)

number

person

gender

possessive
adjective

example sentence

singular

1st

male/female

This is my book.

2nd

male/female

your

I like your hair.

3rd

male

his

His name is “Phil.”

female

her

Her name is “Sue.”

neuter中性的

its

The dog is licking its paw.

plural

1st

male/female

our

We have sold our house.

2nd

male/female

your

Your children are lovely.

3rd

male/female/neuter

their

The students thanked their teacher.

singular/plural

1st/2nd/3rd

male/female (not neuter)

whose

Whose phone did you use?

9.2.1.3 Other Determiners / Indefinite Adjectives:

each (= every one separately) (adjective / adverb / pronoun) eg. Each student
had a different explanation.
every (= each, all; every is half-way between each and all. It sees things or
people as singular, but in a group or in general.) (adjective / adverb) eg.
She’s beautiful in every way.
(Verbs with each and every are always conjugated in the singular.)
either (adjective / adverb / pronoun / conjunction) eg. You may choose either
answer.
neither (adjective / adverb / pronoun / conjunction) eg. Neither answer is
correct.
some (= a little, a few or a small number or amount) (adjective / adverb /
pronoun) eg. We met some years ago.
any (= one, some or all) (adjective / adverb / pronoun) eg. Have you any spare
change?
(Usually, we use some in positive sentences and any in negative and
question sentences. However, we may use some in a question when we
expect a positive YES answer, eg. Would you like some more tea?)
no (adjective / adverb / noun) eg. I wanted no part of it. He has no heart. He has no nose. He has no fingers. He has no friends in this city. I have no idea. There is no reason why should come. (singular / plural noun after no).
much (adjective / adverb /noun) eg. It takes too much time.
many (adjective / pronoun / noun) eg. A journey of many miles begins with a
single step.
more (adjective / adverb / noun / pronoun) eg. Would you like more sugar?
most (adjective / adverb / noun / pronoun) eg. Choosing a fitting color takes
the most time.
little (adjective / adverb / noun) eg. I got very little sleep last night.
less (adjective / adverb / noun / preposition) eg. Two is less than three.
least (adjective / adverb / noun) eg. The least noise would startle her.
few (adjective / noun / pronoun) eg. One of his few pleasures is to go hiking.
fewer (adjective / pronoun) eg. He caught fewer fish than the rest of us.
fewest (adjective) eg. Please answer the questions in the fewest possible
words.
what (adjective / adverb / pronoun) eg. What a charming girl!
whatever (adjective / adverb / pronoun) eg. She will buy the painting at
whatever price.
which (adjective / pronoun) eg. Which tie should I wear?
whichever (adjective / pronoun) eg. Choose whichever one you want.
both (adjective / pronoun / conjunction) eg. He soaked both feet in water.
half (adjective / adverb / noun) eg. He owns a half share in the company.
all (adjective / adverb / noun / pronoun) eg. I have been waiting all week to
see her.
several (adjective / pronoun) eg. He arrived several hours late.
enough (adjective / adverb / pronoun) eg. There’s enough food for everyone.
another (adjective / pronoun) eg. Please look at it from another angle.

Note that some determiners/indefinite adjectives are also indefinite pronouns (see 11.2.4.1 and 11.2.4.2). Eg.

I'd like another drink, please. (determiner/indefinite adjective)
That drink was good. Can I have another? (indefinite pronoun)

9.2.2 Demonstrative Adjectives

9.2.2.1 The demonstrative adjectives this, that, these, those answer the question “which?” or “which one?” Eg.

Let’s play this game and later watch that movie.
These mangoes are very sweet, but I don’t like those sour grapes.

9.2.2.2 Remember that the demonstrative adjectives this, that, these, those are identical to demonstrative pronouns. Obviously, you use them differently. While a demonstrative adjective qualifies a noun, a demonstrative pronoun stands alone, replacing the noun. (see 11.2.3.2) Eg.

That dress is nice. (demonstrative adjective + noun)
That smells. (demonstrative pronoun)

9.2.3 Proper Adjectives

A proper adjective is derived from a proper noun and is capitalized. Eg.

Proper noun

Proper adjective

China

Chinese

California

Californian

Mars

Martian

Spain

Spanish

Christianity

Christian

Japan

Japanese

Hollywood

Texas

Sometimes, as in the last two examples, a proper noun does not change at all to become a proper adjective.

9.2.4 Common Adjectives

A common adjective is just a simple, regular adjective. It describes a noun in a general way. Eg.,

sharp, flexible, hot, red, hidden, nice, huge

Most common adjectives can be used to show degrees of difference of the nouns they modify. In this application, they are classified into comparative adjectives and superlative adjectives. Some adjectives, however, cannot be compared because the base form expresses the only degree possible, and they are called incomparable adjectives.

9.2.4.1 Comparative Adjectives

When we talk about two things, we can “compare” them. We can see if they are the same or different. Perhaps they are the same in some ways and different in other ways. We can use comparative adjectives to describe the differences.

We can use comparative adjectives when talking about two things but not three or more things.

9.2.4.1.1 Formation of Comparative Adjectives

9.2.4.1.1.1 There are two normal ways to make or form a comparative
adjective:

short adjectives: add “-er”
long adjectives: use “more”

Short adjectives

1-syllable adjectives

old, fast

2-syllable adjectives ending in -y

happy, easy

Normal rule: add “-er”

old → older

Variation: if the adjective ends in -e, just add -r

late → later

Variation: if the adjective ends in consonant and after a vowel, double the last consonant

big → bigger

Variation: if the adjective ends in -y, change the y to i

happy → happier

Long adjectives

2-syllable adjectives not ending in -y

modern, pleasant

all adjectives of 3 or more syllables

expensive, intellectual

Normal rule: use “more”

modern →
more modern
expensive →
more expensive

9.2.4.1.1.2 Exception 1:

With some 2-syllable adjectives, we can use “-er” or “more,” eg.

• quiet → quieter / more quiet

• clever → cleverer / more clever

• narrow → narrower / more narrow

• simple → simpler / more simple
9.2.4.1.1.3 Exception 2:

The following adjectives have irregular forms:

• good → better

• well (healthy) → better

• bad → worse

• far → farther / further

9.2.4.1.2 Use of Comparative Adjectives

We use comparative adjectives when talking about 2 things (not 3 or 10 or 1,000,000 things, only 2 things).

Often, the comparative adjective is followed by “than.” Eg.

Shaquille O’Neal is 7’1”. He is tall. But Yao Ming is 7’5”. Yao is taller than O’Neal.
China is big. But Russia is bigger.
I want to have a more powerful computer.
Is Chinese more difficult than English?

9.2.4.2 Superlative Adjectives

A superlative adjective expresses the extreme or highest degree of a quality. We use a superlative adjective to describe the extreme quality of one thing in a group of things.

9.2.4.2.1 Formation of Superlative Adjectives

9.2.4.2.1.1 As with comparative adjectives, there are two normal ways to form a superlative adjective:

•short adjectives: add “-est”

•long adjectives: use “most”

We also usually add “the” at the beginning.

Short adjectives

1-syllable adjectives

old, fast

2-syllable adjectives ending in -y

happy, easy

Normal rule: add “-est”

old → the oldest

Variation: if the adjective ends in -e, just add -st

late → the latest

Variation: if the adjective ends in consonant before a vowel, double the last consonant

big → the biggest

Variation: if the adjective ends in -y, change the y to i

happy → the happiest

Long adjectives

2-syllable adjectives not ending in -y

modern, pleasant

all adjectives of 3 or more syllables

expensive, intellectual

Normal rule: use “the most”

modern →

the most modern
expensive →

the most expensive

9.2.4.2.1.2 Exception 1:

With some 2-syllable adjectives, we can use “-est” or “ the most,” eg.

• quiet → the quietest / the most quiet

• clever → the cleverest / the most clever

• narrow → the narrowest / the most narrow
• simple → the simplest / the most simple
9.2.4.2.1.3 Exception 2:

The following adjectives have irregular forms:
• good → the best
• bad → the worst
• far → the furthest

9.2.4.2.2 Use of Superlative Adjectives

9.2.4.2.2.1 We use a superlative adjective to describe one thing in a group of three or more things. Eg.

Brad Miller is 7’ tall. Shaquille O’Neal is 7’1”. Yao Ming is 7’5”. Yao is the tallest.
Canada, China and Russia are big countries. But Russia is the biggest.
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

9.2.4.2.2.2 When we compare one thing with itself, we do not use “the”, eg.

• England is coldest in winter. (not the coldest)
• My boss is most generous when we get a big order. (not the most generous)

9.2.4.3 Incomparable adjectives

Some adjectives cannot be compared because the base form expresses the only degree possible. Eg.

• perfect, unique, fatal, universal, dead, wrong, straight, blind, final, vertical, right, left

9.2.5 Noun as Adjective (see also 8.5.5 Two or more nouns together – noun as adjective)

A noun is a person, place, thing or idea; and an adjective is a word that describes a noun. But sometimes we use a noun to describe another noun. In that case, the first noun acts as an adjective (see also 8.5.4 Compound noun). Eg.

news reporter
love story
Hong Kong basketball team coach
(we can have more than one “noun as adjective;” here Hong Kong, basketball and team are all “nouns as adjective,” describing coach.)

Next: Position and Order of Adjectives

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