Adjective Modifies Noun: 7 Facts (Read This First!)

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Nouns and adjectives go hand in hand. The use of adjectives is a must to represent a noun in its true color, shape, size, quantity, etc.

Adjectives are used to describe or modify a noun, pronoun, or noun equivalent. Adjectives are normally placed before the respective noun or after the particular verb that refers to the specific noun.      

Let us discuss the ways to describe noun or noun equivalent with the help of adjectives.

Does adjective modify noun?

Adjectives play the most important role in the eight parts of speech. Let us check how adjectives work in the English language.

No other words but adjectives are solely responsible for the description or modification of nouns, pronouns, or noun equivalents along with any type of comparison among quality or action of the same status.

Example: Tiny and naughty Rishav loves to play all day long.

Explanation:

‘Tiny’ and ‘naughty’ are two “Descriptive Adjectives” which are in use to describe the proper noun ‘Rishav’.

How does adjective modifies a noun?

Adjectives can describe or modify a noun in various ways. A list of ways to modify a noun, pronoun, or noun equivalent is given below.

Now, we will go through eight ways in which an adjective can modify a noun, pronoun, or noun equivalent.

Serial NumberType of DescriptionExample of Adjective
1.To modify with ‘General Characteristics’Pretty, Naughty, Cruel etc.
2.To modify with ‘Numerical Characteristics’Few, One, Many etc.
3.To modify with ‘Quantitative Characteristics’Little, Total, Whole etc.
4.To modify with ‘Demonstrative Characteristics’These, Those, That etc.
5.To modify with ‘Interrogative Characteristics’Which, How, What etc.
6.To modify with Possessive Characteristics’His, Her, Their etc.
7.To modify with ‘Proper Noun’Turkish Towel
8.To modify with ‘Exclamatory Adjectives’How, What ( with an exclamation mark )
Uses of Adjectives to modify Noun

Example:  I have bought this Turkish towel for you from the mall near my house.

Explanation:

The word “Turkish” is a “proper adjective” that is in use to describe the noun “towel.” Thus, we can say that adjectives can modify nouns with another proper noun but that proper nouns must be in use as an adjective.

Why does adjective modifies a noun?

Nouns are mere names of various people, places, objects, etc., and a noun can not describe itself. Herein lies the importance of “adjectives.”

Adjectives are the most important part of the English language because they allow us to do more than just describe or modify a noun or equivalent; they also allow us to restrict or limit the characteristics of nouns or noun equivalents.

Adjectives modify nouns because we need some adjectives to modify various aspects of nouns, pronouns, or noun equivalents. The ten most important aspects are as follows:

  1. To modify the size of the noun
  2. To modify one’s opinion about the noun
  3. To modify the meaning of the noun
  4. To modify the color of the noun
  5. To modify the age of the noun
  6. To modify the number of the noun
  7. To modify the origin of the noun
  8. To modify the purpose of any noun
  9. To show an observation about a noun
  10. To mark the material of the noun

Example: I want five pens to give to my little brother on his special day.

Explanation:

The word “five” can be termed as an adjective as it is in use to modify the numerical characteristics of the noun “pen.”

When does adjective modifies a noun?

Adjectives are the only parts of speech that can be used to describe a noun or noun equivalent. Let us go through situations in which we can use adjectives to modify nouns.

Adjectives are required not only to modify the noun’s color, shape, origin, material, etc. but also to add creative and ornamental value to both our spoken and written language. Decorative adjectives are highly demanded in English literature.

Example : Though I tried lots of gowns, I ended up with the blue shimmery gown.

Explanation:

The noun “gown” has been described by two adjectives, and they are “blue” and “shimmery.” Both of these adjectives add ornamental value to the sentence.

Examples of adjectives modifying nouns-

Now, we will go through various examples and related explanations to learn uses of adjectives to describe a noun or noun equivalent.

Serial NumberSentenceExplanation
1.The spacious table in your house is enough to serve food to even fifteen people.The word “spacious” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “size” of the common noun “table”.
2.You must read the awesome book “David Copperfield” by Charles Dickens.The word “awesome” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “general characteristics” of the proper noun ‘David Copperfield’ by Charles Dickens.
3.I want to decorate my house with a light blue-colored painting.The word “light blue-colored” can certainly be termed as an “adjective phrase” because it is in use to describe the “color” of the common noun “painting”.
4.My seventy-year-old grandfather is a great source of age-old stories.The word “seventy-year-old” can certainly be termed as an “adjective phrase” because it is in use to describe the “age” of the noun “grandfather”.
5.Sandip can eat ten eggs at one time without making his stomach upset.The word “ten” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “numerical value” of the noun “egg”.
6.Mr. Harry is truly fond of English wine as he can pay any amount of money to get the same.The word “English” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “origin” of the noun “wine”. Here, the adjective “English” is basically a proper noun but is in use as an “adjective.”
7.I love to sit in the rocking chair of my grandmother.The word “rocking” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “purpose” of the noun “chair”.
8.Ranjan covered the floor of their new house with glossy marble.The word “glossy” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “characteristics” of the noun “marbles”.
9.I love to eat fluffy cakes.The word “fluffy” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “nature” of the noun “cake”.
10.The cat in our house gave birth to three kittens in our courtyard.The word “three” can certainly be termed an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “numerical value” of the noun “kittens”.
11.My sister asked for a coffee cup on her birthday.The word “coffee” can certainly be termed as an “adjective” because it is in use to describe the “use” of the noun “cup”. Here, we must make a note that the word “coffee” is basically a noun, but here it is in use as an “adjective.”Eleven examples of adjectives modifying noun

Can adjective phrase modify nouns?

The basic difference between an adjective and an adjective phrase lies in the number of words. An adjective includes only a single noun, while an adjective phrase includes more than one word.

An adjective phrase is a group of words that modify a noun or noun equivalent in the same way an adjective does. Adjective phrases are quite common in English literature.

Examples of some adjective phrases are

  1. Very pretty
  2. Little fluffy
  3. Extremely graceful
  4. Mighty stupid
  5. Awfully cruel

Sentence with Adjective Phrase:

You should not expect any type of noble work from Mr. Roy as he is extremely cruel.

Explanation:

The adjective phrase “extremely cruel’ is in use to describe the noun “Mr. Roy”.

Conclusion –

We must make a note that an adjective in an adjective phrase can be placed in the front, in the middle, or at the end of the phrase.