Is Curious Adjective Or Adverb? 3 Facts(When & Examples)

Many sorts of terms in the English language have numerous grammatical forms and purposes. Let us examine this phenomenon more closely.

The word “curious” can be considered as either an adjective or an adverb depending on the context, word-form, or how it is used in a statement.

Now let us dig a little deeper into this subject with the aid of some facts and examples.

When is “curious” an adjective?

A word like “curious” various has grammatical forms, as has been mentioned before. Let us examine a single one of them.

 “Curious” is regarded as an adjective when it precedes a noun. Since adjectives are also determiners, the adjective “curious” must be employed to specify a noun’s quality or state in order to qualify as an adjective.

Let us look at a few instances of this topic.

ExamplesExplanations
1. That was a curious case of cold that came down on the people of the entire building complex.The word ‘curious’ functions as an adjective in this situation since it comes before a noun and helps the reader understand that noun better.
2. Did you ever used to read the book ‘Curious George’?Since it describes and offers additional information about the noun, a word like ‘curious’ as it is in this case, is automatically recognized as an adjective when it is brought in front of a noun.
Examples of ‘curious‘ as an adjective.

Is “curious” a descriptive adjective?

The adjective “curious” is one of numerous varieties used in the English language. Let us take a look at it.

“Curious” is a descriptive adjective since it is primarily used to convey a specific quality of the nouns it is placed in front of. More specifically, it gives the word that is used in front of a description of a specific state of being.

Let us look at a handful of examples related to this subject.

ExamplesExplanations
1. You have a curious child which is a good thing.It is quite apparent that the word ‘curious’ functions as an adjective in this case because it gives the noun it has been used in front of an element of description, giving any reader reading this example some more data about the scenario of said noun.
2. She is really curious and tends to ask a lot of questions whenever we step out.Adjectives do not always need to come before nouns in order to describe them. The way the descriptive adjective ‘curious’ has been put to use in this particular sentence shows that they are still regarded as adjectives as long as they appear to have a direct descriptive role in reference to a noun.
Examples of ‘curious‘ as a descriptive adjective.

When is “curious” a descriptive adjective?

The term “Curious” is a descriptive adjective when it is used to describe a noun. This term specifically serves as a descriptive adjective because it elaborates on the noun it is meant to describe.

Let us look at a couple of examples of “curious” as a descriptive adjective.

ExamplesExplanations
1. We have put ourselves in quite a curious situation.The term ‘curious’ is obviously a descriptive adjective in this context since it advances an aspect of description the noun that it has been used in front of, providing us extra and vivid information about the circumstance of the noun.
2. That is one curious bird on the ledge.In this context, the term is unmistakably a descriptive adjective since it gives the noun it is placed in front of a descriptive aspect, revealing more details about its situation or status.
3. That boy is curious and wants to know what we do.It is not always essential to put adjectives before nouns in order for them to be described. This particular sentence’s usage of the descriptive adjective ‘curious’ shows that adjectives are still utilized as terms that usually have a direct function of description in connection to a noun.
4. We once had a really curious dog in our family.Given that it adds a descriptive quality to the noun it has been put in front of and gives us further information about the state of that particular noun, that makes the word a descriptive adjective in this statement as well.
5. My mother said that I was one of the few curious girls of my class when I was younger.Once more, it is quite an obvious fact that the term ‘curious’ adds an element of description to the noun it has been used in front of making it a descriptive adjective and adding supplementary information about the said noun.
Examples of ‘curious’ as a descriptive adjective.

Is “curious” an adverb?

The word “curious” has another grammatical form besides an adjective. Let us investigate what that might be.

“Curious” is regarded as an adverb only in some specific contexts and in some specific forms. This means that the form of the word “curiously” might have to be bent a little bit when being used as an adverb. The “-ly” at the end is necessary for words like these to be employed as adverbs.

Let us just look at a few instances of this term being used as an adverb.

ExamplesExplanations
1. The kids curiously asked their teacher hundreds of questions about the world.Since adverbs are words that further modify adjectives, verbs and other adverbs, the word ‘curious’ in this case unmistakably functions as an adverb due to its adverbial form which is – ‘curiously’.
2. I curiously followed my father on his morning walk.The term ‘curiously’, as used her is an adverbial form of the base word that has been previously used, making it an adverb in this particular usage within the sentence.
3. We curiously started unboxing the gifts without our parents.Due to the fact that the term ‘curious’ in this situation plainly serves as an adverb due to its adverbial form which is – ‘curiously’, adverbs are words that further modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs.
4. She curiously got onto the bus as she thought she saw someone that she knew from years ago.Adverbs are words that further modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs, as demonstrated by the fact that the term ‘curious’ in this scenario plainly serves as an adverb due to its adverbial form, which is – ‘curiously’.
5. The toddlers curiously looked at the new toys their aunt had just bought them.Because it is an adverbial variant of the base word that was previously used, the word ‘curiously’ is an adverb in this specific usage within this particular phrase.
6. I curiously asked the station-master where the next train would lead me.The word ‘curiously’ is an adverb in this particular usage inside the phrase since it is an adverbial version of the base word that has been previously used.
7. He curiously went after his mother.Since the word ‘curiously’ is an adverbial variant of the base word that was previously used, it qualifies as an adverb in this particular usage within the sentence.
Examples of ‘curiously’ as an adverb.

Conclusion

Therefore, it can be inferred that the word “curious” can easily serve as both an adjective when used in the appropriate context and as an adverb when used in a specific form.