Adjectives modify naming words; adverbs modify action words; adjectives or adverbs and nouns name somebody or something. We shall see to which of these the word “strange” belongs.
The word “strange” is an adjective since it is utilized to qualify, describe, or modify the nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases (singular or plural) present in a sentence by stating some extra and additional details or information about them.
This article will give us a detailed account of the various interesting facts about using the word “strange” as an adjective.
When is “strange” an adjective?
When it qualifies a noun, the word “strange” is an adjective. Here, we shall find out at what instances (when) the adjective “strange” modifies a naming word.
To find out when is “strange” an adjective, we shall go through the following tabular column, which states various situations when “strange” functions as an adjective.
| Situations When “Strange” Is An Adjective | Examples | Explanations |
| 1. When used to tell about a naming word that is unexpected, unusual, or out of the ordinary which might cause surprise or worry | At the hostel, in the middle of the night, all of us heard a strange sound. | In this sentence, the adjective “strange” is stating the unusual and unexpected nature of the sound that the speakers heard in the middle of the night, by modifying the naming word ‘sound’ (a thing). |
| 2. When utilized to qualify a naming word who / that is unknown or unfamiliar (not met or not known before) | Sometimes it is better to be around strange people as at least they would not judge you. | The adjective “strange” here in the given sentence is qualifying the plural naming word ‘people’. “Strange” is utilized to tell about the unknown and unfamiliar nature of the people with whom it is better to be around sometimes. |
| 3. When utilized to modify a naming word by telling their embarrassed, uncomfortable, or ill states of mind or body | When Rushi forgot the steps in between, she felt strange. | “Strange” in this sentence is conveying the embarrassed and uncomfortable state of mind of Rushi when she forgot the steps in between. The adjective “strange” is describing the naming word ‘Rushi’ (a girl) here. |
Is “strange” a descriptive adjective?
Out of all the different types of adjectives, descriptive adjectives are the most commonly used to qualify naming words. We will find if “strange” is a descriptive adjective.
The adjective “strange” is a descriptive adjective because it describes and modifies the nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases by providing supplementary information and details about their natures, appearances, characteristic features, behaviors, or states of mind or body.
Example: Raman has some strange ideas for solving the existing problem.
In the above-given sentence, the word “strange” takes up the role of an adjective as it qualifies the plural naming word ‘ideas’. “Strange” in specific can be regarded as a descriptive adjective since the extra details it gives is about the weird, unusual or unexpected nature of the ideas that Raman has for solving the existing problems.
When is “strange” a descriptive adjective?
“Strange” can be and is a descriptive adjective when it is telling about the unusual, unexpected, weird, odd, unknown, unfamiliar, uncomfortable, ill, or embarrassing nature, behavior, state of mind, or body of an individual, place, event, thing, situation, idea, thought, situation and so on.
Reading the examples listed in the table that follows will give us a detailed understanding of the usage of the word “strange” as a descriptive adjective.
| Examples | Explanations – Usage Of “Strange” As A Descriptive Adjective |
| 1. Day before yesterday at the party, there was something strange about Lucy. | In this sentence, the descriptive adjective “strange” is modifying the naming word ‘Lucy’ (a person – a girl). The usage of “strange” conveys to us the unusual, unexpected, or odd nature or behavior of Lucy at the party day before yesterday. |
| 2. This place is totally strange to Suhana, so I request everyone to be kind and helpful to her. | “Strange”, the predicate descriptive adjective utilized in this sentence qualifies the naming word ‘place’ by stating the unfamiliar and unknown nature of the place to Suhana. |
| 3. Varun felt strange when the manager pinpointed his mistake at the meeting in front of everybody. | The predicate descriptive adjective utilized in this sentence is “strange” and it is giving additional information about Varun’s embarrassed or uncomfortable state of mind when the manager pinpointed his mistakes in front of everyone. The adjective “strange” is describing the naming word ‘Varun’ (a person) here. |
| 4. We have been working in the same company for so many months and it is strange that we did not see each other. | The usage of the predicate descriptive adjective “strange” in this sentence denotes the unusual and uncommon state where the speakers though working in the same company for many months did not meet or see each other. |
| 5. For safety reasons, all children must be told not to talk with strange people they come across. | In the given sentence, the attributive descriptive adjective “strange” is describing the plural naming word ‘people’. Here, the adjective “strange” is utilized to indicate the unknown and unfamiliar nature of the people with whom children must be told not to talk. |
| 6. Since yesterday night, I had been having a strange sensation in both my legs. | The attributive descriptive adjective “strange” in this sentence is describing the naming word ‘sensation’. The usage of “strange” in the given sentence is conveying the illness that the speaker has been having in his/ her legs since yesterday night. |
| 7. Vihana, my sister always feels strange talking in front of a group of people, so I request you not to force her. | “Strange”, the predicate descriptive adjective in the given sentence describes the naming word ‘Vihana’ (a girl) by stating the uncomfortable and embarrassing state of mind she feels while talking in front of a group of people. |
Is “strange” an adverb?
The part of speech that gives extra details about action words (verbs), other adverbs, or adjectives by modifying them is an adverb. Let us examine if “strange” can be an adverb.
The word “strange” is not or cannot be an adverb as it does not perform the function of modifying actions, descriptors (adjectives), or other adverbs but only describes naming words. But however, ‘strangely’ is the adverb form of the word “strange” since it qualifies an action that is unusual or odd.
| Examples | Explanations |
| 1. My mother was saying all the strange reasons for not letting me go out with my friends. | In this sentence, the word “strange” is not an adverb as it does not qualify an action. “Strange” here, is an adjective since it is qualifying the naming word ‘reasons’ by stating the weird and unusual nature of the reasons that the mother was saying. |
| 2. I do not know why, but the entire family acted very strangely when I went to their house yesterday afternoon. | In this sentence, the word ‘strangely’ is functioning as an adverb since it is qualifying the action word (verb) ‘acted’ by stating that the entire family’s actions were very odd, unusual, or strange when the speaker went to their house yesterday afternoon. |
Is “strange” a noun?
The part of speech that names a feeling, person, place, emotion, animal, idea, thought, situation, or thing is a noun. We will here check if the word “strange” can be a noun.
The word “strange” is not and cannot be a noun since it does not name anything or anybody, but instead qualifies a noun. The word “strange” has two noun forms – ‘strangeness’ and ‘stranger’. ‘Strangeness’ names the condition of being strange and ‘stranger’ names a person who is unknown and unfamiliar.
| Examples | Explanations |
| 1. Varsha’s strange behavior during the meeting startled all of us. | In the given sentence, the word “strange” is not a noun as it is here not used for naming purposes. Instead, it is functioning as an adjective that is qualifying the noun ‘behavior’ by telling the uncommon and weird nature of Varsha’s behavior during the meeting. |
| 2. The strangeness of the place became less once we started to explore it. | Here, the word ‘strangeness’ is a noun since it is naming the place’s condition or quality of being strange. |
| 3. We met as strangers but somehow ended up becoming best friends. | In the given sentence, the word ‘strangers’ (plural of ‘stranger’) is taking up the role of a naming word (noun) as it is naming the people who did not know each other when they first met but somehow became best friends. |
Conclusion
Through this article, we got to know why, how, and when the word “strange” takes up the role of an adjective and why not a noun and an adverb by getting to know the noun and adverb forms of the word “strange”.
Hi… I am Sowndharya Jagadeeswaran, a university rank holder in M.A. English Literature. I have also done my master’s in Business Administration. Inquisitive as I am, my interest in action-oriented research helped me publish research papers in reputed journals. Now, as a career, I am an instructor where I teach young and adorable students the intricate technicalities of Public Speaking and Creative Writing. I also enjoy writing articles on topics I specialize and research in.
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