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All about adjectives plus 1300+ Adjectives for every occasion.

All About Adjectives: English Grammar for Kids - FreeSchool - YouTube

What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.

Adjectives Modify Nouns

Most students learn that adjectives are words that modify (describe) nouns. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.

Margot wore a 
beautiful hat to the pie-eating contest.

Furry
 dogs may overheat in the summertime.

My cake should have 
sixteen candles.

The 
scariest villain of all time is Darth Vader.

In the sentences above, the adjectives are easy to spot because they come immediately before the nouns they modify.

But adjectives can do more than just modify nouns. They can also act as a complement to linking verbs or the verb to be. A linking verb is a verb like to feel, to seem, or to taste that describes a state of being or a sensory experience.



That cow sure is happy.

It smells 
gross in the locker room.

Driving is 
faster than walking.

The technical term for an adjective used this way is a predicate adjective.

Uses of Adjectives

Adjectives tell the reader how much—or how many—of something you’re talking about, which thing you want to be passed to you, or which kind of something you want.

Please use 
three white flowers in the arrangement.

Three and white are modifying flowers.

Often, when adjectives are used together, you should separate them with a comma or conjunction. See “Coordinate Adjectives” below for more detail.

I’m looking for a 
small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.

My new dog is 
small and good-tempered.


Degrees of Comparison

Adjectives come in three forms: absolute, comparative, and superlative. Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right.

cool guy

messy desk

mischievous cat

Garrulous
 squirrels

Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between two or more things. For most one-syllable adjectives, the comparative is formed by adding the suffix -er (or just -r if the adjective already ends with an e). For two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, replace -y with -ier. For multi-syllable adjectives, add the word more.

cooler guy

messier desk

more mischievous cat

More garrulous
 squirrels

Superlative adjectives indicate that something has the highest degree of the quality in question. One-syllable adjectives become superlatives by adding the suffix -est (or just -st for adjectives that already end in e). Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y replace -y with -iest. Multi-syllable adjectives add the word most. When you use an article with a superlative adjective, it will almost always be the definite article (the) rather than a or an. Using a superlative inherently indicates that you are talking about a specific item or items.

The 
coolest guy

The 
messiest desk

The 
most mischievous cat

The 
most garrulous squirrels



Coordinate Adjectives

Coordinate adjectives should be separated by a comma or the word and. Adjectives are said to be coordinate if they modify the same noun in a sentence.

This is going to be a 
long, cold winter.

Isobel’s 
dedicated and tireless efforts made all the difference.

But just the fact that two adjectives appear next to each other doesn’t automatically mean they are coordinate. Sometimes, an adjective and a noun form a single semantic unit, which is then modified by another adjective. In this case, the adjectives are not coordinate and should not be separated by a comma.

My cat, Goober, loves sleeping on this 
tattered woolen sweater.

No one could open the 
old silver locket.

In some cases, it’s pretty hard to decide whether two adjectives are coordinate or not. But there are a couple of ways you can test them. Try inserting the word and between the adjectives to see if the phrase still seems natural. In the first sentence, “this tattered and woolen sweater” doesn’t sound right because you really aren’t talking about a sweater that is both tattered and woolen. It’s a woolen sweater that is tatteredWoolen sweater forms a unit of meaning that is modified by tattered.

Another way to test for coordinate adjectives is to try switching the order of the adjectives and seeing if the phrase still works. In the second sentence, you wouldn’t say “No one could open the silver old locket.” You can’t reverse the order of the adjectives because silver locket is a unit that is modified by old.


Adjectives vs. Adverbs

As mentioned above, many of us learned in school that adjectives modify nouns and that adverbs modify verbs. But as we’ve seen, adjectives can also act as complements for linking verbs. This leads to a common type of error: incorrectly substituting an adverb in place of a predicate adjective. An example you’ve probably heard before is:

I feel 
badly about what happened.

Because “feel” is a verb, it seems to call for an adverb rather than an adjective. But “feel” isn’t just any verb; it’s a linking verb. An adverb would describe how you perform the action of feeling—an adjective describes what you feel. “I feel badly” means that you are bad at feeling things. If you’re trying to read Braille through thick leather gloves, then it might make sense for you to say “I feel badly.” But if you’re trying to say that you are experiencing negative emotions, “I feel bad” is the phrase you want.

It’s easier to see this distinction with a different linking verb. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

Goober smells badly.

Goober smells bad.

“Goober smells badly” means that Goober, the poor thing, has a weak sense of smell. “Goober smells bad” means Goober stinks—poor us.

When Nouns Become Adjectives and Adjectives Become Nouns

One more thing you should know about adjectives is that, sometimes, a word that is normally used as a noun can function as an adjective, depending on its placement. For example:

Never try to pet someone’s 
guide dog without asking permission first.

Guide is a noun. But in this sentence, it modifies dog. It works the other way, too. Some words that are normally adjectives can function as nouns:

Candice is working on a fundraiser to help the homeless.

In the context of this sentence, homeless is functioning as a noun. It can be hard to wrap your head around this if you think of adjectives and nouns only as particular classes of words. But the terms “adjective” and “noun” aren’t just about a word’s form—they’re also about its function.



100+ of the Most Important Slang Expressions Plus Simple Tips For How to Learn them.

Below is a list of 1300+ everyday adjectives suitable for virtually every situation and context. I hope that you enjoy improving your knowledge of adjectives and overall proficiency in English.

A
abandoned
able
absolute
academic
acceptable
acclaimed
accomplished
accurate
aching
acidic
acrobatic
active
actual
adept
admirable
admired
adolescent
adorable
adored
advanced
adventurous
affectionate
afraid
aged
aggravating
aggressive
agile
agitated
agonizing
agreeable
ajar
alarmed
alarming
alert
alienated
alive
all
altruistic
amazing
ambitious
ample
amused
amusing
anchored
ancient
angelic
angry
anguished
animated
annual
another
antique
anxious
any
apprehensive
appropriate
apt
arctic
arid
aromatic
artistic
ashamed
assured
astonishing
athletic
attached
attentive
attractive
austere
authentic
authorized
automatic
avaricious
average
aware
awesome
awful
awkward
B
babyish
back
bad
baggy
bare
barren
basic
beautiful
belated
beloved
beneficial
best
better
bewitched
big
big-hearted
biodegradable
bite-sized
bitter
black
black-and-white
bland
blank
blaring
bleak
blind
blissful
blond
blue
blushing
bogus
boiling
bold
bony
boring
bossy
both
bouncy
bountiful
bowed
brave
breakable
brief
bright
brilliant
brisk
broken
bronze
brown
bruised
bubbly
bulky
bumpy
buoyant
burdensome
burly
bustling
busy
buttery
buzzing
C
calculating
calm
candid
canine
capital
carefree
careful
careless
caring
cautious
cavernous
celebrated
charming
cheap
cheerful
cheery
chief
chilly
chubby
circular
classic
clean
clear
clear-cut
clever
close
closed
cloudy
clueless
clumsy
cluttered
coarse
cold
colorful
colorless
colossal
comfortable
common
compassionate
competent
complete
complex
complicated
composed
concerned
concrete
confused
conscious
considerate
constant
content
conventional
cooked
cool
cooperative
coordinated
corny
corrupt
costly
courageous
courteous
crafty
crazy
creamy
creative
creepy
criminal
crisp
critical
crooked
crowded
cruel
crushing
cuddly
cultivated
cultured
cumbersome
curly
curvy
cute
cylindrical
D
damaged
damp
dangerous
dapper
daring
dark
darling
dazzling
dead
deadly
deafening
dear
dearest
decent
decimal
decisive
deep
defenseless
defensive
defiant
deficient
definite
definitive
delayed
delectable
delicious
delightful
delirious
demanding
dense
dental
dependable
dependent
descriptive
deserted
detailed
determined
devoted
different
difficult
digital
diligent
dim
dimpled
dimwitted
direct
dirty
disastrous
discrete
disfigured
disguised
disgusting
dishonest
disloyal
dismal
distant
distinct
distorted
dizzy
dopey
doting
double
downright
drab
drafty
dramatic
dreary
droopy
dry
dual
dull
dutiful
E
each
eager
early
earnest
easy
easy-going
ecstatic
edible
educated
elaborate
elastic
elated
elderly
electric
elegant
elementary
elliptical
embarrassed
embellished
eminent
emotional
empty
enchanted
enchanting
energetic
enlightened
enormous
enraged
entire
envious
equal
equatorial
essential
esteemed
ethical
euphoric
even
evergreen
everlasting
every
evil
exalted
excellent
excitable
excited
exciting
exemplary
exhausted
exotic
expensive
experienced
expert
extra-large
extra-small
extraneous
extroverted
F
fabulous
failing
faint
fair
faithful
fake
false
familiar
famous
fancy
fantastic
far
far-flung
far-off
faraway
fast
fat
fatal
fatherly
favorable
favorite
fearful
fearless
feisty
feline
female
feminine
few
fickle
filthy
fine
finished
firm
first
firsthand
fitting
fixed
flaky
flamboyant
flashy
flat
flawed
flawless
flickering
flimsy
flippant
flowery
fluffy
fluid
flustered
focused
fond
foolhardy
foolish
forceful
forked
formal
forsaken
forthright
fortunate
fragrant
frail
frank
frayed
free
French
frequent
fresh
friendly
frightened
frightening
frigid
frilly
frivolous
frizzy
front
frosty
frozen
frugal
fruitful
full
fumbling
functional
funny
fussy
fuzzy
G
gargantuan
gaseous
general
generous
gentle
genuine
giant
giddy
gifted
gigantic
giving
glamorous
glaring
glass
gleaming
gleeful
glistening
glittering
gloomy
glorious
glossy
glum
golden
good
good-natured
gorgeous
graceful
gracious
grand
grandiose
granular
grateful
grave
gray
great
greedy
green
gregarious
grim
grimy
gripping
grizzled
gross
grotesque
grouchy
grounded
growing
growling
grown
grubby
gruesome
grumpy
guilty
gullible
gummy
H
hairy
half
handmade
handsome
handy
happy
happy-go-lucky
hard
hard-to-find
harmful
harmless
harmonious
harsh
hasty
hateful
haunting
healthy
heartfelt
hearty
heavenly
heavy
hefty
helpful
helpless
hidden
hideous
high
high-level
hilarious
hoarse
hollow
homely
honest
honorable
honored
hopeful
horrible
hospitable
hot
huge
humble
humiliating
humming
humongous
hungry
hurtful
husky
I
icky
icy
ideal
idealistic
identical
idiotic
idle
idolized
ignorant
ill
ill-fated
ill-informed
illegal
illiterate
illustrious
imaginary
imaginative
immaculate
immaterial
immediate
immense
impartial
impassioned
impeccable
imperfect
imperturbable
impish
impolite
important
impossible
impractical
impressionable
impressive
improbable
impure
inborn
incomparable
incompatible
incomplete
inconsequential
incredible
indelible
indolent
inexperienced
infamous
infantile
infatuated
inferior
infinite
informal
innocent
insecure
insidious
insignificant
insistent
instructive
insubstantial
intelligent
intent
intentional
interesting
internal
international
intrepid
ironclad
irresponsible
irritating
itchy
J
jaded
jagged
jam-packed
jaunty
jealous
jittery
joint
jolly
jovial
joyful
joyous
jubilant
judicious
juicy
jumbo
jumpy
junior
juvenile
K
kaleidoscopic
keen
key
kind
kindhearted
kindly
klutzy
knobby
knotty
knowing
knowledgeable
known
kooky
kosher
L
lame
lanky
large
last
lasting
late
lavish
lawful
lazy
leading
leafy
lean
left
legal
legitimate
light
lighthearted
likable
likely
limited
limp
limping
linear
lined
liquid
little
live
lively
livid
loathsome
lone
lonely
long
long-term
loose
lopsided
lost
loud
lovable
lovely
loving
low
loyal
lucky
lumbering
luminous
lumpy
lustrous
luxurious
M
mad
made-up
magnificent
majestic
major
male
mammoth
married
marvelous
masculine
massive
mature
meager
mealy
mean
measly
meaty
medical
mediocre
medium
meek
mellow
melodic
memorable
menacing
merry
messy
metallic
mild
milky
mindless
miniature
minor
minty
miserable
miserly
misguided
misty
mixed
modern
modest
moist
monstrous
monthly
monumental
moral
mortified
motherly
motionless
mountainous
muddy
muffled
multicolored
mundane
murky
mushy
musty
muted
mysterious
N
naive
narrow
nasty
natural
naughty
nautical
near
neat
necessary
needy
negative
neglected
negligible
neighboring
nervous
new
next
nice
nifty
nimble
nippy
nocturnal
noisy
nonstop
normal
notable
noted
noteworthy
novel
noxious
numb
nutritious
nutty
O
obedient
obese
oblong
obvious
occasional
odd
oddball
offbeat
offensive
official
oily
old
old-fashioned
only
open
optimal
optimistic
opulent
orange
orderly
ordinary
organic
original
ornate
ornery
other
our
outgoing
outlandish
outlying
outrageous
outstanding
oval
overcooked
overdue
overjoyed
overlooked
P
palatable
pale
paltry
parallel
parched
partial
passionate
past
pastel
peaceful
peppery
perfect
perfumed
periodic
perky
personal
pertinent
pesky
pessimistic
petty
phony
physical
piercing
pink
pitiful
plain
plaintive
plastic
playful
pleasant
pleased
pleasing
plump
plush
pointed
pointless
poised
polished
polite
political
poor
popular
portly
posh
positive
possible
potable
powerful
powerless
practical
precious
present
prestigious
pretty
previous
pricey
prickly
primary
prime
pristine
private
prize
probable
productive
profitable
profuse
proper
proud
prudent
punctual
pungent
puny
pure
purple
pushy
putrid
puzzled
puzzling
Q
quaint
qualified
quarrelsome
quarterly
queasy
querulous
questionable
quick
quick-witted
quiet
quintessential
quirky
quixotic
quizzical
R
radiant
ragged
rapid
rare
rash
raw
ready
real
realistic
reasonable
recent
reckless
rectangular
red
reflecting
regal
regular
reliable
relieved
remarkable
remorseful
remote
repentant
repulsive
required
respectful
responsible
revolving
rewarding
rich
right
rigid
ringed
ripe
roasted
robust
rosy
rotating
rotten
rough
round
rowdy
royal
rubbery
ruddy
rude
rundown
runny
rural
rusty
S
sad
safe
salty
same
sandy
sane
sarcastic
sardonic
satisfied
scaly
scarce
scared
scary
scented
scholarly
scientific
scornful
scratchy
scrawny
second
second-hand
secondary
secret
self-assured
self-reliant
selfish
sentimental
separate
serene
serious
serpentine
several
severe
shabby
shadowy
shady
shallow
shameful
shameless
sharp
shimmering
shiny
shocked
shocking
shoddy
short
short-term
showy
shrill
shy
sick
silent
silky
silly
silver
similar
simple
simplistic
sinful
single
sizzling
skeletal
skinny
sleepy
slight
slim
slimy
slippery
slow
slushy
small
smart
smoggy
smooth
smug
snappy
snarling
sneaky
sniveling
snoopy
sociable
soft
soggy
solid
somber
some
sophisticated
sore
sorrowful
soulful
soupy
sour
Spanish
sparkling
sparse
specific
spectacular
speedy
spherical
spicy
spiffy
spirited
spiteful
splendid
spotless
spotted
spry
square
squeaky
squiggly
stable
staid
stained
stale
standard
starchy
stark
starry
steel
steep
sticky
stiff
stimulating
stingy
stormy
straight
strange
strict
strident
striking
striped
strong
studious
stunning
stupendous
stupid
sturdy
stylish
subdued
submissive
substantial
subtle
suburban
sudden
sugary
sunny
super
superb
superficial
superior
supportive
sure-footed
surprised
suspicious
svelte
sweaty
sweet
sweltering
swift
sympathetic
T
talkative
tall
tame
tan
tangible
tart
tasty
tattered
taut
tedious
teeming
tempting
tender
tense
tepid
terrible
terrific
testy
thankful
that
these
thick
thin
third
thirsty
this
thorny
thorough
those
thoughtful
threadbare
thrifty
thunderous
tidy
tight
timely
tinted
tiny
tired
torn
total
tough
tragic
trained
traumatic
treasured
tremendous
triangular
tricky
trifling
trim
trivial
troubled
true
trusting
trustworthy
trusty
truthful
tubby
turbulent
twin
U
ugly
ultimate
unacceptable
unaware
uncomfortable
uncommon
unconscious
understated
unequaled
uneven
unfinished
unfit
unfolded
unfortunate
unhappy
unhealthy
uniform
unimportant
unique
united
unkempt
unknown
unlawful
unlined
unlucky
unnatural
unpleasant
unrealistic
unripe
unruly
unselfish
unsightly
unsteady
unsung
untidy
untimely
untried
untrue
unused
unusual
unwelcome
unwieldy
unwilling
unwitting
unwritten
upbeat
upright
upset
urban
usable
used
useful
useless
utilized
utter
V
vacant
vague
vain
valid
valuable
vapid
variable
vast
velvety
venerated
vengeful
verifiable
vibrant
vicious
victorious
vigilant
vigorous
villainous
violent
violet
virtual
virtuous
visible
vital
vivacious
vivid
voluminous
W
wan
warlike
warm
warmhearted
warped
wary
wasteful
watchful
waterlogged
watery
wavy
weak
wealthy
weary
webbed
wee
weekly
weepy
weighty
weird
welcome
well-documented
well-groomed
well-informed
well-lit
well-made
well-off
well-to-do
well-worn
wet
which
whimsical
whirlwind
whispered
white
whole
whopping
wicked
wide
wide-eyed
wiggly
wild
willing
wilted
winding
windy
winged
wiry
wise
witty
wobbly
woeful
wonderful
wooden
woozy
wordy
worldly
worn
worried
worrisome
worse
worst
worthless
worthwhile
worthy
wrathful
wretched
writhing
wrong
wry
Y
yawning
yearly
yellow
yellowish
young
youthful
yummy
Z
zany
zealous
zesty
zigzag

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