Adjectives are an essential component of English grammar, and their proper use can significantly enhance both written and spoken communication. One of the primary ways adjectives are employed is in their attributive form. Understanding the attributive use of adjectives can help language learners describe nouns more precisely and vividly, adding depth and detail to their language skills.
What Are Attributive Adjectives?
Attributive adjectives are adjectives that are placed directly before the noun they modify. They provide specific information about the noun, such as its size, color, shape, or other qualities. For example, in the phrase “a red apple,” the adjective “red” is attributive because it describes the noun “apple.”
Position of Attributive Adjectives
One of the defining characteristics of attributive adjectives is their position in a sentence. They always appear directly before the noun they modify. This is in contrast to predicative adjectives, which come after the noun and a linking verb. Compare the following sentences:
– Attributive: She wore a beautiful dress.
– Predicative: The dress she wore was beautiful.
In the first sentence, “beautiful” is an attributive adjective because it precedes the noun “dress.” In the second sentence, “beautiful” is a predicative adjective because it follows the noun and the linking verb “was.”
Types of Attributive Adjectives
Attributive adjectives can be classified into several categories based on the type of information they provide. Here are some common categories:
1. **Descriptive Adjectives**: These adjectives describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun. Examples include “tall,” “bright,” and “soft.”
– Example: a tall building
2. **Quantitative Adjectives**: These adjectives indicate the quantity of the noun. Examples include “few,” “many,” and “several.”
– Example: many people
3. **Demonstrative Adjectives**: These adjectives point to specific nouns and include “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.”
– Example: this book
4. **Possessive Adjectives**: These adjectives indicate ownership and include “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their.”
– Example: her car
5. **Interrogative Adjectives**: These adjectives are used in questions and include “which” and “what.”
– Example: Which option is better?
6. **Distributive Adjectives**: These adjectives refer to individual members of a group and include “each,” “every,” “either,” and “neither.”
– Example: Each student received a book.
Order of Multiple Attributive Adjectives
When more than one attributive adjective is used to describe a noun, they typically follow a specific order. This order is not rigid but generally follows this sequence:
1. **Quantity**: one, two, many
2. **Quality**: beautiful, ugly, smart
3. **Size**: large, small, tall
4. **Age**: old, young, new
5. **Shape**: round, square, flat
6. **Color**: red, blue, green
7. **Origin**: American, Chinese, French
8. **Material**: wooden, metal, plastic
9. **Purpose**: sleeping (as in sleeping bag), cooking (as in cooking utensils)
For example:
– She has a beautiful small old round green French vase.
While this order may seem complex, it often comes naturally to native speakers. Non-native speakers can improve their fluency by practicing and familiarizing themselves with this sequence.
Examples of Attributive Adjectives in Sentences
Here are some examples of attributive adjectives used in various contexts:
1. **Descriptive**:
– The shiny car caught everyone’s attention.
– They adopted a playful kitten.
2. **Quantitative**:
– He has several friends in the city.
– She bought two dresses for the party.
3. **Demonstrative**:
– These apples are delicious.
– I don’t like that movie.
4. **Possessive**:
– My brother is a doctor.
– Their house is very spacious.
5. **Interrogative**:
– Which route should we take?
– What time is the meeting?
6. **Distributive**:
– Every child received a gift.
– Either option is acceptable.
Common Mistakes and Tips
Learning to use attributive adjectives correctly can be challenging, and language learners often make mistakes. Here are some common errors and tips to avoid them:
1. **Incorrect Order**: Placing adjectives in the wrong order can make sentences sound awkward or confusing.
– Incorrect: She has a red small car.
– Correct: She has a small red car.
2. **Overuse of Adjectives**: Using too many adjectives can make sentences cumbersome.
– Overuse: He wore a beautiful, elegant, stylish, and expensive suit.
– Improved: He wore a stylish and expensive suit.
3. **Inconsistent Agreement**: Ensure that adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in number and gender (where applicable).
– Incorrect: She bought two red dress.
– Correct: She bought two red dresses.
4. **Redundancy**: Avoid using redundant adjectives that repeat the same idea.
– Redundant: The big large house.
– Improved: The large house.
5. **Misplaced Adjectives**: Ensure adjectives are placed directly before the nouns they modify.
– Incorrect: He has a car red.
– Correct: He has a red car.
Practice Exercises
To reinforce your understanding of attributive adjectives, try the following practice exercises:
1. **Reorder the Adjectives**: Place the adjectives in the correct order.
– She has a (French, old, beautiful) vase.
– They adopted a (small, playful, black) kitten.
2. **Identify the Attributive Adjectives**: Underline the attributive adjectives in the following sentences.
– The shiny car caught everyone’s attention.
– He has several friends in the city.
– These apples are delicious.
3. **Correct the Errors**: Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.
– He wore a beautiful, elegant, stylish, and expensive suit.
– She bought two red dress.
– The big large house.
Advanced Considerations
For advanced language learners, there are additional considerations when using attributive adjectives.
Adjective Phrases and Clauses
Attributive adjectives can also be part of more complex adjective phrases or clauses. These phrases or clauses provide additional information about the noun but still function attributively.
– Adjective Phrase: The extremely tired man fell asleep quickly.
– “Extremely tired” is an adjective phrase modifying “man.”
– Adjective Clause: The man, who was extremely tired, fell asleep quickly.
– “Who was extremely tired” is an adjective clause modifying “man.”
Compound Adjectives
Compound adjectives are formed by combining two or more words to act as a single adjective. They are often hyphenated to avoid confusion.
– Example: He lives in a well-maintained house.
– “Well-maintained” is a compound adjective modifying “house.”
Adjectives with Prefixes and Suffixes
Adjectives can also be formed using prefixes and suffixes. Understanding these can help in expanding your vocabulary.
– Prefix Example: The unhappy child.
– “Unhappy” is an adjective formed with the prefix “un-“.
– Suffix Example: She wore a beautiful dress.
– “Beautiful” is an adjective formed with the suffix “-ful”.
Conclusion
The attributive use of adjectives is a fundamental aspect of English grammar that plays a crucial role in how we describe and understand nouns. By mastering the use of attributive adjectives, language learners can enhance their descriptive abilities, making their communication more precise and engaging. Remember to pay attention to the position of adjectives, the order when using multiple adjectives, and avoid common mistakes. With practice and attention to detail, you can effectively use attributive adjectives to enrich your English language skills.
