Adjectives- used to describe a noun or pronoun or to give a noun or pronoun a more specific meaning.
The process by which an adjective describes a word or makes it more specific is called modification.
An adjective usually comes before the word it modifies. It may, however, come after the noun.
To modify means to change slightly. An adjective modifies meaning by answering any of four questions about a noun or pronoun. What kind? Which one? How much? How many?
EXAMPLES:
What kind? red boat, sick passenger, silver jewelry, cool water
Which one? third chance, this train, any piece, those apples
How many? three cars, both answers, several reasons, few letters
How much? enough space, no rain, more energy, little effort
Before the noun/pronoun: The sick child lay in bed. Sick in bed, he was very bored.
After the noun/pronoun: The child, sick with fever, lay in the bed. She was sick for a week.
Part I- Identifying Adjectives and the Words They Modify.
Identify each adjective in the following sentences. Then identify the word each adjective modifies and the question that it answers. refer to the examples above. There may be more than one in a sentence.
sample: The sick child lay in bed. = sick modifies child, what kind?
1. Small work boats were sailed extensively for pleasure in early colonial times.
2. The first pleasure schooner was built in 1816.
3. It was built specifically as a large, luxurious yacht.
4. American yacht clubs started around the 1840's.
5. Six members of the New York Yacht Club financed America's first racing yacht.
Part II- Articles
Key concept: the definite article, the indicates that the noun it modifies refers to a specific person, place or thing. The indefinite articles, a and an, indicate that the nouns they modify refer to any one of a class of people, places, or things. Use "a" before a consonant and "an" before a vowel.
Definite: The catcher wore the face mask.
Indefinite: Give me an essay that you think I would enjoy.
Rewrite the following sentences using the appropriate articles. At the end of the sentence indicate if you used definite or indefinite.
1. ______________ first passenger train cars were 15 feet long and 17 feet wide.
2. They were built like _____________ stagecoach with railroad wheels.
3. Later, six wheels were placed on ________ passenger cars.
4. Today, there are ____________ variety of passenger cars.
5. ___________ typical passenger car has _____________ aisle with seats on either side.
The process by which an adjective describes a word or makes it more specific is called modification.
An adjective usually comes before the word it modifies. It may, however, come after the noun.
To modify means to change slightly. An adjective modifies meaning by answering any of four questions about a noun or pronoun. What kind? Which one? How much? How many?
EXAMPLES:
What kind? red boat, sick passenger, silver jewelry, cool water
Which one? third chance, this train, any piece, those apples
How many? three cars, both answers, several reasons, few letters
How much? enough space, no rain, more energy, little effort
Before the noun/pronoun: The sick child lay in bed. Sick in bed, he was very bored.
After the noun/pronoun: The child, sick with fever, lay in the bed. She was sick for a week.
Part I- Identifying Adjectives and the Words They Modify.
Identify each adjective in the following sentences. Then identify the word each adjective modifies and the question that it answers. refer to the examples above. There may be more than one in a sentence.
sample: The sick child lay in bed. = sick modifies child, what kind?
1. Small work boats were sailed extensively for pleasure in early colonial times.
2. The first pleasure schooner was built in 1816.
3. It was built specifically as a large, luxurious yacht.
4. American yacht clubs started around the 1840's.
5. Six members of the New York Yacht Club financed America's first racing yacht.
Part II- Articles
Key concept: the definite article, the indicates that the noun it modifies refers to a specific person, place or thing. The indefinite articles, a and an, indicate that the nouns they modify refer to any one of a class of people, places, or things. Use "a" before a consonant and "an" before a vowel.
Definite: The catcher wore the face mask.
Indefinite: Give me an essay that you think I would enjoy.
Rewrite the following sentences using the appropriate articles. At the end of the sentence indicate if you used definite or indefinite.
1. ______________ first passenger train cars were 15 feet long and 17 feet wide.
2. They were built like _____________ stagecoach with railroad wheels.
3. Later, six wheels were placed on ________ passenger cars.
4. Today, there are ____________ variety of passenger cars.
5. ___________ typical passenger car has _____________ aisle with seats on either side.