We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

Adjectives Introduction

Think you know your stuff? CLICK HERE to quiz yourself.

Shmoop is patient. Shmoop is kind.

Oops. Sorry. We meant love is patient and kind—guess we need to brush up on our Corinthians.

Do over. Ahem.

Shmoop is the best of times, Shmoop is the worst of times.

Oh. That's wrong for two reasons. (1) The quote from A Tale of Two Cities refers to "it" instead of "Shmoop" (and totally comma splices it); and (2) Shmoop is the best of times… period.

But these missteps in the wild world of quoting lead us to our grammar topic du jour: adjectives. Yup: like best, worst, patient, and kind.

Adjectives are words that modify nouns and pronouns by identifying, describing, quantifying, or limiting them.

Adjectives answer the following questions:

  • Which one?
  • How many?
  • What kind?

Adjectives come in three different forms: positive, comparative, and superlative; and two primary types: descriptive and limiting.

Continue on your way through this adjective extravaganza to satisfy your curious, inquisitive, and beautiful mind with more fascinating, revelatory, and useful information. (See what we did there?)

Quiz Yourself on Adjectives

1/5

Which of these sentences is grammatically incorrect?

(A) I wish we'd spent less money on the catering for our wedding reception.
(B) Maybe if we had, they would have provided more filet mignon and less calamari platters.
(C) In that case, fewer guests would have come down with food poisoning.
(D) They could have spent more time on the dance floor and less in the bathroom.

Fill in the blanks:


As I was unpacking the contents of my office, I began to wish that I had ________ craft supplies. That way, I could spend _________ time organizing colored pencils by shade, and more time making my highly renowned Mardi Gras masks.


(A) less, less
(B) fewer, less
(C) less, fewer
(D) fewer, fewer

You know that your grandpa has been feeling lonely ever since he moved to Chakwaktolik, Alaska all by his lonesome, so you decide to write him a nice email. Among all the updates on your life, you accidentally include a grammatical error. Gasp! What was it?

(A) Your plants are thriving in this month-long stint of beautiful weather we're having.
(B) You're the best grandpa ever!
(C) I wear your fuzzy sweater sometimes.
(D) You're face looks quite frightening in this photo of you running away from the moose.

Which sentence uses the word its incorrectly?

(A) The puppy in the pet store window had no idea that its tail was not an outrageously entertaining toy.
(B) After two years of ruling the pond, the duck was not going to let the goose take over its territory.
(C) The cat's purr is so sweet that you almost forget about the fact that its a seriously dangerous animal.
(D) I was mad at the hamster for biting my finger, so I took revenge by stealing its running wheel.

Fill in the blanks:


_______ going to have to stop comparing yourself to _______ sister if you ever want to feel confident about your singing. _______ two different people: ________ tone deaf and she's not.


(A) you're, you're, you're, you're
(B) you're, your, you're, you're
(C) your, your, you're, your
(D) you're, you're, your, your

Here are your results. Want to give it another go?
Click TRY AGAIN for a new quiz. Or click NEXT to get to studying.

0/5
Next Try Again

Tired of ads?

Join today and never see them again.
Get Started
Blog Support