ADJECTIVES
Adjectives are adjectives that modify nouns. They are often referred to as "describing words" because they provide additional information about a noun, such as how it looks (the white horse), how many there are (the three boys), or which one it is (the last house). Verbs and other adjectives are not modified by adjectives.
Adjectives are usually easy to spot in a sentence because they come right before the nouns they modify.
The antique clock hung on the wall.
The lush, green grass was being galloped by a white horse.
Have you met our three lovely boys?
Our house is the last on the street.
In these sentences, the adjectives old, white, lush, green, three, handsome, and last provide a more detailed description of the nouns they modify. An adjective could provide an answer to the mental question, "What kind is it?" "How many are there?" (as with an old clock, a white horse, lush grass, green grass, or handsome boys). (as in the case of the three boys) or "Which one is it?" (as with the last house).
Descriptive Adjectives
Descriptive adjectives are those that answer the first question. Those that respond to the other two questions are limiting adjectives, which limit or quantify a noun rather than describing it.
Every year, the five ladies travel to Las Vegas.
Those flowers must be placed on that table.
She gave her mother the best piece.
The limiting adjectives five (how many ladies? ), every (which year/s? ), those (which flowers? ), that (which table? ), best (which piece?) and her (whose mother?) are used in the examples above. Technically, both the definite article (the) and the indefinite article (a/an) serve as limiting adjectives.
Predicate Adjectives
Although many adjectives, as in the examples above, come before the nouns they modify, those used in sentences or clauses with linking verbs come after the nouns they modify. To be is the most common linking verb; others include sense verbs such as appear, seem, look, smell, sound, and taste.
Cynthia is exhausted.
Those muffins look fantastic.
The sunrise appeared to be golden.
Do you believe this spaghetti sauce is spicy?
Adjectives such as tired, delicious, golden, and spicy all follow the nouns they modify when using linking verbs (Cynthia, muffins, sunrise, spaghetti sauce).
