Chapter 3 · English Grammar
Adjectives
What you will be able to do
- Identify adjectives and the nouns they describe
- Name the main kinds of adjectives (descriptive, quantitative, demonstrative, etc.)
- Use adjectives in attributive and predicative positions
- Form the three degrees of comparison correctly
- Avoid double comparatives like 'more taller'
1 Quick Introduction
English
An adjective describes or adds information to a noun or pronoun. It tells us what kind, how many, which one, or whose. In "a tall boy with two bags," both tall and two are adjectives.
हिन्दी
विशेषण (Adjective) किसी संज्ञा या सर्वनाम की विशेषता बताता है। यह बताता है कि वस्तु कैसी है, कितनी है, कौन-सी है या किसकी है। "a tall boy with two bags" में tall और two दोनों विशेषण हैं।
2 A Real-Life Situation
Imagine this
At the market your friend asks:
Friend: Which shirt did you buy?
You: The blue, cotton one — it was cheaper than the red one.
Why this form? Words like blue, cotton, red describe the shirt (descriptive adjectives), and cheaper compares two shirts — that comparing form is a 'degree of comparison', the heart of this chapter.
3 The Grammar Rule
Rule & Formula
| Degree | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | one thing | tall, beautiful, good |
| Comparative | two things | taller, more beautiful, better |
| Superlative | three or more | tallest, most beautiful, best |
Comparative uses -er / more … than · Superlative uses -est / most … (the)
Ravi is taller than Sam, but Amit is the tallest of all.
4 Kinds of Adjectives & Position
Adjectives do different jobs:
| Kind | Tells us | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive (Quality) | what kind | a brave soldier |
| Quantitative | how much | some water |
| Numeral | how many / order | three boys, the first day |
| Demonstrative | which one | this book, those cars |
| Possessive | whose | my pen |
| Interrogative | asks about a noun | which road? |
Position: an adjective is attributive before the noun (a beautiful garden) or predicative after a linking verb (the garden is beautiful).
1
Worked Example
Name the kind: those buildings
Solution
Demonstrative adjective — 'those' points out which buildings.
2
Worked Example
Is the adjective attributive or predicative? The soup smells delicious.
Solution
Predicative — 'delicious' comes after the linking verb 'smells'.
Key Points
- Adjectives tell what kind, how many, which one, or whose
- Attributive = before the noun; predicative = after a linking verb
- Demonstratives (this/that/these/those) also act as adjectives before a noun
5 Degrees of Comparison
Adjectives change form to compare. There are three degrees: positive (one), comparative (two), superlative (three or more).
- Short adjectives (1 syllable): add -er / -est — tall, taller, tallest.
- Spelling: big→bigger; happy→happier (y→i); late→latest (drop e).
- Long adjectives (2+ syllables): use more / most — beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful.
- Irregular: good→better→best; bad→worse→worst; many/much→more→most.
Use than with comparatives and the with superlatives: She is wiser than her brother; she is the wisest in class.
1
Worked Example
Comparative and superlative of 'easy'?
Solution
easier, easiest — consonant + y changes to i before -er/-est.
2
Worked Example
Complete: This is the ___ (good) film I have seen.
Solution
best — 'good' is irregular: good→better→best.
Key Points
- Positive (1), comparative (2, with than), superlative (3+, with the)
- Short adjectives add -er/-est; long ones use more/most
- Irregulars: good/better/best, bad/worse/worst
6 Vocabulary Builder
| Word | Meaning | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | telling what kind | गुणवाचक |
| Comparative | comparing two things | तुलनात्मक |
| Superlative | highest degree | उत्तमावस्था |
| Attributive | placed before the noun | संज्ञा से पहले |
| Syllable | a unit of sound in a word | अक्षर/मात्रा |
✎ Vocabulary Quick Test0 / 1
Q.The superlative degree is used when we compare:
Explanation: Superlatives (tallest, best) compare three or more, and usually take 'the'.
7 Common Mistakes to Avoid
✗ IncorrectShe is more taller than me.
✓ CorrectShe is taller than me.
Never use 'more' with an -er comparative — that's a double comparative.
✗ IncorrectHe is the most cleverest boy.
✓ CorrectHe is the cleverest boy.
Don't combine 'most' with an -est superlative.
✗ IncorrectThis is gooder than that.
✓ CorrectThis is better than that.
'good' is irregular: good/better/best.
✗ IncorrectMango is the more sweet of all fruits.
✓ CorrectMango is the sweetest of all fruits.
Comparing all fruits needs the superlative.
8 Practice Exercises
Fill in the BlanksLevel 1
Write the comparative form.
- tall →
- big →
- happy →
- beautiful →
- bad →
Answer Key
- taller
- bigger
- happier
- more beautiful
- worse
Fill in the BlanksLevel 2
Complete with the correct degree of the adjective in brackets.
- Today is ______ than yesterday. (hot)
- This is the ______ book in the library. (interesting)
- He runs ______ than his brother. (fast)
- She is the ______ student in class. (good)
- Health is ______ than wealth. (important)
Answer Key
- hotter
- most interesting
- faster
- best
- more important
Error Detection
- He is more stronger than Ravi.
- This is the most easiest sum.
- Mumbai is more bigger than Pune.
- She is gooder at maths.
Answer Key
- He is stronger than Ravi. (error: more stronger)
- This is the easiest sum. (error: most easiest)
- Mumbai is bigger than Pune. (error: more bigger)
- She is better at maths. (error: gooder)
Sentence Correction
- This bag is more cheaper.
- He is the most tallest boy.
- Iron is more useful metal than any.
Answer Key
- This bag is cheaper.
- He is the tallest boy.
- Iron is more useful than any other metal.
Rearrange the Words
- tallest / the / he / class / in / is
- than / sweeter / honey / sugar / is
- beautiful / a / very / garden / it / is
Answer Key
- He is the tallest in the class.
- Honey is sweeter than sugar.
- It is a very beautiful garden.
Match the Following
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. good | a. happier / happiest |
| 2. bad | b. more / most beautiful |
| 3. happy | c. better / best |
| 4. beautiful | d. worse / worst |
Answer Key
good → better / bestbad → worse / worsthappy → happier / happiestbeautiful → more / most beautiful
9 Micro Quiz
✎ Quick Check — 5 questions0 / 5
Q1.Comparative of 'happy':
Explanation: Consonant + y → i, then add -er: happier.
Q2.Choose the correct sentence.
Explanation: 'taller' alone is the comparative; 'more taller' is wrong.
Q3.Superlative of 'bad':
Explanation: 'bad' is irregular: bad/worse/worst.
Q4.Which is a demonstrative adjective?
Explanation: 'those' points out which nouns — a demonstrative adjective.
Q5.'The garden is green.' The adjective 'green' is:
Explanation: It follows the linking verb 'is', so it is predicative.
10 Reading Practice
The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world. They are taller than the Alps and far colder in winter. A brave team of climbers reached the snowy peak after a long, difficult journey. Their best moment came when they raised a small flag at the top.
Comprehension Questions
- Find a superlative adjective in the passage.
- Find a comparative adjective.
- Name two descriptive adjectives describing the journey.
Answer Key
- highest (also 'best') — the superlative compares all mountains.
- taller (or colder) — it compares the Himalayas with the Alps.
- long and difficult.
11 Speaking, Writing & Daily Use
Say these aloud
- This is a beautiful painting.
- He is taller than his sister.
- Mathematics is the most useful subject for me.
- Those mangoes are sweeter than these.
- It was the best day of my life.
Write five sentences comparing two friends or two cities, using comparative and superlative adjectives.
Example: Delhi is bigger than Jaipur, but Jaipur is the cleanest city I know.
12 Challenge Zone
🔥 Higher-Level Questions — 30 / 3
Q1.Choose the correct sentence.
Explanation: Comparing one thing with the rest of its group needs 'any other'.
Q2.Identify the error: 'She is the most cleverest girl in school.'
Explanation: Don't combine 'most' with an -est superlative.
Q3.Transform to positive degree: 'Gold is more precious than silver.'
Explanation: A comparative becomes 'not as … as' in the positive degree.
13 Chapter Mind Map
ADJECTIVES
|
+------------+------------+
| | |
KINDS POSITION DEGREES
quality attributive positive
quantity (before) compar.-er
numeral predicative super. -est
demonstr. (after verb) more/most
possess. irregular14 One-Minute Revision
Remember these
- An adjective describes a noun or pronoun
- Kinds: descriptive, quantitative, numeral, demonstrative, possessive, interrogative
- Attributive (before noun) vs predicative (after linking verb)
- Degrees: positive, comparative (-er/more … than), superlative (-est/most … the)
- Never use double forms like 'more taller' or 'most cleverest'