Descriptive Adjectives: Definition, Types, Examples and Exercises

Descriptive adjectives add color and detail to writing, making it clearer and more engaging. They allow us to specify qualities, quantities, and characteristics of nouns, giving readers a vivid picture without using too many words. In this reference, you’ll learn about the definition, different types, examples, and a comprehensive list.

What Are Descriptive Adjectives? – Created by Englishstudyonline

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What Are Descriptive Adjectives?

Descriptive adjectives are words that describe the characteristics and traits of nouns or pronouns. They add details such as color, size, and emotion, making sentences richer and more informative.

Definition of Descriptive Adjectives

Descriptive adjectives modify nouns and pronouns by providing specific information about their qualities. For example, in the phrase “blue sky”, “blue” is a descriptive adjective that tells us the color of the sky.

They can describe color (red shirt), size (large house), shape (round table), and other qualities (happy child). These adjectives help paint a clearer picture in the reader’s mind, making the text more engaging.

Often, they answer questions like “What kind?”, “Which one?”, or “How many?” This makes descriptive adjectives essential tools in writing for clarity and detail.

Examples of Descriptive Adjectives Used in Sentences

Tiny: The tiny kitten could barely be seen in the large box.
Ancient: The ancient ruins spoke volumes of the city’s glorious past.
Glistening: The glistening dewdrops made the morning flowers look enchanting.
Thunderous: The thunderous applause filled the entire auditorium.
Velvety: She wore a velvety scarf that felt soft against her skin.
Sizzling: They could hear the sizzling sound of meat on the grill from the backyard.
Crisp: The crisp autumn air refreshed everyone at the park.
Gloomy: The gloomy weather made everyone feel a bit melancholic.
Vibrant: Her vibrant personality lit up the room wherever she went.
Brittle: The brittle branches snapped easily under the weight of the snow.
Dilapidated: The dilapidated building was in urgent need of repair.
Opulent: The opulent furnishings in the mansion were truly a sight to behold.

Types of Descriptive Adjectives

Descriptive adjectives help provide more details about nouns. These can include qualities, quantities, and relationships.

Qualitative Adjectives

Qualitative adjectives describe the quality or characteristic of a noun. They give more insight into its appearance, condition, or other attributes. For example, in the phrase “the blue sky,” the adjective “blue” gives more information about the sky. Similarly, “smart students” uses “smart” to describe the type of students. These adjectives often answer questions like “What kind of?” or “Which one?”

Examples include colors (red, blue), sizes (big, small), and shapes (round, square).

The beautiful garden
An old house
The noisy crowd

Quantitative Adjectives

Quantitative adjectives tell you about the quantity of the noun without providing a specific number. They answer questions like “How many?” and “How much?” These adjectives are useful in giving a sense of the number or amount of something. Words like “some,” “many,” “few,” and “several” fall into this category.

For instance, in “several books,” the word “several” gives a sense of quantity without specifying a number.

Examples of quantitative adjectives:

Many students
Few options
Several issues

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives point out specific nouns and answer the question “Which one?” These adjectives are “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” They help to indicate the location or position of the noun relative to the speaker. For instance, in “this car,” the word “this” shows that the car is near the speaker.

Examples:

This book (close to the speaker)
That apple (far from the speaker)
These cookies (more than one, close)
Those cats (more than one, far)

Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives show ownership or belonging. They answer the question “Whose?” These adjectives include “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their.” In the phrase “her bag,” “her” indicates that the bag belongs to a female.

Examples:

My house
Your car
Their company

Adjective Placement and Order

Adjective placement and order in English follow specific rules that ensure sentences are clear and natural. Proper order and agreement between adjectives and nouns are key to effective communication.

Order of Adjectives in a Sentence

The order of adjectives in English is crucial for clarity. They generally follow a pattern known as the “Royal Order of Adjectives.” This order is:

Determiner: Words like a, the, my, and some.
Quantity: Numbers or amounts like two or several.
Opinion: Descriptive words like beautiful or boring.
Size: Words indicating size like small or large.
Age: Words like old or new.
Shape: Terms like round or square.
Color: Words like red or blue.
Origin: Descriptions like French or American.
Material: Terms like wooden or metal.
Purpose: Words like sleeping (as in sleeping bag).

Following this order helps make sentences sound natural and logical.

Adjective-Noun Agreement

Adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe in number and specificity. In English, adjectives do not change form based on the noun. For example, happy remains happy whether describing a girl or girls.

Another important aspect is ensuring that adjectives fit semantically. A word like huge would typically not describe something small like a pin. The context must always align with the descriptions. For example, one might say, “the round, red balloon,” aligning the adjectives with the noun naturally.

List of Descriptive Adjectives

There are some popular descriptive adjectives in the table below.

Abactinal	Abaxial	Abhorrent
Abandoned	Abbatial	Abiding
Abashed	Abbreviated	Abient
Abatable	Abducent	Abundant
Abatic	Abducting	Accurate
Aberrant	Abeyant	Addicted
Alive	Aloof	Ambitious
Ancient	Angry	Animated
Annoying	Anxious	Arrogant
Ashamed	Ashy	Attractive
Auspicious	Awesome	Awful
Bad	Bald	Barren
Barricaded	Barytic	Basal
Basaltic	Baseborn	Based
Baseless	Bashful	Beautiful
Belligerent	Beneficial	Best
Better	Big	Bitter
Bizarre	Black	Blue
Boring	Brainy	Bright
Broad	Broken	Busy
Careful	Chubby	Clean
Clever	Confused	Crowded
Cruel	Curious	Curly
Dazzling	Dead	Drab
Drafty	Dramatic	Dreary
Droopy	Dry	Dual
Dull	Dutiful	Easy
Elegant	Every	Evil
Exalted	Excellent	Excitable
Excited	Exciting	Exemplary
Exhausted	Exotic	Expensive
Experienced	Expert	Extra-Large
Famous	Fancy	Fit
Flabby	Flat	Flawed
Flawless	Flickering	Flimsy
Flippant	Flowery	Fluffy
Fluid	Flustered	Focused
Fond	Foolhardy	Foolish
Gifted	Glamorous	Gorgeous
Gray	Green	Hallowed
Handsome	Hearty	Heavenly
Helpful	Icy	Important
Impossible	Impractical	Impressionable
Impressive	Improbable	Impure
Inborn	Inexpensive	Lemon
Long	Magnificent	Mango
Mealy	Muscular	Mushy
Odd	Orange	Plain
Plump	Poor	Powerful
Purple	Quaint	Red
Rich	Salmon	Scruffy
Shapely	Short	Shy
Skinny	Stocky	Tender
Ugly	Unimportant	Uninterested
Unkempt	Unsightly	Vast
White	Wrong	Yellow

Practical Exercises of Descriptive Adjectives

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences by choosing the correct descriptive adjectives from the list: fragrant, colossal, icy, muted, serene.

The ________ lake reflected the clear blue sky.
She walked carefully on the ________ pavement.
We entered a ________ room filled with old photographs.
The ________ flowers in the garden filled the air with a sweet scent.
They stared in awe at the ________ statue towering over the city plaza.

Answers to Exercise 1:

serene
icy
muted
fragrant
colossal

Exercise 2: Match the Adjectives to the Nouns

Match the descriptive adjectives on the left with the appropriate nouns on the right. Some adjectives may seem suitable for more than one noun, but choose the best match based on common usage.