Types of Words

Adjectives are words that describe nouns. An adjective makes a noun more specific by providing information about its qualities or characteristics. Adjectives typically describe quantity, degree, size, age, shape, colour, etc.

In English, we can pile these words up in front of the noun they describe.

e.g. big ugly brown couch

e.g. adorable little teacup pig

Weirdly enough, adjectives sometimes act like nouns.

e.g. cutbacks to social services will affect the poor

e.g. the dead are always with us

Nouns can sometimes act like adjectives, too.

e.g. vegetable garden

e.g. birthday cake