Attributive Adjective: Meaning and Examples 

Attributive Adjective is a crucial part of the English Language. The main purpose of the adjective is to modify a noun and this can be done either by adding noun before or after the sentence. When we talk about attributive adjectives, they are typically placed directly before their antecedents. To learn more about attributive adjectives, with their types and examples, continue reading the blog article below. 

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What are Attributive Adjectives? – Meaning and Definition

An adjective that immediately follows the noun or pronoun and modifies it, is called an attributive adjective. Moreover, a linking verb does not divide an attributive adjective from a noun. 

Attributive adjectives provide more information about the noun they modify, making the sentence more descriptive and informative.

For example: “The red car is parked in the driveway.”

The adjective “red” is used to modify the noun “car.” This explains to us, that the car is red. 

Also Read: Abstract Nouns: Definition, Examples and Usage

Where do You Include an Attributive Adjective in a Sentence?

An attributive adjective typically appears before the noun it modifies in a sentence. This adjective provides descriptive detail about the noun directly within the noun phrase. For example:

• In “a red apple,” the word red is an attributive adjective describing apple.

However, in some cases, an attributive adjective can appear after the noun if the sentence structure calls for it, especially when separated by commas or in certain poetic forms:

• “The flowers, beautiful and vibrant, swayed in the wind.”

In standard English syntax, placing attributive adjectives before nouns is the most common practice.

Examples of Attributive Adjectives

Here are some examples of attributive adjectives in sentences:

• The big house is on the corner.
• The delicious cake was eaten by everyone.
• The intelligent student got top marks on the test.
• The friendly dog wagged its tail.
• The beautiful flowers bloomed in the spring.
• The fast car sped down the highway.
• The cold wind blew through my hair.
• The dark night made it difficult to see.
• The quiet library was a perfect place to study.
• The busy street was full of people and cars.
• The interesting book kept me up all night.
• The challenging hike made my legs ache.

Attributive Adjective Rules

Attributive adjectives follow a few core rules that help maintain sentence clarity and flow. Here are the main guidelines to understand how to use them effectively:

1. Placement Before the Noun

Attributive adjectives usually come right before the noun they modify. This placement directly associates the adjective with the noun, making it clear what’s being described.

Example: “a red apple,” “a noisy street.”

2. Order of Multiple Adjectives

When using multiple adjectives, there’s a specific order they typically follow: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and purpose.

Example: “a beautiful (opinion), large (size), ancient (age), round (shape), blue (colour) vase.” While native speakers may intuitively follow this order, it helps in avoiding awkward phrases like “a wooden big old desk.”

3. Non-Gradable vs. Gradable Adjectives

• Non-gradable adjectives (like “unique,” “perfect”) usually can’t be combined with “very” or “more” and express an absolute quality.
• Gradable adjectives (like “happy,” “sad”) can vary in degree, so we can use “very,” “extremely,” or “quite” before them. Attributive adjectives often work well when they’re gradable, as they give nuanced detail, but non-gradable ones are also common.

4. Not Used with Certain Adjectives

Some adjectives don’t typically appear attributively, especially those referring to states or characteristics that are naturally inherent to the noun, like “asleep,” “alone,” or “afraid.”

Correct Usage: “The child is asleep.” (not “asleep child”)

5. Certain Adjectives Change Meaning

Some adjectives have different meanings based on whether they’re used attributively or predicatively (with linking verbs like is,was):

Example: “Poor woman” (attributive: she’s unfortunate) vs. “The woman is poor” (predicative: lacking money).

6. Poetic or Emphatic Use (After the Noun)

Attributive adjectives can sometimes appear after the noun for emphasis or poetic effect, separated by a comma or phrase.

Example: “The flowers, bright and fragrant, filled the room with joy.”

Also Read: History of English Literature

Attributive Adjectives Exercises

Identify the attributive adjectives in the following sentences:

1. The big red ball rolled down the hill.
2. The old wooden house was creaky and drafty.
3. The delicious chocolate cake melted in my mouth.
4. The intelligent young girl solved the puzzle in minutes.
5. The friendly black dog wagged its tail and barked happily.

Answers

• big, red
• old, wooden
• delicious, chocolate
• intelligent, young
• friendly, black

Attributive vs Predicative Adjectives

Attributive vs Predicative adjectives are two different types of adjectives that are used in English Grammar. However, there is a slight difference between the two. The attributive adjectives are used before nouns and pronouns. Whereas, predicate adjectives come right after the noun or pronoun and are linked by the interlinking verb. Have a look at the table given below for a clear and concise description. 

Details	Attributive Adjectives	Predicative Adjectives
Position	Used before noun or pronoun modifies it.	Used after noun and pronoun modifies it
Linking Verb	No	Yes
Example	The old man was sitting on the bench.	The man is old.

Check Out the Complete List of Adjectives from A to Z

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

FAQs

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