Limiting Adjectives Meaning, Types and Exercises

Want to explore all the ideals to become a grammar nazi? Well, who doesn’t?  When we talk about adjectives, there are many types which one needs to understand to become an expert in English Grammar. Adjectives are one of the most crucial parts of the English language.

Now when we talk about limiting adjectives, they are the types of adjectives that modify a noun or pronoun by restricting rather than describing the qualities of the it.  To learn more about the limiting adjective’s meaning, examples and their types, continue reading the blog article below. 

What are Limiting Adjectives?

A limiting adjective is used to modify a noun or pronoun by restricting it rather than describing its traits or qualities. They are used to restrict a noun and pronoun rather than describe anything about it. For example,

“I have a new car”

The adjective “a” is a limiting adjective in the sentence. It is used to restrict the noun “car” by indicating that the speaker is referring to a single car. It does not provide any descriptive information about the card, such as its size, color, model etc. 

The unique quality of limiting adjectives is that they lack description. It restricts nouns and pronouns by singling it out without describing them or mentioning any of their qualities. 

Also Read: Want to improve your English? You should definitely read these Best English Grammar Books.

Complete List of Adjectives From A-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

Types of Limiting Adjectives

Compared to descriptive adjectives, limiting adjectives are significantly less common. A limiting adjective is generally defined as any adjective that does not describe a noun or pronoun, according to the majority of style guides and grammar websites. Adjectives of several kinds are frequently regarded as limiting adjectives.

Types of Limiting Adjectives	Meaning	Examples
Demonstrative Adjectives	Used to describe nouns or pronouns.	This, that, these, those
Interrogative Adjectives	Used to limit a noun by asking questions.	Who, whose, what
Quantifying Adjectives	Used to limit nouns and pronouns by grouping them together or describing the quantity of something.	Many, some, few, couple
Possessive Adjectives	Used to describe ownership of something and doesnt actually describe the quality of a noun or pronoun.	My, your, his, her, its

Also Read: Abstract Nouns: Definition, Examples and Usage

Where Do You Include a Limiting Adjective?

Limiting adjectives are placed typically before nouns or pronouns they modify. A few examples of limiting adjectives are listed below: 

• The big dog barked.
• This is my favourite book.
• Several students raised their hands.
• All of the food was delicious.
• Whose car is parked in front of the house?

Limiting adjectives are also used in phrases and clauses. Check the examples below: 

• The woman with the red hat is my mother.
• The apartment where I grew up is still standing.
• The students who are taking English classes are sitting in the back row.

Moreover, limiting adjectives come before descriptive adjectives. Refer to the examples below: 

• The big, red dog barked.
• This old, comfortable chair is my favourite.
• Several intelligent, talented students raised their hands.

Exceptions for Limiting Adjectives

As discussed above, limiting adjectives are typically placed before the noun or pronoun they modify. However, there are some exceptions to it.  For example, possessive adjectives are typically used before articles. For example:

• My new car is in the lane. 
• Your purse is unique. 
• Ordinal objectives are typically used before articles. Such as, 
• The first prize is the new bike. 
• The second prize is a ticket to Switzerland. 

Also Read: History of English Literature

Limiting Adjective Rules and Best Practices

Using limiting adjectives well strengthens clarity and specificity, making sentences more precise and easy to understand. These adjectives focus on quantity, possession, or particular characteristics, unlike descriptive adjectives, which describe qualities like colour or size. Here are the main rules and best practices for using limiting adjectives effectively:

Categories of Limiting Adjectives

Limiting adjectives include several types that each play a specific role in modifying nouns:

• Articles: “a,” “an,” and “the” are articles that help determine whether a noun is specific or general.
  • Example: “The book on the shelf” vs. “A book on the shelf.”
• Possessive Adjectives: “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their” specify ownership.
  • Example: “Their house” vs. “Our garden.”
• Demonstrative Adjectives: “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” point out specific nouns.
  • Example: “This car is new” vs. “That car is old.”
• Indefinite Adjectives: “some,” “few,” “many,” “several,” “all,” etc., express non-specific amounts or quantities.
  • Example: “Many people” vs. “Few options.”
• Interrogative Adjectives: “which,” “what,” and “whose” are used in questions.
  • Example: “Which option is better?” vs. “Whose car is parked outside?”
• Numerical Adjectives: “one,” “two,” “three,” etc., provide an exact count.
  • Example: “Three apples” vs. “One friend.”

Order and Placement of Limiting Adjectives

Limiting adjectives generally precede descriptive adjectives and always appear directly before the noun they modify. Here’s the order in a sentence structure:

• Example: “Those three beautiful paintings are priceless.”
  • “Those” (demonstrative) and “three” (numerical) come before “beautiful” (descriptive).

Rules for Choosing the Correct Article

• “A” or “An”: Use “a” before consonant sounds and “an” before vowel sounds.
  • Example: “A cat” vs. “An umbrella.”
• “The”: Use for specific or known nouns. It is often used when both the speaker and listener know the noun in question.
  • Example: “The sun” (known entity) vs. “a book” (general).

Rules for Demonstrative Adjectives

• Proximity: Use “this” and “these” for objects nearby, and “that” and “those” for those farther away.
  • Example: “This dress” (close) vs. “That dress” (farther away).
• Singular vs. Plural: “This” and “that” are singular; “these” and “those” are plural.
  • Example: “This car” (singular) vs. “These cars” (plural).

Consistency with Numerical Adjectives

• Agreement in Number: Numerical adjectives must match the noun’s number.
  • Example: “Two cats” (plural noun for two).
• Using Fractions and Decimals: Use numerical adjectives with singular nouns for fractional amounts.
  • Example: “One-half mile” or “1.5 litres.”

Avoid Redundancy

Limiting adjectives don’t need duplication. Avoid using two adjectives that convey the same information, especially in quantity.

• Example: “Some few options” should be “A few options.”

Emphasis on Clear Context

Choose limiting adjectives to clarify meaning, especially in complex sentences. For example, avoid ambiguity by clearly pairing possessive or demonstrative adjectives with specific nouns to prevent confusion.

• Example: Instead of “Her bag and her phone are missing,” you can clarify with “Her bag is here, but her phone is missing.”

Exercises for Limiting Adjectives

Here are some exercises for limiting adjectives:

Exercise 1

Identify the limiting adjectives in the following sentences:

1. I have a new car.
2. This is my favourite book.
3. Several students raised their hands.
4. All of the food was delicious.
5. Whose car is parked in front of the house?

Answers

1. a
2. this, my
3. several
4. all of
5. whose

Exercise 2

Add limiting adjectives to the following sentences to make them more specific:

• I saw a dog.
• I ate some food.
• I bought a book.
• I visited a place.
• I met a person.

Answers

1. I saw a big, brown dog.
2. I ate some delicious, Italian food.
3. I bought a new, mystery book.
4. I visited a beautiful, historic place.
5. I met a friendly, intelligent person.

Explore more exciting reads below:

More from Idioms	More from Synonyms	More from Antonyms
Idioms to Express Sadness	Synonyms of Ephemeral	Antonyms of Misogyny
Idioms to Express Surprise	Synonyms of Welcome	Antonyms of Brave
Idioms to Express Friendship	Synonyms of Cry	Antonyms of Selfish
Idioms to Express Excitement	Synonyms of Huge	Antonyms of Victim
No Pain No Gain Meaning	Synonyms of Jovial	Antonyms of Lazy

FAQs

Types of Adjectives
Predicate adjectives	Limiting adjectives
Comparative adjectives	Proper adjectives
Superlative adjectives	Participial adjectives
Compound adjectives	Interrogative adjectives
Distributive adjectives	Descriptive adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives	Numerical Adjectives
Attributive adjectives	Article Adjectives
Possessive adjectives

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