Adjectives

Question

Hello - I just finished an exercise that calls for identifying words functioningas adjectives in sentences. I think I found all of them but if someone could look these over and let me know if I missed any, or made mistakes on any, please let me know! Thank you!

(I bolded all the words I believe to be the adjectives.)

1. Most investors believe that this venture will be profitable.
2. Their recommendation was based on Mr. Bradley’s analysis of our market.
3. The prospects for a merger of the two companies seemed excellent.
4. Each teacher nominated one student for the award.
5. The students have not yet completed their tests.
6. Many managers have recommended changes in that policy.
7. A one-month training program produced a large increase in productivity.
8. He bought a ticket an hour before the show.
9. Within a year after the incident, they suffered another loss.
10. Did Mrs. Hampton say what graphics she wants added to this report?
11. He inquired about which dates would be most convenient.
12. Which model did he purchase from them?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

1. Most investors believe that this venture will be profitable. (That is a relative pronoun, not an adjective.)
2. Their recommendation was based on Mr. Bradley’s analysis of our market.
3. The prospects for a merger of the two companies seemed excellent.
4. Each teacher nominated one student for the award.
5. The students have not yet completed their tests.
6. Many managers have recommended changes in that policy.
7. A one-month training program produced a large increase in productivity.
8. He bought a ticket an hour before the show.
9. Within a year after the incident, they suffered another loss.
10. Did Mrs. Hampton say what graphics she wants added to this report?
11. He inquired about which dates would be most convenient.
12. Which model did he purchase from them?

Anonymous · Answer

Hi AS,

Are you quite sure that the "that" of yours in the "Most investors believe that this venture will be profitable. (That is a relative pronoun, not an adjective)" is a relative pronoun? I think it's a conjunction here.

Anonymous · Answer

OP here - The first sentence stumped me a little because my grammar book says that "this, that, these and those" can be used as adjectives, and that's why I selected "that." If you were to say, "Most investors believe that venture will be profitable," then yes, "that" would be considered an adjective. Why in this case would "that" not be considered an adjective?

Anon - after checking with a dictionary, you may be right about it being a conjunction. When it's used as a conjunction, it is "used to introduce a subordinate clause as the subject or object of the principal verb or as a necessary complement to the statement made, or a clause expressing cause, reason, purpose, aim, result or consequence, etc."

BillJ · Answer

Most of the words that you identified as adjectives are in fact something else. The majority are determiners, not adjectives (we stopped calling them adjectives many years ago):

determiners: most (in most investors), this, the, two, each, one, many, that (in that policy), a, an, another, which

pronouns: their and our

adverb: most (in most convenient)

subordinating conjunction: that in "...that this venture will be profitable"

noun: Mr Bradley

BillJ

Anonymous · Answer

OP here - then is my grammar book totally wrong, then? It says nothing about determiners and talks about words such as this, that, these, those, etc. as being demonstrative adjectives that answer the questions which one or which ones, and to use this or that with singular nouns and these or those with plural nouns.

It talks about the articles a, an, and the as words that always modify nouns.

My book also talks about possessive adjectives - that's why I identified "Mr. Bradley's" as being an adjective - it's answering the question, Whose? In this case, "Mr. Bradley's" is answering the specific question, whose analysis?

If my book or instructor are completely wrong, then that's pretty bad.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi BillJ,

But determiners are called limiting adjectives and there's a reason for that. In my opinion the adjectiveness of the determiners cannot be denied whatsoever.

Anonymous · Answer

Anonymous OP here - then is my grammar book totally wrong, then? It says nothing about determiners and talks about words such as this, that, these, those, etc. as being demonstrative adjectives that answer the questions which one or which ones, and to use this or that with singular nouns and these or those with plural nouns.It talks about the articles a, an, and the as words that always modify nouns.My book also talks about possessive adjectives - that's why I identified "Mr. Bradley's" as being an adjective - it's answering the question, Whose? In this case, "Mr. Bradley's" is answering the specific question, whose analysis?If my book or instructor are completely wrong, then that's pretty bad.

No, you're not wrong. It's a terminology fog, but the deep meaninig is the same, i.e. determiners are words that limit the meaning of the noun thus adjectivally describing (often together with following it an ordinary adjective) noun phrase head.

Anonymous · Answer

OP here again - thank you, fellow Anon. That makes a lot more sense. I just wish there weren't so many different terms to describe the same thing, especially in grammar. It makes it REALLY confusing!

That being said, my homework was right. I know in the one sentence I used "that" incorrectly (since in this case it was a conjunction and not an adjective. But, all fixed now.

Thank you again!

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousHi AS,Are you quite sure that the "that" of yours in the "Most investors believe that this venture will be profitable. (That is a relative pronoun, not an adjective)" is a relative pronoun? I think it's a conjunction here.

You are right, I was in a bit of a hurry! (It's not an adjective, though!)

Regards,
A-

s

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