noun is called an adjective phrase or an adjective clause. In the sentence, The top of the hill that the old house stands on has not a tree on it, "the" modifies "top," "old" modifies "house," and "a" modifies "tree." These words are adjectives. Also, the phrase "of the hill" modifies "top," and is therefore an adjective phrase; and the clause "that the old house stands on" modifies "hill," and is therefore an adjective clause. COMMON AND PROPER ADJECTIVES 266. Some adjectives are formed from proper nouns, and are therefore called proper adjectives. Thus, from the proper noun America is formed the proper adjective American. Other proper adjectives are English, French, Peruvian, Bostonian, Shakespearean. All such words begin with capital letters. Other adjectives are common adjectives, and begin with small letters unless they are in titles or are the first words in lines of poetry. ARTICLES 267. The words a, an, and the form one class of adjectives, called articles, and they themselves are divided into two classes. A and an are called indefinite articles. The only difference between them is that a is used before a word beginning with a consonant, as in a tree, and an before a word that begins with a vowel sound, as in an eagle and an honorable man. The, on the other hand, is called the definite article. The indefinite article is so called because it and the noun that follows mean no particular thing of the class that the noun indicates. Thus in the sentence The man tied his horse to a tree, no particular tree is meant; hence the article is indefinite. But in The man tied his horse to the tree, some particular tree is meant; hence the article is definite. RELATIVE, INTERROGATIVE, DEMONSTRATIVE, 268. You have already learned that certain words are sometimes pronouns and sometimes adjectives; if they stand alone they are pronouns, and if they modify nouns they are adjectives. For example, there are relative adjectives as well as relative pronouns. Whose is such a word. In That is the man whose horse I bought, "whose" modifies "horse" and is therefore an adjective; it relates to "man" and is therefore relative. Whose is also an interrogative adjective, as in Whose horse is this? In This is Monday, "this" stands alone as a subject and is therefore a pronoun; but in This day is Monday, the word modifies "day" and is therefore an adjective. In both cases it is demonstrative; that is, it points out. In Whatever you do, do quickly, "whatever" stands alone as object of the first "do," and is therefore a pronoun; but in Whatever thing you do, do quickly, the word modifies "thing," and is therefore an adjective. In both cases it is indefinite. NUMERALS 269. Words expressing number are sometimes nouns and sometimes adjectives. In I have two apples, "two" is an adjective, since it modifies a noun; but in You have three, "three" is a noun, since it stands alone as an object. One, two, three, and so on, are called cardinals. First, second, third, and so on, are called ordinals. COMPARISON 270. Adjectives have what is called comparison; For example, in Monadnock is a large mountain, Pikes Peak is a larger mountain, and Mount Everest is the largest of all mountains, "large," "larger,' and "largest" express three different degrees of size. The first is called positive degree, the second is called comparative degree, and the third is called superlative degree. Some adjectives form their degrees by prefixing more and most to the positive degree rather than by adding er and est. Others are very irregular. The following tabulation shows the comparison of several Many adjectives form their degrees in both ways. PUNCTUATION OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSES 271. If you were looking at a number of boys. playing, and should say to some one near, "The boy that has the red jacket on is my brother," you would intend the clause "that has the red jacket on" to indicate what boy you meant. In pronouncing the sentence, you would not make a pause or even the slightest jog of the voice between "boy" and "that"; and therefore, if you should write the sentence, you should not use a comma there. Suppose again that the boy with the red jacket were coming down the street alone, and you should say, "The boy who has the red jacket on is my brother.” In this case also your voice would run on without a pause between "boy" and "who." You would feel that the part about the red jacket was a very necessary piece of description. This is why you would not make a pause. And since you would not make a pause when you speak, you should not use a comma when you write. But, on the other hand, if you should say, "My brother, who usually wears a red jacket, is a very handsome boy," the clause "who usually wears a red jacket" would be an additional piece of information. Indeed, you might leave the clause out, and make the sentence read, "My brother is a very handsome boy." And since this clause contains additional or extra information, it is read parenthetically; that is, you make a pause both before and after it. And since you make pauses when you speak, you should use commas when you write. This is one of the most difficult things in grammar, but it is very necessary because a matter of punctuation depends upon it. You must, therefore, do your best to learn it thoroughly and to put what you learn into practice. A STUDY OF ADJECTIVES 272. Study the following sentences carefully and determine what words are adjectives, that is, what words modify nouns. Some of them, you will observe, are predicate adjectives. Be sure to note the genitives of nouns and pronouns. Determine also what phrases and clauses modify nouns or pronouns. Pay careful attention to the punctuation of adjective clauses. You will find it helpful to read aloud sentences containing such clauses-not slowly and with emphasis, but rather rapidly, so that you will notice where slight jogs of the voice must be made. Consider also whether such clauses could be left out without disturbing the sense. 1. A long, heavy, muddy wagon went slowly by, carrying a load of girders. 2. We saw the man whose motor car ran into the heavy wagon. 3. Whose house is that that has the Dutch roof? 4. My grandfather's house, which is a very desirable home, is for sale. 5. The farmhouse that my grandfather owns is for sale. 6. Over there across the river is my grandfather's farmhouse, which is for sale. 7. My grandfather's house is the one that is across the river. 8. Our orchard has not so many trees in it as yours. 9. Your blossoming trees are more beautiful than ours. |