This is a complete and advanced-level theory of Adjective designed for UPSC, State PSC, CDS, CAPF, and other high-level competitive exams.
1️⃣ Definition of Adjective
An Adjective is a word that describes, modifies, or qualifies a noun or pronoun.
It tells us:
- What kind?
- Which one?
- How many?
- How much?
Examples:
- honest officer
- three policies
- that decision
- sufficient evidence
2️⃣ Types of Adjectives (Advanced Classification)
(A) Adjective of Quality (Descriptive)
Describes quality or kind.
- honest leader
- strong economy
- transparent system
(B) Adjective of Quantity
Used with uncountable nouns.
- some water
- much information
- little progress
(C) Adjective of Number
Used with countable nouns.
(i) Definite Number
one, two, three, etc.
(ii) Indefinite Number
many, several, few, some
(iii) Distributive
each, every, either, neither
(D) Demonstrative Adjectives
this, that, these, those
- this policy
- those schemes
(E) Possessive Adjectives
my, your, his, her, its, our, their
- her report
- their decision
(F) Interrogative Adjectives
which, what, whose
- Which book do you prefer?
- What policy is this?
(Used before noun)
3️⃣ Degrees of Comparison (Very Important)
(A) Positive
tall, strong, efficient
(B) Comparative
taller, stronger, more efficient
(C) Superlative
tallest, strongest, most efficient
Formation Rules
Short adjectives → add -er / -est
- small → smaller → smallest
Long adjectives → use more / most
- beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful
Irregular Forms
good → better → best
bad → worse → worst
little → less → least
many/much → more → most
far → farther/further → farthest/furthest
UPSC tests irregular forms frequently.
4️⃣ Advanced Rules of Comparison
(A) Use “Than” with Comparative
✔ She is taller than I (am).
(B) Do Not Use Double Comparison
❌ More better
❌ Most strongest
✔ Better
✔ Strongest
(C) Parallel Comparison
✔ The climate of Delhi is better than that of Mumbai.
Not:
The climate of Delhi is better than Mumbai. ✘
(Comparison must be between similar things.)
(D) Use of “The” with Superlative
✔ She is the best candidate.
But:
✔ He is best suited for the job. (no article sometimes in predicate use)
(E) Comparative for Two
When comparing two → use comparative.
✔ Of the two candidates, she is better.
Not:
She is the best of the two. ✘
5️⃣ “Few / A Few / The Few” (Very Important)
Few → almost none (negative)
A few → some (positive)
The few → whatever small number exists
✔ Few students passed. (almost none)
✔ A few students passed. (some passed)
✔ The few students who passed were rewarded.
6️⃣ “Little / A Little / The Little”
Little → hardly any
A little → some
The little → whatever small amount
✔ There is little hope.
✔ There is a little hope.
7️⃣ Adjectives Followed by Prepositions
afraid of
capable of
fond of
interested in
responsible for
similar to
UPSC tests preposition combinations.
8️⃣ Adjective Position Rules
(A) Before Noun (Attributive Use)
- a strong leader
(B) After Linking Verb (Predicative Use)
- The leader is strong.
Linking verbs:
is, am, are, was, were, seem, appear, become
9️⃣ Order of Adjectives (Advanced Rule)
When multiple adjectives come before a noun, follow this order:
Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Color → Origin → Material → Purpose → Noun
Example:
a beautiful small old wooden Indian table
UPSC rarely tests full sequence but checks logical order.
🔟 Adjectives Used as Nouns
Some adjectives can represent a class of people.
the rich
the poor
the blind
the elderly
✔ The rich should help the poor.
Verb is plural.
1️⃣1️⃣ Participial Adjectives
Formed from verbs.
Present participle (-ing) → active meaning
- interesting book
Past participle (-ed) → passive meaning
- interested student
✔ I am interested in the lecture.
✔ The lecture is interesting.
UPSC tests confusion here.
1️⃣2️⃣ “Enough” Placement
Enough comes after adjective.
✔ strong enough
✔ intelligent enough
Not:
enough strong ✘
1️⃣3️⃣ “Too” vs “Very”
Too → excessive (negative sense)
Very → high degree
✔ The water is too hot to drink.
✔ The water is very hot.
1️⃣4️⃣ Comparative Structures (Advanced)
(A) No Other + Superlative
✔ No other city is as large as Delhi.
✔ Delhi is the largest city.
(B) As…As Structure
✔ She is as intelligent as her sister.
For inequality:
✔ She is not as intelligent as her sister.
1️⃣5️⃣ Adjective vs Adverb Confusion
Adjective modifies noun.
Adverb modifies verb.
✔ She is quick. (adjective)
✔ She runs quickly. (adverb)
Common confusion words:
hard / hardly
late / lately
high / highly
1️⃣6️⃣ Common Errors Tested in UPSC
❌ He is more superior.
✔ He is superior.
❌ This is more preferable.
✔ This is preferable.
❌ She is elder than me.
✔ She is older than me.
(Elder used for family relations only.)
🎯 What UPSC Tests in Adjectives
- Comparison errors
- Few / Little usage
- Parallel comparison
- Participial adjectives
- Preposition combination
- Logical structure