Common and Proper Adjectives

Common adjectives specify shape, size, or color of a noun.

Common adjectives describe a noun in a general way. Examples of common adjectives include:

grey, blue, tall, long, enormous, small

Proper Adjectives

Review proper nouns in the Nouns chapter.

Proper adjectives are made from proper nouns. They are always capitalized.

Proper adjectives are also \”descriptive adjectives\” since they describe a noun.

In the first example, the proper adjective \”English\” is formed from the proper noun \”England\” and further describes \”book.\”

In the second example, the proper adjective \”American\” is formed from the proper noun \”America\” and further describes \”statue.\”

Proper adjectives can be made from the name of a particular person, place, thing, or idea.

Consider other examples with proper adjectives:

Mexico can be changed into Mexican.

Alaska can be changed into Alaskan.