Grade 6 Primary English Adjectives – Types Of Adjectives Notes
Primary English — Adjectives
Subtopic: Types of Adjectives (Age 11, Kenya)
Adjectives are words that describe or give more information about nouns (people, places, things). Below are the common types of adjectives you will meet in Primary school. Examples use familiar Kenyan items and places.
1. Descriptive (Qualitative) Adjectives
Describe qualities such as colour, size, shape, taste or age.
- Examples: a tall giraffe; a sweet mango; old school.
- Comparative & Superlative: small → smaller → smallest.
For short words add -er / -est. For long words use more / most: beautiful → more beautiful → most beautiful. - Irregular: good → better → best.
2. Demonstrative Adjectives
Point out which one(s): this, that, these, those.
- Example: That tree is tall. — (singular, far)
- Example: These books are heavy. — (plural, near)
3. Possessive Adjectives
Show who owns something: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
- Examples: My bag, their cows, our school.
4. Quantitative Adjectives
Tell “how much” or “how many”: some, any, many, much, few, several, a little.
- Examples: Many pupils, a few bananas, some tea.
5. Interrogative Adjectives
Used in questions: which, what, whose (when used before a noun).
- Examples: Which hat is yours? — (asks for choice)
- Example: Whose ball is this?
6. Distributive Adjectives
Refer to members of a group separately: each, every, either, neither.
- Examples: Each child received a pencil. — (one by one)
- Example: Every farmer attends the market.
7. Proper Adjectives
Adjectives formed from proper nouns (nationalities, places, names). They are often capitalised.
- Examples: Kenyan athlete, African story, Nairobi road.
Quick Tips
- Adjectives usually come before the noun: a big tree.
- More than one adjective: use order: opinion → size → age → colour → origin → material (a lovely small old red Kenyan cloth).
- Check the word used with the noun. If it tells “which”, “how many” or “whose”, it is usually an adjective.
Practice — Try these
- Underline the adjective and write its type: The tall boy carried many books.
- Fill with a suitable adjective: I have _____ (this/that/these) mangoes. — (choose demonstrative)
- Change to comparative: bright → _____
- Choose the possessive adjective: _____ (My / Mine) sister is in class six.
- Identify the adjective type: Every farmer sells maize.
Answers (click to view)
- the tall boy → Descriptive; many books → Quantitative
- I have these mangoes. — Demonstrative
- bright → brighter
- My sister is in class six. — Possessive adjective (My before noun)
- Every farmer → Distributive adjective
Remember: practise by reading sentences and spotting the describing words. Try making your own sentences using words from around you — at school, at home and in the market.
This (demonstrative) red apple (descriptive) is sweet (descriptive). My (possessive) friend has three (quantitative) mangoes.