Uses of adjectives

Adjectives can tell the reader how much – or how many – of something you’re talking about, which thing you want passed to you, or which kind you want.

Please use three white flowers in the arrangement.

Three and white are modifying flowers.

If you are using multiple adjectives which are commonly put together, there’s no need for a comma between the adjectives.

Look at that sweet little puppy!

If the adjectives aren’t usually used together, separate them with a comma or conjunction.

I’m looking for a small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.

My new dog is small and good-tempered.

Adjectives usually go before the noun (e.g. small child) unless one of the following verbs are involved: be, feel, taste, smell, sound, look, appear, seem. In these cases, the adjectives work more like adverbs.

The child is small.

The child seems small.

For more examples using to be and sense verbs with adjectives, go to Adjectives and Verbs.