Super Sentences: Learning About Adjective Phrases!
Hey, super students! 👋 Do you know what an adjective is? It's a word that tells us more about a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea), like a 'red' apple or a 'tall' tree. But guess what? Sometimes, a whole group of words can do the job of one adjective! We call this special group an 'Adjective Phrase.' It's like a team of words working together to describe something and make our sentences even more awesome. Let's learn how to spot them and use them to paint a clearer picture with our words!
What is an Adjective Phrase?
Sometimes a group of words does the work of an adjective.
Study the following examples:
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The mayor was a wealthy man.
The mayor was a man of great wealth.
In sentence 1, the adjective wealthy says what sort of man the mayor was. In sentence 2, the group of words 'of great wealth' also says the same thing. It qualifies the noun man as an adjective does. It, therefore, does the work of an adjective and is called an adjective phrase.
Definition: An adjective phrase is a group of words that does the work of an adjective. It describes a noun or pronoun in the sentence.
More Examples to Understand
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The magistrate was a kind man. (Here the adjective kind modifies the noun man.)
The magistrate was a man with a kind heart. (Here the adjective phrase 'with a kind heart' modifies the noun man.)
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They lived in a stone house.
They lived in a house built of stone.
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The workers belonged to a hill tribe.
The workers belonged to a tribe dwelling in the hills.
Adjectives and Equivalent Adjective Phrases
Study the following adjectives and the adjective phrases that are equivalent to them:
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A golden necklace
Answer: A necklace made of gold
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A white coat
Answer: A coat of white color
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A jungle track
Answer: A track through the jungle
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A deserted city
Answer: A city with no inhabitants
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The French flag
Answer: The flag of France
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A wooden hut
Answer: A hut built of wood
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A blank page
Answer: A page with no writing on it
Even More Examples!
Let's practice with some more. Can you see how a single adjective is replaced by a group of words (an adjective phrase)?
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She wore a beautiful dress.
Answer: She wore a dress of great beauty.
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He is a courageous boy.
Answer: He is a boy full of courage (or with great courage).
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It was a starry night.
Answer: It was a night filled with stars.
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We need a spacious room.
Answer: We need a room with plenty of space.
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The king wore a valuable crown.
Answer: The king wore a crown of great value.
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That was a cowardly act.
Answer: That was an act of cowardice.
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He told a humorous story.
Answer: He told a story full of humor.
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This is a medical report.
Answer: This is a report relating to medicine.
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She has silken hair.
Answer: She has hair like silk.
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It's a popular belief.
Answer: It's a belief held by many people.
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He is a friendless man.
Answer: He is a man without any friends.
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They walked along a winding path.
Answer: They walked along a path with many twists and turns.
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The athlete showed remarkable strength.
Answer: The athlete showed strength worthy of remark.
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It was a memorable day.
Answer: It was a day to be remembered.
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He is a man of few words.
Answer: He is a man who does not speak much. (Note: Here the adjective "few" describes "words", and the phrase describes the man based on his words)
Difficult Words & Easy Meanings
- Adjective: A word that describes a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea). Example: happy dog, big house.
- Phrase: A small group of words that act together as one part of a sentence. It doesn't have its own subject and verb. Example: in the park, very quickly.
- Qualifies: Tells us more about something; describes or adds detail to a noun.
- Equivalent: Having the same meaning or value as something else.
- Magistrate: A local official who acts like a judge in some types of court cases.
- Dwelling: Living in a particular place; a home.
- Inhabitants: The people or animals that live in a particular place.
- Modify: To change slightly or add more detail to make the meaning clearer (in grammar, an adjective modifies a noun).
- Courageous: Brave; not afraid of danger.
- Cowardice: Lack of bravery.
- Humorous: Funny or causing laughter.
- Remarkable: Unusual or special in a way that makes people notice.
- Memorable: Worth remembering or easy to remember because it's special.