Limiting Adjectives Lesson: Definition, Types & Examples

Lesson Overview

• What Are Limiting Adjectives?
• Types of Limiting Adjectives
• Where Do You Include a Limiting Adjective in a Sentence?
• Limiting Adjective Examples in a Sentence
• Limiting Adjective Rules & Best Practices

Limiting adjectives are special words that give us more information about the noun they describe. They help make sentences clear and specific by indicating which noun is being referred to, how many there are, or who owns it.

Without them, sentences can be vague. They act like signposts, guiding us to understand precisely what is being discussed.

What Are Limiting Adjectives?

Limiting adjectives are words that modify a noun or pronoun by identifying it or specifying its quantity. 

They function to define the scope or range of the noun, answering questions like 

"Which one?"

or

"How many?"

Unlike descriptive adjectives that add qualities to a noun (e.g., "beautiful," "tall"), limiting adjectives narrow down the noun's reference. 

Characteristics of Limiting Adjectives:

• They pinpoint a specific noun or pronoun. (e.g., "this," "that," "the")
• They indicate the number or amount. (e.g., "some," "many," "five")
• They show belonging. (e.g., "my," "your," "her")
  
  

Types of Limiting Adjectives

Limiting adjectives fall into several distinct categories, each serving a specific purpose in clarifying and refining the meaning of nouns:

1. Articles

These are the most common limiting adjectives, used to specify whether a noun is singular or plural, definite or indefinite.

• Definite Article: "the" (e.g., "the book" - referring to a specific book)
• Indefinite Articles: "a" and "an" (e.g., "a cat," "an apple" - referring to any cat or apple)

2. Demonstrative Adjectives: 

These adjectives indicate which specific noun you're referring to, based on its location relative to the speaker.

• This (singular, near)-e.g., "this pen"
• That (singular, far)-e.g., "that tree"
• These (plural, near)-e.g., "these flowers"
• Those (plural, far)-e.g., "those houses"

3. Possessive Adjectives: 

These adjectives show ownership or possession of a noun. They answer the question "Whose?"

• My (e.g., "my car")
• Your (e.g., "your idea")
• His (e.g., "his book")
• Her (e.g., "her cat")
• Its (e.g., "its tail")
• Our (e.g., "our house")
• Their (e.g., "their children")

4. Interrogative Adjectives: 

These adjectives are used to ask questions about nouns.

• Which (e.g., "Which book do you want?")
• What (e.g., "What color is it?")
• Whose (e.g., "Whose bag is this?")

5. Numbers: 

These adjectives specify the quantity of a noun, either as a cardinal number (one, two, three) or an ordinal number (first, second, third).

• Cardinal: e.g., "two dogs," "ten apples"
• Ordinal: e.g., "the first day," "the third place"

6. Indefinite Adjectives: 

Unlike numbers or demonstrative adjectives, these don't give us an exact quantity. They're a bit vague, but still useful!

• Some (e.g., "some people")
• Any (e.g., "any questions")
• Many (e.g., "many books")
• Few (e.g., "few students")
• Several (e.g., "several days")
• All (e.g., "all animals")
• Each (e.g., "each person")
• Every (e.g., "every day")
  
  

Where Do You Include a Limiting Adjective in a Sentence?

Limiting adjectives typically appear before the noun or pronoun they modify. This placement helps establish the scope and specificity of the noun right away. 

1. Directly Before the Noun: 

This is the most frequent position for limiting adjectives. They act as immediate markers, providing context to the noun.

Examples:

• "This book is fascinating."
• "My cat loves to sleep."
  
  

2. Before a Noun Phrase: 

Limiting adjectives can also precede a noun phrase, modifying the entire group of words.

Examples:

• "Those fluffy white clouds filled the sky."
• "Several old, abandoned houses lined the street."
  
  

3. After Certain Determiners: 

While less common, limiting adjectives can sometimes follow articles or possessive pronouns.

Examples:

• "The first day of school was exciting."
• "My many friends came to the party."
  
  

4. In Questions: 

Interrogative adjectives naturally appear at the beginning of questions, seeking information about the noun.

Examples:

• "Which path should we take?"
• "Whose coat is this?"
  
  

Limiting Adjective Examples in a Sentence

Some limiting adjectives examples how they function in sentences, categorized by their types:

1. Articles:

• "The" - "The student raised her hand." (Specifies a particular student.)
• "A" - "A dog barked in the distance." (Refers to any dog.)
• "An" - "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." (Refers to any apple.)

2. Demonstrative Adjectives:

• "This" - "This book is very interesting." (Refers to a book close to the speaker.)
• "That" - "That car is going too fast." (Refers to a car farther away.)
• "These" - "These flowers smell wonderful." (Refers to flowers close to the speaker)
• "Those" - "Those stars are shining brightly." (Refers to stars farther away.)

3. Possessive Adjectives:

• "My" - "My house is painted blue." (Shows ownership of the house.)
• "Your" - "Your opinion matters." (Shows ownership of the opinion.)
• "His" - "His bicycle is brand new." (Shows ownership of the bicycle.)
• "Her" - "Her dress is beautiful." (Shows ownership of the dress.)
• "Its" - "The tree lost its leaves." (Shows ownership of the leaves.)
• "Our" - "Our team won the game." (Shows collective ownership of the team.)
• "Their" - "Their children are very well-behaved." (Shows ownership of the children.)

4. Interrogative Adjectives:

• "Which" - "Which color do you prefer?" (Asks about a choice between colors.)
• "What" - "What time is it?" (Asks about the time.)
• "Whose" - "Whose keys are these?" (Asks about the owner of the keys.)

5. Numbers:

• Cardinal: "Three cats sat on the porch." (Specifies the number of cats.)
• Ordinal: "The second runner crossed the finish line." (Specifies the position in a sequence.)

6. Indefinite Adjectives:

• "Some" - "Some people enjoy hiking." (Refers to an unspecified number of people.)
• "Any" - "Are there any questions?" (Refers to an unspecified, potentially zero, number of questions.)
• "Many" - "Many animals live in the forest." (Refers to a large number of animals.)
• "Few" - "Few students attended the lecture." (Refers to a small number of students.)
• "Several" - "Several days passed before I received a reply." (Refers to more than two but not many days.)
• "All" - "All birds have feathers." (Refers to every bird.)
• "Each" - "Each child received a gift." (Refers to every single child.)
• "Every" - "Every day is a new adventure." (Refers to every single day.)
  
  

Limiting Adjective Rules & Best Practices

While limiting adjectives are relatively straightforward, understanding a few key rules and best practices can ensure their effective and grammatically correct usage:

1. Agreement with Nouns:

• Number: Limiting adjectives must agree in number with the noun they modify. Use singular adjectives with singular nouns and plural adjectives with plural nouns.
  
  • Correct: "This car" (singular), "These cars" (plural)
  • Incorrect: "This cars," "These car."
    
• Countable vs. Uncountable: Some limiting adjectives are specific to countable nouns (e.g., "many," "few," "several"), while others are used with uncountable nouns (e.g., "much," "little").
  
  • Correct: "Many books" (countable), "Much time" (uncountable)
  • Incorrect: "Many time," "Much books"
    
    

2. Order of Adjectives: When using multiple adjectives, including limiting adjectives, a general order is followed:

• Quantity/Number: (e.g., "two," "many")
• Quality/Opinion: (e.g., "beautiful," "delicious")
• Size: (e.g., "large," "small")
• Shape: (e.g., "round," "square")
• Age: (e.g., "old," "new")
• Color: (e.g., "red," "blue")
• Origin: (e.g., "American," "Indian")
• Material: (e.g., "wooden," "cotton")
• Purpose/Qualifier: (e.g., "writing" in "writing desk")

Example: "Those two beautiful, large, antique, French, oak dining tables."

3. Avoid Redundancy: Don't use multiple limiting adjectives that convey the same meaning.

• Redundant: "The my book."
• Concise: "My book" or "The book"

4. "A" vs. "An": Remember the distinction based on sound, not just the first letter.

• Correct: "An hour" (starts with a vowel sound), "A university" (starts with a consonant sound)
  
  

5. Specificity: Choose the most specific limiting adjective to convey your intended meaning.

• Vague: "Some people came to the party."
• Specific: "Many people came to the party." (if there was a large crowd)
  
  

6. Context is Key: The appropriate limiting adjective depends on the context of the sentence.

• "That car is mine" (referring to a specific car that is far away)
• "This car is mine" (referring to a specific car that is close by)