Pronominal Adjectives

In the category of limiting adjectives there are pronominal adjectives. Pronominal adjectives are pronouns which are used to modify nouns. They would be pronouns if they stood by themselves in the place of the noun that they represent.

This book is interesting (This is a pronominal adjective. It modifies the noun 'book')

This is an interesting book. (This is a pronoun. It represents the noun 'book')

Pronominal adjectives can be subdivided into the following groups:

• demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those)

Those shoes were old-fashioned. These shoes are much better

• possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their)

Their cat likes to sleep on the floor

• distributive adjectives (each, every, either, neither)

Every attempt was met with suspicion

• interrogative adjectives (which, what, whose)

Whose pants are these?

• indefinite adjectives (some, any, all, few, several, many, both, little, much, more, most)

Both parents were present

Guided Practice#

• This top doesn't go with these pants. Maybe you should try that blue top you bought a week ago?

• (He) .................... mom watched (we) .................... dog while we all went to on a vacation.

• .................... single day was a good day. The road was straight, with fields on .................... side.

• .................... type of music do you like?

• Many people enjoy running in the morning.

Short Story using Pronominal Adjectives#

–Whose book is this?

–This is my book. I've been reading it for several days.

–The title of this book looks really catchy.

–Yeah, I won't deny that. And I have this new year's resolution to read more books, so I thought that I would give this book a try.

–What books do you usually read though?

-Hmm I like to read some fantasy or sci-fi novels. And the plot has to be interesting!

-Yeah, I agree with your opinion.

Independent Practice#

Spot the pronominal adjectives and decide whether they are demonstrative, possessive, distributive, interrogative, or indefinite.

1. Thank you! These flowers are beautiful.
2. Every child has the right to life.
3. Which colour should I pick? Red or blue?
4. I'm afraid he will need several days to recover.
5. It is said that neither side of the brain is dominant over the other.
6. I don't find that TV show amusing.
7. I like her new haircut. It looks stylish.
8. I could tell that the dog was happy to see me by its wiggling tail.
9. Those seconds of pure happiness were difficult to forger.
10. Do you know whose jacket this is?