Adjective-Phrase

We have seen already in the Preliminary section that Adjective is a word which gives an additional detail about the meaning of a noun.

An adjective may be a word or a group of words with the same meaning.

Example-1:

• Mr. Clinton is wealthy man.

What kind of man is Mr. Clinton is answered by the word ‘wealthy’. The same word can be replaced with a group of words ‘of great wealth’.

• Mr. Clinton is a man of great wealth.

Both these sentences convey the same meaning but different adverbs.

The phrase ‘of great wealth’ means the same what the word ‘wealthy’ means.
The phrase ‘of great wealth’ is an adjective.

The adjective in a group of words is called ADJECTIVE PHRASE.

Example-2:

• The Politician is a kind man.
This sentence can be worded in different manner using a different adjective phrase.

• The Politician is man of kindly nature.
The phrase ‘of kindly nature’ is an adjective phrase.

Example-3:

• These students belonged to the hill tribe.

• The students belong to the tribe dwelling in the hills.

Example-4:

• June-23 is the longest day.

• June-23 is the day of the greatest length.

Example-5:

• The blue-eyed boy is the most intelligent boy in this class.

• The boy with blue eyes is the most intelligent boy in this class.

In all the examples 3, 4 and 5 the adjectives have been replaced with adjective phrases.

Examples:

In the following sentences, the Adjective-Phrses are colored blue.

• The Police arrested a man of criminal nature.
• The Police arrested a criminal man.

• He a man without a friend.
• He is friendless man.

• He led a life devoid of blame.
• He led a blameless life.

• From this village came a man of great fame.
• From this village came a famous man.

• It is of no use.
• It is useless.

• He is an author of great versatilility.
• He is a versatile author.

• The tops of the mountains were covered with snows.
• The mountainous tops were covered with snows.

• I admit that he is a man of sense.
• I admit that he is a sensible man.

• He carried a sword stained with blood.
• He carried a bloody sword.

• He walked through the street covered with mud.
• He walked through the muddy street.

Go to the section on Adverb-Phrase to continue

Intermediary English Index

From Adjective-Phrase to HOME PAGE