Adjectives: a big dog / The dog is big

Rules

• Rule 1: Adjective before the noun

  Put the adjective right before the noun. a / an goes first.

  Pattern: a / an + adjective + noun

  Example: She has a new bike.

  Example: It's a hot day.

• Rule 2: be + adjective

  An adjective can also come after am / is / are (or was / were). Then no noun follows it.

  Pattern: noun + am / is / are + adjective

  Example: The dog is big.

  Example: My hands are cold.

• Rule 3: Adjectives are never plural

  Even when the noun is plural, the adjective never takes -s.

  Pattern: adjective + plural noun

  Example: two green pencils

  Example: The boys are tall.

• Rule 4: a or an? Look at the adjective!

  Choose a / an by the word right after it. If the adjective starts with a vowel sound, use an.

  Pattern: an + old / easy / orange…

  Example: an old man

  Example: a big egg

Common mistakes

• I have a car red. → I have a red car.

  The adjective goes before the noun.

• They are talls. → They are tall.

  Adjectives are never plural.

• The house big. → The house is big.

  After a noun we need be before the adjective.