Students should refer to the following Adjective Rules of English Grammar. These rules have been designed by expert English teachers to help students appearing in English Exams in schools or competitive examinations. You should remember the following Adjective Rules so that you can use them correctly and score good marks in examinations. You should refer to all Rules of English Grammar provided by us to strengthen your understanding.

Adjective Rules English Grammar

Rule 1- Adjective of quantity like LITTLE, MUCH, ENOUGH, SUFFICIENT, WHOLE, etc. must be used with uncountable nouns only as they express quantity and not number.
Ex.-Many (not much) girls are present in the class today.
Correct usage – I had enough sleep (as sleep is uncountable noun)

Rule 2- Adjective of number must be used only with the countable nouns and not with uncountable as they indicate number and not quantity.
Ex-I have taken many milk today. (Incorrect)
I have taken much milk today. (Correct)

Do not drink so many water. (Incorrect)
Do not drink so much water. (Correct)

Rule 3- Some, All, Any, No, Most etc. may be used both as adjectives of number and Adjectives of quantity as they can express number as well as quantity.
Ex.-There are no girls in the auditorium (Adj. of Number)
There is no milk in the pot. (Adj. of quantity)
All big machines are imported from foreign countries. (Adj. of number)
All the sugar was thrown into the sea. (Adj. of Quantity)
Give me some coke. (Adj. of Quantity)
Some of these boys are brilliant. (Adj. of Number)

Rule 4- the comparative adjectives, ending with like superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, anterior, posterior, exterior etc. Take ‘to’ after them and not ‘than’.
Ex.-He is senior than me. (Incorrect)
He is senior to me. (Correct)
Health is preferable than wealth. (Incorrect)
Health is preferable to wealth. (Correct)

Rule 5- Double comparative adjectives or double superlative adjectives must not be used.
(Incorrect) He is more senior than me.
(Correct) He is senior to me.
Milk is more preferable than tea. (Incorrect)
Milk is preferable to tea. (Correct)
Ashoka was the most strongest of the kings. (Incorrect)
Ashoka was the strongest of the kings. (Correct)\

Rule 6- The comparative ending in ‘er’ must not be used when we compare two qualities in the same person or thing. In that case we use ‘more’ before the Adjective.
Ex. – Sita is braver than wise. (Incorrect)
Sita is more brave than wise. (Correct)

Rule 7- Comparative degree must be used when the comparison is between two persons or things and superlative degree when the comparison is among more than two things.
Ex.-Who is the smartest of these two sisters? (Incorrect)
Who is smarter of these two sisters? (Correct)

He is wise of all students in the class. (Incorrect)
He is the wisest of all students in the class. (Correct)

Rule 8- Use of (Later, Latter; latest, last)
Later and Latest – shows time
Latter and last – shows position

Ex.-He latter refused to come (Incorrect)
He later refused to come. (Correct)

The later part of the novel is not clearly written (Incorrect)
The latter part of the novel is not clearly written. (Correct)

Rule 9- Use of (farther, further; farthest, furthest)
Farther, Farthest – denote distance Further,
Furthest – next, also (position)

Ex.-After this he made no farther statement. (Incorrect)
After this he made no further statement. (Correct)
Delhi is farther from Haridwar than Roorkee.

Rule 10- Before superlative adjectives articles ‘THE’ must be (always) placed.
Ex.-He is the best boy of the district.
Sita is the most intelligent girl.

Rule 11- Use of (Nearest, next)
Nearest denotes distance.
Next denotes position.

Ex.-He was sitting next to me.
Ram’s shop is nearest to my house.

This is the next post-office to my house. (Incorrect)
This is the nearest post-office to my house. (Correct)

Rule 12- Use of (Elder, older; Eldest, oldest) Elder and eldest – are used of members of the same family. Older and oldest are used for persons or things.
Ex.-I have an older brother (Incorrect)
I have an elder brother (Correct)

Mohan is the eldest boy in the town. (Incorrect)
Mohan is the oldest boy in the town. (Correct)

Rule 13- Use of less and fewer
Less – Quantity
Fewer – Number
Ex.-There is fewer sugar in your tea than in mine. (Incorrect)
There is less sugar in your tea than in mine. (Correct)
He should ask for fewer packets of salt.

Rule 14- Some adjectives like ( Ideal, Full, Chief, perfect, Unique, Complete, Infinite, Extreme, Entire, Universal, Empty, Impossible, Unanimous, square, sound etc. are not compared as they express meaning which do not admit of any variation of degrees.
Ex.-This achievement was most unique. (Incorrect)
His achievement was unique. (Correct)

Your skill is most perfect. (Incorrect)
Your skill is perfect (correct)

Rule 15- When a comparison is introduced and has ‘ANY’ after it, the things compared must always be excluded from the class of things with which it is compared, by using ‘OTHER’
Ex.-London is larger than any city in England. (Incorrect)
London is larger than any other city in England (Correct)

Sonu is smarter than any student in his class (Incorrect)
Sonu is smarter than any other student in his class. (Correct)

Rule 16- ‘Each’ is used to indicate a limited number and ‘EVERY’ to denote an unlimited number in selection or choice.
Ex.-Everyone of the two boys was given a prize. (Incorrect)
Each one of the two boys was given a prize (Correct)

He came to see us Each day. (Incorrect)
He came to see us every day. (Correct)

Rule 17- “Some” is used in the affirmative sentence “any” is used in negative
and interrogative sentence.
She doesn’t want some candies. (Incorrect)
She doesn’t want any candies. (Correct)

I will have any tea. (Incorrect)
I will have some tea. (Correct)

Did you go somewhere last night?
Did you go anywhere last night?

Rule 18- What’s the Correct Order for Multiple Adjectives in a sentence?
OSASCOMP
OPINION –  Great , Horrible , Fantastic
SIZE-          Big ,   Tiny etc
AGE –         Young , Old , New
SHAPE –     Round , Square etc
COLOUR –  Red ,     Green etc
ORIGIN –    British   Chinese etc
MATERIAL – Wooden , Silky etc
PURPOSE-  School    ( shoes )