SEMANTIC CLASSES OF ADJECTIVES Descriptors
When discussing modifiers of nouns, adjectives in use fall into two broad groups: those that describe the referent (descriptors) and those that sub-classify it (classifiers). Here we simply provide some further sub-types and examples of each, with the reminder that many adjectives have both uses.
Descriptors
Such adjectives express the following types of meaning:
size, weight, extent: thick-thin, high-low, wide-narrow, deep-shallow, young-old
color: blue, brown, grey, yellow, purple
shape: round, square, oval, oblong, triangular
meanings related to time: new, recent, early, late, weekly, daily
evaluative: awesome (AmE), pretty, beautiful, nice, dreadful, shocking, state-of-the-art
an active or passive process: puzzling, surprising, soothing, worrying, broken, celebrated, exhausted
general qualities: warm-cool, full-empty, sweet-sour, strong-weak, bright-dull
a temporary state: alight, alone, awake, aghast, ajar (with predicative function only)
