Identifying Adjectives

Goal:
: To recognize and correctly use adjectives in sentence construction.

Objectives:: The student will be able to:; 1. Describe the grammatical function of adjectives.; 2. Identify adjectives in simple sentences.; 3. Become familiar with adjectives of comparison.; 4. Use adjectives correctly in the construction of simple sentences.

Energy Objectives:: The student will be able to:; 1. List ways that vegetation can help reduce heat gains or heat losses in the home.

Lesson Information:: Adjectives are only one of the eight major parts of speech. The job of the adjective is to modify nouns and pronouns. An adjective modifies meaning or further describes the noun. An adjective usually answers one of three questions:; Which?; How Many?; What Kind Of?

EXAMPLE 1:: Those deep green leaves on these three oak trees help block the sun which prevents heat from entering the large, brick home.; Which? those, these, the; How many? three; What kind? green, oak, large, brick; To locate adjectives in a sentence, it may be best to first locate the nouns and pronouns. Once located, ask the three questions from above. The answers to which, how many, and what kind of will lead you to the adjectives in the sentence.; The adjectives may be found directly preceding the noun or following the verb, usually a linking verb, as seen in EXAMPLE 2.

EXAMPLE 2:: The thick, grassy lawn remains cool all day. The lawn is thick, grassy, and cool.; All bold-faced adjectives above modify the noun lawn.

Activity D-1:: Of the three bold-faced words in each sentence, circle the two adjectives.; 1. Thick shrubbery around the home can help block cold winter winds.; 2. Tall, evergreen trees can act as a windbreak the entire year.; 3. Paved surfaces absorb a huge amount of heat and thus should be avoided around the home.; 4. Grasscrete, a hard surface that allows grass to grow through, can be used to produce a cooler surface.; 5. A shaded lawn will lead to a much cooler home.; Any word that tells number, color, shape, size, substance, material, or signifies an opinion is an adjective. Any words used to compare nouns or pronouns are also adjectives, as seen in EXAMPLE 3.

EXAMPLE 3:


Degrees of Comparison
Positive	Comparative	Superlative
tall	taller	tallest
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst
beautiful	more beautiful	most beautiful

A word used to describe a single noun is a positive adjective. A word used to compare two nouns is a comparative adjective. A word used to compare more than two nouns is a superlative adjective. See EXAMPLE 4.

EXAMPLE 4:: That pine tree is very tall. (positive); The pine tree is taller than the oak tree. (comparative); The tallest of all the trees is the one that shades the back porch. (superlative)

Activity D-2:: Use the proper form of the given adjective and state the degree of comparison in parentheses.; 1. (tall) The _______________ (_______________ ) of the two trees helps block the summer sun.; 2. (bad) In Louisiana, August may be the ____________ (_______________ ) month in regards to high cooling costs.; 3. (hard) Of all heat reducing measures, the ____________ (_______________) may be to reduce paved surfaces near the home.; 4. (beautiful) The _________________________ (_______________) of all the evergreens in the yard is the one at the end of the windbreak.; 5. (thick) Both lines of shrubs help block cold winds, but the _________________ (_______________) one is the line on the north side.; Two other types of adjectives are articles and demonstratives. Articles include the following: a, an, the. Demonstratives include: this, that, these, those. Demonstratives are adjectives only when they directly precede a noun or noun phrase and describe that noun. See EXAMPLE 5.

EXAMPLE 5:: The trees that surround a home or an office building can make a difference in the cost of heating or cooling the structure.; These trees near this house are deciduous trees. They provide generous shade in the summer but lose their leaves in the winter to allow the sun to warm the building. Those shrubs near that fence line are evergreens; they offer shade in the summer as well as a windbreak in the winter.

Activity R-1:: Underline ALL adjectives in the following paragraph.; On a hot day, the temperature of exterior walls and unprotected roofs can be from 40° - 60°F greater than the temperature of the air. These smooth surfaces absorb heat and conduct it into the house. Remember that heat always moves from a warmer area to a cooler area. Heat also moves through unshaded glass areas. Both of these actions increase the energy needed to cool a home. Adding many shade trees and grassy areas around the home will help reduce this heat load and thus reduce energy costs.

Activity R-2:

Use the 12 adjectives below to write a paragraph describing the area surrounding your home. Circle these 12 words and underline ALL other adjectives used.


two	white	concrete	an
taller	deciduous	evergreen	green
coolest	hot	those	most difficult

Work Space:

RECOMMENDED READING:: Specification Considerations for a Louisiana Home for the 1990's and Beyond. Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA n.d.; Manual for Building Energy Efficient Homes in Louisiana. Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Baton Rouge, LA, n.d.; Builder's Guide for Energy Efficient Construction. SLEMCO, Lafayette, LA, 1988.

INFORMATION CHECK

1. Define adjectives.

2. List the three questions to ask to help you locate adjectives in a sentence.

3. Fill in the blanks regarding these adjectives of comparison.


Positive	Comparative	Superlative
hot	____________	____________
____________	cooler	____________
____________	____________	worst
shady	____________	____________
____________	more special	____________
____________	____________	best

4. Chose one positive, one comparative, and one superlative adjective from above. Use all three in ONE sentence.

5. Describe the difference between deciduous trees and evergreen trees and how they can be used in landscaping to help protect the home.

6. What is the effect on cooling costs of having paved or blacktopped areas around the home?

TEACHER'S NOTES
Activity D-1:: 1. thick, cold; 2. tall, evergreen; 3. paved, huge; 4. hard, cooler; 5. shaded, cool

Activity D-2:: 1. taller; 2. worst; 3. hardest; 4. most beautiful; 5. thicker

Activity R-1:: On a hot day, the temperature of exterior walls and unprotected roofs can be from 40° - 60°F greater than the temperature of the air. These smooth surfaces absorb heat and conduct it into the house. Remember -- heat always moves from a warmer area to a cooler area. Heat also moves through unshaded glass areas. Both of these actions increase the energy needed to cool a home. Adding many shade trees and grassy areas around the home will help reduce this heat load and thus reduce energy costs.

Activity R-2:: Students paragraphs will vary. Check to see that all adjectives given are used correctly. All other adjectives used should be underlined.

Answers to Information Check:: 1. Adjectives are words used to modify or describe nouns or pronouns.; 2. Which? How many? What kind of?; 3. hot, hotter, hottest; cool, cooler, coolest; bad, worse, worst; shady, shadier, shadiest; special, more special, most special; good, better, best; 4. Student sentences will vary. Check for correct usage of chosen adjectives.; 5. Deciduous trees are trees that lose their leaves in the winter. These trees are usually planted to give optimum shade in the summer while allowing sun to warm the home in the winter. Evergreen trees retain their needles all year round. These trees are usually planted to act as a windbreak in the winter but can also supply shading all year round.; 6. An excess of paved or blacktopped areas around the home make the home harder to cooler. These paved surfaces absorb heat and transfers this heat into the home. To save on cooling costs, try to use more vegetation around the home.

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