1. Position in a Sentence:
* Before a noun: Adjectives usually come directly before the noun they modify.
* Example: "The beautiful sunset"
* After a linking verb: Adjectives can also follow a linking verb (verbs like "be," "seem," "become," etc.) to describe the subject.
* Example: "The sunset is beautiful."
2. Questions:
* What kind? If you can ask "What kind?" about a noun and the word answers that question, it's likely an adjective.
* Example: "What kind of sunset?" Answer: "A beautiful sunset"
* Which one? If you can ask "Which one?" about a noun and the word answers that question, it's likely an adjective.
* Example: "Which sunset?" Answer: "The beautiful sunset."
3. Suffixes:
* -able, -ible, -ful, -ous, -y, -ish, -ive, -al: Many adjectives end with these suffixes. However, not all words ending with these suffixes are adjectives.
* Example: "breakable," "joyful," "curious," "lovely," "foolish," "active," "original"
4. Function:
* Modifying a noun: Adjectives describe or modify nouns.
* Example: "The tall man walked down the street."
5. Context:
* Sometimes, the context of a sentence can help determine if a word is an adjective.
* Example: "He was quick to react." In this case, "quick" modifies the verb "react" and functions as an adverb, not an adjective.
Important Note: While these methods can be helpful, there are exceptions and sometimes it's not always easy to categorize a word based on its form alone.