ADJECTIVES

Note: The following words are possessive adjectives, not possessive pronouns. Normally, possessive adjectives do not end with “s” and immediately precede a noun or other adjectives.

Examples: my book, your dog, her cold tea, our car, your storage boxes, their broken clock.

Note: “His” and “its” can be either possessive pronouns or adjectives depending on how they are used.

Example: That cat is his. (possessive pronoun) vs. That is his cat. (possessive adjective)
The ball is its. (possessive pronoun) vs. I see its collar. (possessive adjective)

Demonstrative adjectives answer the question, “Which one?” There are four of them: this, that, these, and those. Normally these words immediately precede the noun, pronoun, or noun equivalent they modify. Some of these adjectives can be easily confused with pronouns – remember to look for what follows the word. If it is a noun or pronoun it is an adjective. The words a, an, and the are also demonstrative adjectives. Sometimes they are called articles.

Examples: That sweater is the one I want. (adjective)
I bought these shoes. (adjective)
That is the sweater I want. (pronoun)
These are the shoes I bought. (pronoun)
The dog ate my shoes. (adjective)
He sailed around the world on a sloop. (adjectives)