English grammar

163. Limiting adjectives are those which merely point out an object without telling any quality of it. The most useful limiting adjectives are this, that, and their plural forms these and those. These four words are often called demonstrative adjectives.

Some limiting adjectives tell number or amount, but in a somewhat indefinite way, as all, some, several, few, much, little, more, most.

Some tell number definitely, as one, two, six hundred, three million, first, second, fiftieth.

Number words, like one, two, three, four, five, etc., are often called numeral adjectives.

164. The limiting adjective enough may precede or follow the noun it modifies. We may say enough butter or butter enough; enough time or time enough.

The limiting adjective else always follows the noun or pronoun that it modifies. We say who else, nobody else, everybody else, nothing else.

165. When the interrogative pronouns which and what are used to modify a noun, as in which picture? what city? they cease to be pronouns, and become limiting adjectives. Since they are used to ask questions, we call them interrogative adjectives.

Note.—Which and what, when used as adjectives, are sometimes called pronominal adjectives.

166. Three very common words, a, an, and the, are classed with limiting adjectives. They are called articles. The is a definite article; an and a are the indefinite article. A is really the same word as an, but when it is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound, as bicycle, the n is dropped for the sake of a more pleasing sound.

167. We use the when we wish to specify a particular object, and an or a when we do not care to be specific. What is the difference between these sentences?

The man on horseback came to the turn in the road.

A man on horseback came to a turn in the road.

168. We use the before a singular noun to designate a whole class of objects; as, “The oak is a sturdy tree,” “The cow is a domestic animal.”

169. We repeat the article when we wish to denote more than one person or thing. What is the difference between these pairs of sentences?

(a) The secretary and treasurer came late.
(b) The secretary and the treasurer came together.

(a) I saw a red and green signal.
(b) I saw a red and a green signal.

170. We use an or a after the adjectives many and such instead of before them; as, many a man, such a storm.

171. The sentence, “I have few books,” means I have few compared with many; but the sentence, “I have a few books,” means I have a few compared with none. What is the difference in meaning between these sentences?

I have little time for sewing.

I have a little time for sewing.

Summary.—Limiting adjectives are those which merely point out.

Limiting adjectives that denote a definite number are called numerals.

Which and what may be used as interrogative adjectives.

The articles are the, an, and a.

The is a definite article. An and a are indefinite articles.

Exercise 1.—Select all the limiting adjectives, including articles, and tell what they modify. Give reasons for the articles used.

1. What business brings you here?

2. In that same village, and in one of these very houses, there lived, many years since, a simple, good-natured fellow of the name of Rip Van Winkle.

3. Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains.

4. Which fan did your mother carry when she was a young lady in Maine?

5. Lobo had only five followers during the latter part of his reign.

6. What excuse shall I make to Dame Van Winkle?

7. The dog managed so that each fresh rush should be toward the settlement.

8. No wild animal dies of old age.

9. Which part in the play of Julius Cæsar did Edwin Booth take?

10. When this dog of marvelous wind saw that the wolf was dead, he gave him no second glance.

11. After much pains on my behalf and many pains on his, Bingo learned to go at the word in quest of our old yellow cow.

12.

I only ask a hut of stone,

A very plain brown stone will do,

That I may call my own;

And close at hand is such a one

In yonder street that fronts the sun.

13. No other living thing can go so slow as a boy sent on an errand.

14. What courage can withstand the ever-during and all-besetting terrors of a woman’s tongue?

Exercise 2.—Classify the words which and what in the following sentences as interrogative pronouns or interrogative adjectives. Where they are pronouns, tell their case. Where they are adjectives, tell what they modify.

1. What have you in your basket?

2. What manner of man is this?

3. Which of these pictures did you paint?

4. Which is it, a toadstool or a mushroom?

5. Which city has the larger population?

6. Which boy threw the stone?

7. What stone did he throw?

8. What did the man come for?

9. What do you want?

10. Which will you take?