This lesson develops students’ knowledge of adjectives as words that modify nouns. Lesson 131 taught that nouns name what the material foregrounds; Lesson 133 teaches that adjectives shape how those nouns are perceived. Students should understand that adjectives are not simply “describing words” in a vague sense. They can describe physical qualities, sensory details, emotional qualities, evaluative judgements, quantity, comparison or intensity. In analysis, adjectives matter because they qualify nouns and guide the reader’s attitude towards people, places, objects and ideas. The lesson should remain within word classification by focusing on individual adjectives and their effect on nouns, without moving into full noun phrase analysis, which belongs more naturally in Unit 14X.

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

• identify adjectives;
• explain which noun each adjective modifies;
• and analyse how adjective choices shape the reader’s perception or judgement.

An adjective is a word that adds information to a noun or modifies what we know about it. It can tell us what something looks, feels, sounds or seems like. It can also show judgement, such as “dangerous,” “valuable” or “ordinary.” Adjectives matter because they do not just add decoration; they guide how the reader thinks about the noun.

• Adjective: a word that modifies or describes a noun.
• Modify: to adapt another word by adding information to it.
• Sensory adjective: an adjective linked to sight, sound, touch, taste or smell.
• Evaluative adjective: an adjective that expresses judgement or value.
• Comparative adjective: an adjective used to compare, such as bigger, quieter or more careful.
• Superlative adjective: an adjective showing the highest degree, such as biggest, quietest or most careful.

• The adjective… modifies the noun…
• This adjective makes the noun seem…
• The adjective is evaluative because…
• The sensory adjective helps the reader imagine…
• The comparative/superlative adjective suggests…
• This adjective choice affects meaning because…

Adjectives are not important just because they “describe.” The analytical question is what kind of description they add and how that changes the reader’s view of the noun. “Old house” and “abandoned house” both describe a house, but the adjective modifies what we know about each house.

A narrow path led to the silent house at the edge of the barren field.

The adjectives shape the setting by changing how the nouns are perceived. The adjective “narrow” modifies “path” and makes the route seem restricted or difficult. The adjective “silent” modifies “house” and makes the building seem unsettling because houses are often associated with life or noise. These adjective choices make the setting feel isolated and tense.

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The new shopping centre rose behind the market like a clean, glass wall. Its bright signs flashed above the older stalls, where faded awnings sagged in the rain. Traders stood beside careful piles of bruised apples, cheap umbrellas and handwritten price cards. To the mayor, the centre was modern and efficient. To Mr Das, who had sold fruit there for forty years, it looked cold, expensive and temporary.

The writer uses adjectives to create two different views of the shopping centre and market. The centre is described through adjectives such as “clean,” “glass,” “modern” and “efficient,” which could make it seem organised and new. However, the market is linked to “older,” “faded” and “bruised,” suggesting age, wear and vulnerability. Mr Das’s adjectives “cold,” “expensive” and “temporary” change the reader’s view of the new centre by making it seem less welcoming. The adjective choices therefore create contrast between official progress and local unease.