Adjectives in English can appear in two main positions: attributive and predicative. Understanding these positions helps you use adjectives correctly in sentences.
Attributive Position
An adjective in the attributive position appears directly before a noun to describe it. In this position, the adjective is part of the noun phrase.
- Example: a blue* car
Key points:
- The adjective comes before the noun.
- It cannot be separated from the noun by other words (except for certain cases like "a beautiful old house").
- Common in simple descriptions.
More Examples
- a happy child
- an interesting book
- the first day
Predicative Position
An adjective in the predicative position appears after a linking verb (such as be, seem, become, feel) and describes the subject of the sentence.
- Example: The car is blue*.
Key points:
- The adjective is separated from the noun.
- It comes after a linking verb.
- It describes the subject or sometimes the object (in causative structures).
More Examples
- The child is happy.
- The book seems interesting.
- She became tired.
Summary
| Position | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Attributive | a blue car | Adjective before noun |
| Predicative | The car is blue | Adjective after linking verb |
- Adjectives can usually be used in both positions but some are restricted (e.g., asleep is only predicative: The child is asleep.)
Other Considerations
- Some adjectives change meaning depending on position (e.g., a responsible person vs. The person is responsible.)
- Some adjectives can only be used predicatively (e.g., afraid, alone, awake).
- Attributive adjectives cannot be used immediately after the noun (a man responsible is attributive; The man is responsible is predicative).
Practice
Choose the correct position of the adjective: attributive or predicative.
- She has a (happy / is happy) smile.
- The sky looks (blue / is blue).
- They found the door (locked / is locked).
Answers:
- attributive (a happy smile)
- predicative (The sky looks blue.)
- predicative (They found the door locked.)
Conclusion
Attributive adjectives come before nouns as part of the noun phrase. Predicative adjectives follow linking verbs and describe subjects (or objects). Both positions are important for clear and correct English.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
