Noun-Adjective Agreement in English means that adjectives must match the number of the nouns they describe. Adjectives do not change for gender or case, only for singular or plural nouns.
What Is Noun-Adjective Agreement?
Noun-Adjective Agreement means matching adjectives to nouns in number:
- Singular nouns use singular adjectives.
- Plural nouns use plural adjectives (usually by adding -s).
- Adjectives do not change for gender.
- Adjective forms stay the same (except adding -s for plural nouns).
Singular vs. Plural
Singular Nouns
- Use the adjective in its base form.
- Example: a big cat
Plural Nouns
- Add -s to the adjective if it is countable and has a plural form.
- Example: big cats, blue houses
| Example Type | Singular Example | Plural Example | Singular Example in English | Plural Example in English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Adjective | la casa blanca | las casas blancas | the white house | the white houses |
| Regular Adjective | el niño pequeño | los niños pequeños | the small boy | the small boys |
Translate: 'los niños pequeños' (plural form).
the small boys
'Los niños pequeños' means 'the small boys' (plural). The adjective 'small' stays in its base form before the noun.
Rules for Adjective Agreement
. Add -s for Plural Nouns
- Most adjectives add -s in the plural form.
- Example: silla roja → sillas rojas
. No Change for Gender in English
- English adjectives do not change for gender.
- Example: happy girl, happy boy
Do English adjectives change form based on gender?
No, English adjectives stay the same regardless of gender.
English adjectives are the same for all genders. For example, 'happy' is used in both 'happy girl' and 'happy boy.'
. Position of Adjectives
- Adjectives usually come before nouns in English.
- Example: a blue car, three tall buildings
. Irregular Adjectives
- Some adjectives have the same form for singular and plural.
- Example: sheep (plural sheep), deer (plural deer)
| Rule | Example (Singular) | Example (Plural) | English Singular | English Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add -s | casa blanca | casas blancas | white house | white houses |
| Same Form | niño feliz | niños felices | happy boy | happy boys |
| Position | gato negro | gatos negros | black cat | black cats |
Common Mistakes
. Forgetting the -s in Plural
- Incorrect: big cat (referring to multiple cats)
- Correct: big cats
. Changing Adjective for Gender (English)
- Incorrect: happy boya
- Correct: happy boy
. Misplacing Adjectives
- Incorrect: car blue
- Correct: blue car
| Mistake | Example | Correct Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plural -s Omitted | big cat (plural) | big cats | Add -s for plural nouns |
| Gender Change in Adjective | happy niña | happy niña | No gender change in English |
| Wrong Position | car blue | blue car | Adjective comes before noun |
Summary
- Adjectives must match the noun’s number (singular/plural).
- Singular = base form (e.g., big).
- Plural = add -s to adjectives when applicable (e.g., big → bigs is incorrect in English; it remains big; in Spanish example, it's blancas).
- Do not change adjectives for gender in English.
- Place adjectives before nouns.
Flashcards (1 of 5)
- Example Type: Regular Adjective
- Singular Example: la casa blanca
- Plural Example: las casas blancas
- Singular Example in English: the white house
- Plural Example in English: the white houses
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
