What are Proper Adjectives? | Definition and Examples
- Grammar Lessons >
- Proper Adjectives
What Are Proper Adjectives?
Proper adjectives are adjectives derived from proper nouns, and they are always capitalized.
Examples:
American citizens
a Kentuckian rifle
How to Form Proper Adjectives
In some instances, proper nouns can be used as proper adjectives without changing the word at all.
Example:
a Hollywood star
In other cases, proper adjectives are formed by adding one of the suffixes: -n, -ian, etc. to the proper nouns.
Examples:
American
Orwellian
Types of Proper Adjectives
There are two types proper adjectives: those derived from names of people and those formed from names of places.
Examples:
Shakespearean play (Shakespeare - person)
American steak (America - place)
Two Types of Proper Adjectives – a Useful Chart
Click on the Circles to Spot the Six Proper Adjectives
Purpose of Proper Adjectives
We use proper adjectives to avoid verbosity and make our speaking or writing concise and to the point.
Examples:
He is an American singer. (concise)
He is a singer based in America. (not concise)
Capitalizing Prefixes Attached to Proper Adjectives
Proper adjectives can often appear with prefixes; we should not capitalize these prefixes, unless they are proper nouns themselves.
Examples:
pan-American, anti-Semitic (Don't capitalize prefixes)
Afro-Caribbean, Afro-American (Capitalize prefixes)
Take a Proper Adjective Quiz Now!
Reinforce your skills using our free printable Adjective Worksheets.
