The limiting adjectives answer the questions which and how many. The qualifying adjectives answer the questions which and what kind.
246. A qualifying adjective is an adjective which describes the noun it modifies by attributing to it some quality.
A limiting adjective is an adjective which merely shows which one or how many, without describing the noun it modifies.
HOW TO DISCOVER AN ADJECTIVE
247. Sometimes the noun may have several adjectives qualifying or modifying it; as,
- The beautiful, old elm tree shades the lawn.
The, beautiful, old and elm, all modify tree, telling something of the qualities or pointing out which tree we are speaking of. You can discover an adjective in a sentence by asking the questions, which, what kind, or how many; and the words that answer these questions will be the adjectives in the sentence. For example in this sentence:
- Those three immense factories employ thousands of men.
Factories is the noun, subject of the sentence. Which factory is indicated by the adjective those. How many factories is indicated by the adjective three. What kind of factories is indicated by the adjective immense. So we have three adjectives answering the three questions, which, what kind and how many.