Indefinite Adjectives

Indefinite Adjectives

Indefinite adjectives are indefinite pronouns which function as adjectives; they are used to modify nouns or noun phrases. As the name indefinite (unspecified, unknown, indeterminate, undefined), then indefinite adjectives give general information about the nouns/ noun phrases they modify; they do not point out specific thing. And indefinite adjectives frequently answers the question “How much?”. The indefinite adjectives among others are: all, any, each, few, many, some, one, several, no.
Unlike indefinite pronouns which replace noun/noun phrases (not followed by nouns/noun phrases), indefinite adjectives come before the nouns or noun phrases they modify (followed by nouns/noun phrases).
 
To build more comprehensive understanding, pay attention to the following examples of indefinite adjectives and indefinite pronouns in sentences!
1. I like all paintings displayed tonight. (indefinite adjective)
I like all displayed tonight. (indefinite pronoun)
2. We don’t have any sugar.(indefinite adjective)
We don’t have any. (indefinite pronoun)
3. Let’s analyze each sentence.(indefinite adjective)
Let’s analyze each. (indefinite pronoun)
4. We need few children.(indefinite adjective)
We need few. (indefinite pronoun)
5. Many people are busy now. (indefinite adjective)
Many are busy now. (indefinite pronoun)
6. Give me some money!(indefinite adjective)
Give me some! (indefinite pronoun)
7. There are several computers in the classroom. (indefinite adjective)
There are several in the classroom. (indefinite pronoun)
8. She got me one book from the library. (indefinite adjective)
She got me one from the library. (indefinite pronoun)
9. There is no food left. (indefinite adjective)
There is no left. (indefinite pronoun)
ETC.
From the examples above you see that all the words highlighted in yellow modify the words that follow. Yet they don’t refer to specific thing.
To see the complete information on kinds of adjectives, just click here!

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