Noun Premodification with Adjectives and Participles
Adjectives
Adjectives give us information about the qualities or attributes of something (descriptorsAn adjective which has a particular describing function. Descriptors are normally gradable. There are four types: size/amount, time, colour and evaluative.), for example goodevaluative adjective chanceheadword. They also act as classifiersAn adjective used mainly in writing which has a classifying function. Classifiers are normally non-gradable. There are three types: relational, topical and affiliative., giving information about a particular group, section, rank, affiliation or subject area to which a noun belongs, for example igneousclassificational adjective (as opposed to sedimentary or metamorphic rocks) rockheadword.
Descriptors
The following animations show evaluative (poor, important) and size/amount/frequency (regular) descriptorsAn adjective which has a particular describing function. Descriptors are normally gradable. There are four types: size/amount, time, colour and evaluative.. They describe, rather than classify.
Classifiers
The following animations show topical classifiersAn adjective used mainly in writing which has a classifying function. Classifiers are normally non-gradable. There are three types: relational, topical and affiliative.. They define a particular subject area or group. They are restrictive in the sense that they exclude other areas of the head noun. For example medical science restricts the noun "science" to one particular area, that of medicine.
The following animation shows a relational classifier and an affiliative classifier (belonging to a national, ethnic or religious group).
Participles
ParticiplesA non-finite verb form used as an adjective and also to form the perfect and progressive aspect, and the passive voice. have the same function as adjectives and are derived from verbs. There are two forms, the -ing form and the -ed from, for example: manufacturingparticiple adjective from the verb to manufacture processesheadword, relaxedparticiple adjective from the verb to relax stateheadword.