LIMITING ADJECTIVE:

These types of adjectives specify or limit the noun.

[In the following examples, the adjective is bold and the noun is underlined.]

• The two teams have met every season since 1932.
  • TWO tells us how many TEAMS and EVERY tells us how many SEASONS.
  • Note: It does not describe the teams; it tells us which ones to limit our attention to.

• Saturday, Oregon plays USC before what should be a sellout crowd.
  • SELLOUT tells us what size of crowd. A specific number would also be limiting.

• Did Garret see this article that appeared in the paper?
  • THIS indicates which “limited” article.
  • Note: In this sentence, THIS is NOT a demonstrative pronoun.

• Will you be sitting at the captain’s table this evening?
  • CAPTAIN’S limits what table we are considering.
  • Note: This type of possessive is called a possessive noun.

• This season, the two are meeting on a home-and-home basis, unusual for non-conference rivals.
  • HOME-AND-HOME limits the basis for meeting.
  • Note: We use hyphens to connect words that work together to modify the noun.