Which does an adjective modify?

An adjective modifies nouns and pronouns. It adds information about a person, place, thing, or substitute for a noun, making the meaning more specific—for example, “a bright star” and “she is kind.”

Adjectives commonly appear before the noun they describe, as in “a noisy engine,” but they can also follow a linking verb: “the engine is noisy.” In the second example, “noisy” still describes the noun “engine,” even though it appears later in the sentence. Adjective phrases and clauses can perform the same job, as in “the book on the table” or “the student who won.”

A common mix-up is confusing adjectives with adverbs. Adverbs usually modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or whole clauses: “ran quickly,” “very bright,” and “fortunately.” Some words, such as “fast,” can be either an adjective or an adverb depending on use: “a fast train” versus “the train moved fast.” In traditional English grammar, adjectives are therefore chiefly associated with nouns and pronouns, while adverbs usually describe actions or qualities.