Identify the adjective in the sentence: "He gave me five mangoes."

Appeared in: GMCH - 2015

Explanation

An adjective is a word that describes or provides more information about a noun or pronoun.
In the sentence, the word 'five' modifies the noun 'mangoes' by specifying its quantity.
'Five' is a specific type of adjective known as a definite numeral adjective (a cardinal number), as it denotes an exact number.
It directly answers the question, "How many mangoes?".

Option A: 'He' is a pronoun, a word that takes the place of a noun.
Option C: 'Gave' is a verb, which is a word that expresses an action or a state of being.
Option D: 'Mangoes' is a noun, which is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identifying Adjectives in a Sentence as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While this is a grammar question, strong language skills are crucial for healthcare professionals. Clear and precise communication in patient charting, documentation, and when giving instructions prevents misunderstandings and ensures patient safety.
Understanding parts of speech helps in constructing grammatically correct and unambiguous sentences, which is vital for legal and medical accuracy in reports.
What if? - If the sentence was 'He gave me the fifth mango,' the word 'fifth' would still be an adjective. However, it would be an ordinal numeral adjective, specifying the order or position of the mango, rather than the quantity.

How to Approach the Question

First, read the sentence to understand its overall meaning: 'He gave me five mangoes.'
Next, recall the definition of an adjective: a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. It often answers questions like 'what kind?', 'how many?', or 'which one?'.
Analyze each word in the sentence to determine its part of speech. 'He' is a pronoun, 'gave' is a verb, and 'mangoes' is a noun.
Examine the word 'five'. Ask what function it serves. It tells you 'how many' mangoes there are.
Since 'five' provides more information about the noun 'mangoes', it is functioning as an adjective.
Check the other options to confirm they are different parts of speech, reinforcing your conclusion.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full GMCH - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.