Question

Questions 1–9: The sentences below contain adjectives and pronouns that are spelled alike. This exercise will help you determine if you know the difference between adjectives and pronouns. Identify the adjectives and the nouns they modify. Identify the demonstrative, indefinite, and interrogative pronouns. 1. Many people, especially those who grew up before the age of the personal computer, don’t understand how computers store information. 2. That information is stored in electronic files. Those files function much like file folders. 3. Each file is given a name. The name given to each, its filename, should represent the information found in the file. 4. What is the difference between the way a computer stores information and that used to store information in a conventional filing cabinet? 5. That explanation isn’t as clear as the one all of us heard at the lecture yesterday. 6. Which flowers are the most beautiful? These lilies are very nice, but they’re less interesting than those. 7. Many houses are comfortable, but few are as comfortable as this cottage. 8. Many people were crowded into a very small space. All agreed that it was time to enlarge the office space. 9. Several examples are often helpful. Which example don’t you understand?

Answer 1

1.Many people, especially those who grew up before the age of the personal computer, don’t understand how computers store information.

The relative pronoun who is modifying the noun phrase: ‘many people’, and the relative clause ‘who grew up before the age of the personal computer’ is functioning as an adjective.

2.That information is stored in electronic files. Those files function much like file folders.

That is a demonstrative pronoun which points to a noun, in this case ‘information’. Those is also a demonstrative pronoun, in plural who is referring to the noun ‘files’

3.Each file is given a name. The name given to each, its filename, should represent the information found in the file.

‘each’ is an adjective that modifies the noun ‘file’. In the second sentence, ‘each’ is an adverb and acting as a direct object of the verb ‘give’ in passive voice.

4. What is the difference between the way a computer stores information and that used to store information in a conventional filing cabinet?

‘what’ is an interrogative pronoun, used to ask a direct question.

5. That explanation isn’t as clear as the one all of us heard at the lecture yesterday.

That is a demonstrative pronoun which points to a noun, ‘explanation’.

6. Which flowers are the most beautiful? These lilies are very nice, but they’re less interesting than those.

‘which’ is an interrogative pronoun, used to ask questions about things. ‘these’ is a demonstrative pronoun in plural, whereas ‘those’ is a demonstrative pronoun that refers to distance.

7. Many houses are comfortable, but few are as comfortable as this cottage.

‘Many’ and ‘few’ are quantifiers and act as adjectives, modifying the noun ‘house’.

8. Many people were crowded into a very small space. All agreed that it was time to enlarge the office space.

‘Many’ is a quantifier modifying the noun ‘people’ and ‘all’ is a predeterminer making reference to the people previously mentioned.

9. Several examples are often helpful. Which example don’t you understand?

‘several’ is an indefinite pronoun, used for non specific things. And ‘which’ is an interrogative pronoun, used to ask a direct question about things.

Answer 2

1. Many (adjective, modifies people), especially those (demonstrative pronoun) who grew up before the age of the personal computer, don’t understand how computers store information.

2. That (adjective, modifies information) is stored in electronic files. Those (adjective, modifies files) function much like file folders.

3. Each (adjective, modifies file) is given a name. The name given to each (indefinite pronoun), its (adjective, modifies filename), should represent the information found in the file.

4. What (interrogative pronoun) is the difference between the way a computer stores information and that (demonstrative pronoun) used to store information in a conventional filing cabinet?

5. That (adjective, modifies explanation) isn’t as clear as the one (demonstrative pronoun) all (indefinite pronoun) of us heard at the lecture yesterday.

6. Which (adjective, modifies flowers) are the most beautiful? These (adjective, modifies lilies) are very nice, but they’re less interesting than those (demonstrative pronoun).

7. Many (adjective, modifies houses) are comfortable, but few (indefinite pronoun) are as comfortable as this (adjective, modifies cottage).

8. Many (adjective, modifies people) were crowded into a very small space. All (indefinite pronoun) agreed that it was time to enlarge the office space.

9. Several (adjective, modifies examples) are often helpful. Which (adjective, modifies example) don’t you understand?