3rd grade identifying adjectives worksheets
An adjective describes a noun or pronoun: what kind, how many, or which one. By 3rd grade, students find adjectives anywhere in the sentence, including after verbs like is and seems ("The soup is hot").
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.1.1.f.
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The kind of sentences you'll get
Underline every adjective in each sentence.
-
My sister became brave at the dentist.
Answer: brave
- Omar watched the full moon through his telescope.
- Wei spread smooth peanut butter across his warm toast.
Every print pulls a fresh set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Identify. Underline every adjective in each sentence. 12 questions per page.
- Multiple choice. Circle the letter of the word that is an adjective. 10 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Keep the noun-pairing habit from earlier grades, then stretch it: give sentences where the adjective follows a linking verb ("The hallway was quiet") so students stop expecting every adjective to sit in front of its noun. When a student marks an -ly word, have them check what it describes. If it describes an action, it's an adverb, not an adjective.
Watch for: Adjectives usually come before the noun, but not always: in 'The soup is hot', hot still describes the soup. A, an, and the are their own small group (articles). We don't count them as describing words on these sheets.
Common questions about identifying adjectives
- What's the difference between an adjective and an adverb?
- Adjectives describe nouns: a careful driver. Adverbs describe verbs: she drives carefully. Have your student find the word being described. A thing means adjective; an action means adverb. This pair of sentences is worth writing on the board.
- Can an adjective come after the noun?
- Yes. In "The soup is hot," the adjective hot comes after the linking verb but still describes the soup. Third grade is the right time to practice this pattern, because it breaks the habit of only checking the word directly in front of the noun.
Related worksheets
- 1st grade identifying adjectives A step easier, same skill
- 2nd grade identifying adjectives A step easier, same skill
- 3rd grade adverbs of how, when, and where Same grade, nearby skill
- 3rd grade articles (a, an, the) Same grade, nearby skill
- 3rd grade collective nouns Same grade, nearby skill
- Identifying adjectives, all grades The full progression
- All 3rd grade English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All 3rd grade worksheets Everything at this level
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Aligned to Common Core L.1.1.f. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 137, updated August 2026.
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