Skip to main content

Adjectives without nouns

We cannot usually leave out a noun after an adjective.

  • Poor little boy! (not Poor little!)
  • The most important thing is to be happy. (not The most important is …)

But there are some exceptions.

Well-known groups: the old; the poor​

The + adjective is used to talk about certain well-known groups of people who are in a particular physical or social condition. Common expressions:

  • the blind
  • the dead
  • the deaf
  • the disabled
  • the handicapped
  • the jobless
  • the mentally ill
  • the old
  • the poor
  • the rich
  • the unemployed
  • the young

The term handicapped is now often considered offensive; people with physical disabilities generally prefer the adjective disabled.

  • He’s collecting money for the blind.
  • The unemployed are losing hope.

The meaning is usually general; occasionally a limited group is referred to.

  • After the accident, the injured were taken to hospital.

These expressions are normally plural: the dead means ‘all dead people’ or ‘the dead people’, but not ‘the dead person’.

  • The dead have no further worries. (but not The dead has …)

Note that these expressions cannot be used with a possessive ’s.

  • the problems of the poor or poor people’s problems (not the poor’s problems)

Adjectives are normally only used in this way with the or a determiner.

  • This government doesn’t care about the poor. (not … about poor.)
  • There are more unemployed than ever before.

However, adjectives without the are sometimes used in paired structures with both … and …

  • opportunities for both rich and poor

Adjectives of nationality: the Irish; the Dutch​

A few adjectives of nationality ending in -sh or -ch (see here) are used after the without nouns. They include Irish, Welsh, English, British, Spanish, Dutch, French.

  • The Irish are very proud of their sense of humour.

These expressions are plural; singular equivalents are for example an Irishwoman, a Welshman (not a Welsh).

Where nouns exist, these are preferred to expressions with the …ish: we say the Danes or the Turks (not the Danish or the Turkish).

Singular examples: the accused​

In a few formal fixed phrases, the + adjective can have a singular meaning. These include the accused, the undersigned, the deceased, the former and the latter.

  • The accused was released on bail.
  • … Stephen Gray and Susan Cook; the latter is a well-known designer.

Abstract ideas: the supernatural​

Adjectives are sometimes used after the to refer to general abstract ideas, especially in philosophical writing. (Examples: the beautiful, the supernatural, the unreal.) These expressions are singular.

  • She’s interested in the supernatural.
  • The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.

Choices: White or brown?​

We sometimes leave out a noun that has already been mentioned, or which does not need to be mentioned, when thinking about a choice between two or more different kinds of thing.

  • ‘Have you got any bread?’ ‘Do you want white or brown?’
  • I’d like two large packets and one small.

Colour adjectives can sometimes have a plural -s in this situation, effectively becoming nouns.

  • Wash the reds and blues separately. (= red and blue clothes)

Superlatives: We bought the cheapest.​

Nouns are often left out after superlative adjectives.

  • I’m the tallest in my family.
  • We bought the cheapest.
note

For other structures in which nouns can be left out, (see here).