is each an adjective?

Question

in this sentence: 1.He has only three fingers and one thumb on each hand.

Answer 1

Grammars actually use different labels for it.

Traditionally, used as in your example "each" is considered an adjective, because it serves, as adjectives generally do, to modify a noun.

Definition of "adjective" --
"The part of speech that modifies a noun or other substantive by limiting, qualifying, or specifying"
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dict.asp?Word=adjective

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/E0000700.html

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0885349.html --calls it an "indefinite adjective"

http://www.lousywriter.com/pronouns_adjective.php

So, "technically" it IS an adjective. But some, who quite reasonably wish to distinguish such words from adjectives in general, have created the label "determiners".

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/determiners/determiners.htm
based on Understanding English Grammar by Martha Kolln. 4rth Edition. MacMillan Publishing Company: New York. 1994.

Strictly speaking "each" is not an "indefinite PRONOUN" in this use, but only when it takes the place of a noun. (The article above describes it as an "indefinite pronoun USED as a determiner", but it is important to see that such words have a different FUNCTION when used AS pronouns.)

Answer 2

Yes, "Each" is an adjective. "Three" and "one" are also adjectives. In the English language, generally adjectives come before the noun they describe or after a linking verb.

Answer 3

Technically, no, it is not an adjective. "Each" is categorized as an INDEFINITE PRONOUN...and in your example, you are using that indefinite pronoun ("each") as a DETERMINER (which is a word that is said to "mark" a noun...just like "a" and "the" mark the nouns they proceed)

But just looking at the function of the word, you could argue that "each" is being used to modify a noun...which is the definition of an adjective, and if you were diagramming this sentence, you would treat it just like an adjective.

Answer 4

actually it looks like it.

each (adj.)
Being one of two or more considered individually; every: Each person cast a vote. My technique improved with each lesson.


An Adjective is "a word that expresses an attribute of something ". Usually it would be something like "white hand" or "stubby hand". BUT since the word "each" is describing the hand it is technically and adjective.

Answer 5

It's correct that 'each' is not an adjective. The rest of the information you have received so far is misleading.
"each" is a determining pronoun.

Answer 6

No, "each" is not an adjective. An adjective describes a noun.

Answer 7

Yes. Each can be an adjective (each puppy), a pronoun (each of them), and an adverb (Give them a bowlful each).

Answer 8

no, it's not. an adjective describes a noun. "each" isn't describing the hand

Answer 9

nope not in that sentence

Answer 10

nope. not today.