Question

Pick out all the adjectives in the following sentence, and say to which class each belongs:
Several persons were present at the time.

• A. several - Distributive Numeral Adjective
  
• B. several - Indefinite Numeral Adjective; present - Adjective of Quality
  
• C. present - Demonstrative Adjective
  
• D. several - Demonstrative Adjective; present - Distributive Numeral Adjective
  

Answer 1

The correct option is B several - Indefinite Numeral Adjective; present - Adjective of Quality

Indefinite numeral adjectives do not give an exact number, words like certain, some, all, several are indefinite as they do not tell us how many people/things are mentioned.
From the options, 'several' is an indefinite numeral adjective; it does not tell us exactly how many persons were present. 'Present' means 'in a particular place' or 'occurring now'; 'present' modifies 'persons' by saying that the persons were in that particular place at the time. Hence it tells us what kind (present means, the occurrence of; also, an adjective of quality tells us the kind or characteristic of a person or thing) Hence option B is correct.
Distributive numeral adjectives (each, every, either, neither) are normally used with singular nouns whereas several modifies a plural noun 'persons'. Hence option A is incorrect.
A demonstrative adjective (this, that, these, those) modifies the noun to tell us which person, place or thing is mentioned. 'Several' does not tell us which persons, but how many. Hence option C is incorrect.
'Present' tells us the quality, it tells us that several people are there in a articular place; it does not tell us the number. Hence option D is incorrect.