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Order of Adjectives: Rules and Examples in English Grammar

English

Grammar

Order Of Adjectives

What is the Order of Adjectives?

The order of adjectives refers to the conventional sequence in which multiple adjectives are placed before a noun. Understanding the order of adjectives is important for clear and effective communication in English. Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns, and their proper arrangement ensures that descriptions are logical and easily understood. By following specific rules for adjective order, you can make your sentences more precise and engaging.

Table of Content

1. What is the Order of Adjectives?

2. How Order of Adjectives Works?

2.1

Example 1:

2.2

Example 2:

3. Order of Adjectives Chart

4. Order of Adjectives Examples

5. Order of Adjectives Examples Sentences

6. Test Your Knowledge on the Order of Adjectives

7. Find out if you got them all right from the answers below.

8. Takeaways from this Page

FAQs

Interesting Facts about the Order of Adjectives

The order of adjectives follows a set sequence in English, which is somewhat fixed and helps in creating clearer, more understandable sentences. This sequence is not always intuitive and differs from other languages.
The “opinion” category of adjectives is highly subjective. What one person considers beautiful, another might find unattractive, making this category more flexible in terms of placement compared to others.
When using multiple adjectives, the order often follows a pattern even if some categories are not present. For instance, “a lovely little old house” follows the quantity, opinion, size, and age sequence.
The order of adjectives is influenced by the way English evolved from its Germanic roots, where a similar order was used in Old English. This historical pattern has continued into modern English usage.

How Order of Adjectives Works?

The first element to include in a sentence according to the order of adjectives is the determiner. Determiners encompass possessive adjectives, demonstrative adjectives, demonstrative pronouns, and articles. Examples are my, his, your, her, their, its, this, that, these, those, a, an, and the.
Next, you should mention the quantity of the object. This can include terms like two, ten, a dozen, many, much, a few, several, etc.
Opinions about the noun come third. These opinions can be general or specific, such as beautiful, tasty, precious, horrible, pretty, elegant, lovely, etc.
Following opinions, state the size of the noun, which could be huge, tiny, big, small, medium, long, etc.
The age of the noun occupies the fifth position. Examples include new, old, ancient, young, etc.
The sixth position is reserved for the shape of the noun, like square, cubical, round, circular, spherical, cylindrical, triangular, etc.
After the shape, the colours of the noun are mentioned. Examples are grey, purple, deep blue, black, etc.
The origin of the noun is placed in the eighth position, with examples such as Indian, Chinese, Spanish, Dutch, English, Sri Lankan, etc.
The ninth position is for the material of the noun. This can include terms like silk, cotton, jute, wooden, glass, acrylic, etc.
Finally, the purpose or qualifier of the object is placed just before the noun. Examples include sports (uniform), vending (machine), denim (shirt), jute (saree), painting (brush), etc.

Example 1:

She bought a/ lovely/ small/ red vase for the dining table.

(Determiner/Opinion/Size/Colour)

Example 2:

Did you visit the / modern / French restaurant downtown?

(Determiner /Age /Origin)

Order of Adjectives Chart

Determiner	Quantity	Opinion	Size	Age	Shape	Colour	Origin	Material	Purpose/Qualifier	Noun
Your		elegant				red		silk	saree	saree
My			new		cylindrical			leather	bag	bag
The	two	pretty		young		blue	Indian		girls	girls
An		interesting					Korean		series	series
My				old		blue		sports	uniform	uniform
His			huge					wooden	wall cupboard	cupboard

Order of Adjectives Examples

1. The (Determiner) three (Quantity) adorable (Opinion) small (Size) ancient (Age) round (Shape) Green (Colour) Japanese (Origin) ceramic (Material) tea (Purpose/Qualifier) cups (Noun)

"The three adorable small ancient round green Japanese ceramic tea cups."

2. My (Determiner) two (Quantity) interesting (Opinion) Large (Size) new (Age) square (Shape) black (Colour) Italian(Origin) leather (Material) sofa (Purpose/Qualifier) is very comfortable.

"My two interesting large new square black Italian leather sofas are very comfortable."

3. A (Determiner) few (Quantity) beautiful (Opinion) medium-sized (Size) old (Age) rectangular (Shape) blue (Colour) French (Origin) wooden (Material) dining (Purpose/Qualifier) tables (Noun)

"A few beautiful medium-sized old rectangular blue French wooden dining tables."

4. The (Determiner) several (Quantity) charming (Opinion) tiny (Size) vintage (Age) round (Shape) purple (Colour) Russian (Origin) glass (Material) vases (Purpose/Qualifier) on the shelf.

"The several charming tiny vintage round purple Russian glass vases on the shelf."

5. Her (Determiner) many (Quantity) fascinating (Opinion) huge (Size) ancient (Age) circular (Shape) golden (Colour) Egyptian (Origin) metal (Material) artefacts (Purpose/Qualifier) are displayed in the museum.

"Her many fascinating huge ancient circular golden Egyptian metal artefacts are displayed in the museum."

Order of Adjectives Examples Sentences

The big old brown dog barked loudly.
She wore a lovely long red dress to the party.
We visited a small charming old village in the mountains.
He bought two new beautiful square wooden tables.
The bright large blue American plastic storage boxes are on the shelf.

Test Your Knowledge on the Order of Adjectives

1. Identify the correct order of adjectives in the following sentence:

Sentence: She bought a ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ dress.

2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate adjectives in the correct order:

Sentence: They found ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ shoes in the store.

3. Rearrange the following adjectives to make a correct sentence:

Adjectives: amazing, huge, red, ancient, Egyptian
Sentence: The ___ ___ ___ ___ sculpture was discovered.

4. Choose the correct adjective order to complete the sentence:

Sentence: He wore a ___ ___ ___ ___ hat.

5. Place the adjectives in the correct order for the following sentence:

Sentence: She showed us her ___ ___ ___ __ ___ cat.

Find out if you got them all right from the answers below.

She bought a beautiful small old red dress.
They found a few lovely old blue Italian leather shoes in the store.
The huge ancient Egyptian red sculpture was discovered.
He wore a stylish black leather wide-brimmed hat.
She showed us her lovely small brown Persian cat.

Takeaways from this Page

Adjectives should follow a specific order: determiner, quantity, opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and purpose/qualifier. This structure ensures clarity and coherence in your descriptions.
Properly ordered adjectives help to create detailed and vivid imagery, making your writing more engaging and informative.
Using the correct order of adjectives avoids confusion and maintains the flow of your sentences, improving overall readability.

FAQs on Order of Adjectives: Rules and Examples in English Grammar

1. What is the correct order of adjectives in a sentence?

The correct order of adjectives sentences is determiner, quantity, opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and purpose/qualifier. For example, “a lovely little old red car.”

2. Why is the order of adjectives important in writing?

The order of adjectives ensures clarity and coherence in descriptions. Following the correct sequence helps readers understand the intended meaning and creates more vivid and precise imagery.

3. Can adjectives be used in any order?

No, adjectives must follow a specific order to make sense. Deviating from the correct order can lead to confusion and disrupt the flow of a sentence.

4. How do I know which adjective to place first?

Start with the determiner, then move on to quantity, followed by opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and finally, purpose/qualifier. This sequence helps maintain clarity and readability.

5. Are there exceptions to the adjective order rules?

In general, the order of adjectives is consistent, but stylistic choices or emphasis may occasionally alter the sequence. However, maintaining the standard order is crucial for clear communication.

6. How can I practice using the correct order of adjectives?

Practice by creating sentences with multiple adjectives and checking if they follow the correct order. Reviewing example sentences and doing exercises can also help reinforce your understanding.

7. Can multiple adjectives describe the same noun?

Yes, multiple adjectives can describe a noun, but they must be arranged according to the correct order. For example, “a beautiful large old wooden table.”

8. What role do determiners play in the order of adjectives?

Determiners, such as articles and possessive adjectives, come first in the order. They introduce the noun and provide context before other descriptive adjectives.

9. How do I identify the purpose/qualifier of a noun?

The purpose/qualifier indicates the specific use or function of the noun. It is the final adjective in the sequence, such as “sports” in “a red sports car.”

10. Can the order of adjectives change based on emphasis?

While the standard order should generally be followed for clarity, changing the order for emphasis or stylistic reasons is possible, but it may affect the sentence’s readability.