Adjectives usually appear before the noun or pronoun that they are modifying. When this is the case there is an order in which the different categories of adjective are placed in the sentence. This word order is as follows:
- opinion
- size
- age
- shape
- colour
- origin
- material
- purpose
Below are some examples of this word order.
| opinion | size | age | shape | colour | origin | material | purpose | (noun) |
| magnificent | old | Arabian | …statue | |||||
| long | bronze | …sword | ||||||
| beautiful | antique | Egyptian | …plate | |||||
| huge | silver | hunting | …gun | |||||
| delicious | vintage | Spanish | …wine | |||||
| stunning | tall | slim | Brazilian | …model | ||||
| large | black | guard | …dog |
If an adjective is modifying an indefinite pronoun such as somebody, someone, anything etc. the adjective follows the pronoun:
“He didn’t meet anyone interesting at the conference.”
Exercise: Put the adjectives in the correct order in the following sentences
- Anna bought a [ golden – small ] picture frame from the antique stall in the market.
- Mark saw a [ Italian – famous ] footballer when he visited Rome.
- Have you seen my [ brown -walking ] boots? I can’t find them anywhere.
- I have ordered a [ large – Persian – red ] rug which will arrive next week.
Post your answers in the comments below. Alternatively, you can book a one-to-one lesson with an Intrepid English teacher today to discuss this topic in more detail.
If you have any questions, or you would like to request a topic for a future blog, you can contact us by leaving a comment below, or email us at Intrepid English.
Intrepid English Members can study this topic in more detail in the Fast Grammar course in the Intrepid English Academy.
Not a Member yet? Book a trial lesson today and talk about your learning goals with an experienced and friendly Intrepid English teacher. Say goodbye to boring English lessons!