Order of Adjectives

Order of adjectives
How to order adjectives in English
In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific order. Generally, the
adjective order in English is:
1. Quantity or number
2. Quality or opinion
3. Size
4. Age
5. Shape
6. Color
7. Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
8. Purpose or qualifier
Examples:
 I love that really big old green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
 My sister adopted a beautiful big white bulldog.
When there are two or more adjectives that are from the same group, the word and is placed between
the two adjectives:
 The house is green and red.

 The library has old and new books.
When there are three or more adjectives from the same adjective group, place a comma between each
of the coordinate adjectives:
 We live in the big green, white and red house at the end of the street.
 My friend lost a red, black and white watch.
A comma is not placed between an adjective and the noun.
Order of adjectives – examples
More examples:
 I love that beautiful old big green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
[quality - age - size - color - proper adjective]
 My sister has a big beautiful tan and white bulldog. [size - quality - color - color]
 A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion - age - origin]
 A big square blue box. [dimension - shape - color]
 A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion - color - material]
 Some slim new French trousers. [dimension - age - origin]
 An amazing new American movie. [opinion - age - origin]
 I bought a pair of black leather shoes. [color - material]
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Order of adjectives exercises
1. Choose the best answer for each sentence.
The house is __________________.
large and white
white and large
large white
They live in a __________________ house.
large and white
white and large
large white
2. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?
We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus.
We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus.
We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.
I’d like three good reasons why you don’t like spinach.
I’d like a good three reasons why you don’t like spinach.
I’d like good reasons three why you don’t like spinach.
I like that really big red old antique tractor in the museum.
I like that really big old red antique tractor in the museum.
I like that old, red, really big antique tractor in the museum.
My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.
My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.
6. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
My grandmother lives in the ________________________ house on the corner
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little blue, green and white
little blue and green and white
little, blue, green, and white
The store carries an assortment of _____________________ objects.
interesting new, old and antique
new, old, interesting and antique
interesting, old and new and antique
We went for a two-week cruise on a __________________________ ocean liner.
incredible brand-new, huge Italian
incredible, huge, brand-new Italian
Italian incredible, brand-new, huge
7. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
I bought a pair of _________________ boots.
new, nice, red rain
nice new red rain
red nice new rain
My dad was thrilled with his gift of ______________________ bowties for his clown act.
three squirting new nice big polka-dotted
three polka-dotted nice new squirting
three nice big new polka-dotted squirting
Please put the marbles into that ______________________ box.
round little old red
little old round red
little old red round
8. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank:
I was surprised to receive a __________________ puppy for my birthday.
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little, cute, eight-week-old golden retriever
cute eight-week-old little golden retriever
cute little eight-week-old golden retriever
Our work uniform consists of black pants, black shoes, and a ________________ shirt.
yellow baggy big polo
big baggy yellow polo
baggy yellow big polo
I’ve been spending a lot of time in antique shops looking for the perfect _______________ clock.
little silver Italian cuckoo
little Italian silver cuckoo
silver little Italian cuckoo
Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black and white stripes.
Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black with white stripes.
Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black, white stripes.
During my college years, I wore a red, white and black big hat to sporting events.
During my college years, I wore a big red, white and black hat to sporting events.
During my college years, I wore a big red white and black, hat to sporting events.
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Order of adjectives

How to order adjectives in English

 The house is green and red.

A comma is not placed between an adjective and the noun.

Order of adjectives – examples

1. Choose the best answer for each sentence.

The house is __________________.

large and white

white and large

They live in a __________________ house.

large and white

white and large

2. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus.

We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus.

We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.

3. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

4. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

5. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.

My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.

My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.

My grandmother lives in the ________________________ house on the corner

little blue and green and white

little, blue, green, and white

The store carries an assortment of _____________________ objects.

interesting new, old and antique

new, old, interesting and antique

interesting, old and new and antique

We went for a two-week cruise on a __________________________ ocean liner.

incredible brand-new, huge Italian

incredible, huge, brand-new Italian

Italian incredible, brand-new, huge

I bought a pair of _________________ boots.

new, nice, red rain

nice new red rain

red nice new rain

three squirting new nice big polka-dotted

three polka-dotted nice new squirting

three nice big new polka-dotted squirting

Please put the marbles into that ______________________ box.

round little old red

little old round red

little old red round

I was surprised to receive a __________________ puppy for my birthday.

cute eight-week-old little golden retriever

cute little eight-week-old golden retriever

yellow baggy big polo

big baggy yellow polo

baggy yellow big polo

little silver Italian cuckoo

little Italian silver cuckoo

silver little Italian cuckoo

9. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black and white stripes.

Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black with white stripes.

Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black, white stripes.

10. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

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