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order of adjectives

angela#anaconda

order of adjectives

Hey there!

I need your help guys!

I sometimes find it hard to know in which order I�m supposed to put multiple adjectives before a noun.

For instance, would you say:

"She�s got long straight blonde hair" or "She�s got straight long blonde hair"

"He�s got short curly brown hair" or "He�s got curly short brown hair".

I would instinctively use the first propositions but I�m only 90 % sure!

What do you think?

Thank you all!

angela

7 Nov 2008

saninfe

I hope this chart will help you. It is the usual order of adjectives.

Determiner	Observation	Physical Description				Origin	Material	Qualifier	Noun
		Size	Shape	Age	Color

EX: A/ THE BEAUTIFUL SMALL ROUND ANTIQUE BLUE SPANISH GOLDEN COIN

But English do not use so many adjectives to qualify a noun.

7 Nov 2008

Logos

Use of adjectives in description

Adjectives used in the description of objects are usually spoken in a fairly set order. For instance, a person can say �A big brown suitcase.� But �A brown big suitcase.� would sound strange. The diagram below shows the usual order of adjectives. but it is not common to find so many adjectives used in one sentence.

How much / many?	What�s it like?	What size/length?	What shape?	How old?	What colour?	What�s the style / pattern?	What�s it made of?	What is it?
A/an	beautiful	little	square	old	pale red	check	silk	scarf.
A pair of	expensive	small		new			diamond	earrings.
Four		large	oblong		brown		wooden	tables.

7 Nov 2008

juvelry

Hi to all of you. These two answers that you got are simple and good to follow. I just wanted to add that the order of adjectives follow one very simple rule - the closer it is to a noun to more personal judgement attributes it has (for you put them from non personal view to resonal point of veiw).

Though sometimes it is pretty difficult to define on the hwole it works. :)

Take care,

Aleena...

7 Nov 2008

goodnesses

Hi, angela#anaconda

I can give you a very simple tip but first,

Do you know what does "OPSHACOM" mean?

7 Nov 2008

Zora

*raises hand and says pick me* LOL

It stands for - opinion, shape, age, color, origin and material!!

7 Nov 2008

goodnesses

Bravo , Zora - f

That�s the easiest way I found to remember the order of adjectives.

Good, though I hoped angela#anaconda guessing.

Yes it stands for

OP=opinion (bad, good, interesting...) / SHA=Shape or size (big, small, round, tall...) / C=Color (yellow, green...) / O=origin (English, Canadian, country...) M= Material (leather, wooden, metal...)

OPSHACOM

Hpe this could help angela#anaconda!

7 Nov 2008