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ESL forum >
Ask for help > I need your help!
I need your help!
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lemarja3
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I need your help!
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Hi, can you help me with the correct word order of adjectives describing hair? Which sentence is correct:
I have short, curly, dark hair.
I have short, dark, curly hair.
Thanks for your help.
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12 Feb 2012
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ueslteacher
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I think if you classify them, it will be easier: Short - size, curly - shape, dark - colour, So there you go: Short curly dark hair.
What would a native speaker say? Sophia |
12 Feb 2012
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dennismychina
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I believe you are right Sophia. The adjective order should be as follows;
1.Determiner or article
2. opinion
3. size
4. shape
5. age
6. colour
7. nationality
8. religion
9. material
10. noun used as an adjective
and then the main noun.
Enjoy. |
12 Feb 2012
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lemarja3
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Thanks to both of you. In the student �s book that we use I noticed the following: short, dark curly hair, so I was in doubt. Yes, I also wonder what a native speaker would say about this.
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12 Feb 2012
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yanogator
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It sounds more natural to me to say "short, dark curly hair". "Short, curly dark hair" doesn �t sound bad (and follows the "rule"), but I would be more likely to say it the first way. It seems that "dark" isn�t registering as a color for me, because I would definitely say "short, curly red hair". Bruce
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12 Feb 2012
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Jayho
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It�s a curly question - lol  [An Australian expression for a tricky question]
I�m with Bruce on this. Short, dark, curly hair sounds more natural to my ear even though it doesn�t agree with the general rule of thumb. Short, curly, dark hair just doesn�t sound right but it is not incorrect.
This link here says the following (even though none of my texts do):
Describing Hair
Order of adjectives
1. Length 2. Texture 3. Color. (Note: 2 and 3 may be reversed.) She has long, curly, brown hair. She has long, brown, curly hair. (Also OK.) Cheers
Jayho |
12 Feb 2012
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ueslteacher
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@Jayho: How interesting, thanks for sharing this info!
@Bruce: Dark is definitely a colour, at least according to the dictionary:Dark - brown or black in colourSue has long dark hair.He was handsome with dark eyes.
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12 Feb 2012
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lemarja3
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Thank you all, my dear friends.
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12 Feb 2012
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