Descriptions usually sound smoother when opinions come before factual details. A few well-chosen words help the listener recognise the object; a long stack of adjectives is rarely needed.
The idea
A useful neutral pattern is opinion, size, age or shape, colour, origin, material, purpose, then noun. Thus blue precedes woollen, and Italian precedes silver. Articles and numbers come before this sequence. Material and purpose modifiers can also be nouns, as in glass mixing bowl.
Examples
- She bought a beautiful old wooden chair.
- There are two small round mirrors in the hall.
- He wore a long blue woollen scarf.
- We found an old Italian silver coin.
- I need a small glass mixing bowl.
- The room looks bright and spacious.
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Watch out
This is a tendency, not an unbreakable formula; emphasis and familiar combinations can change the order, especially among physical descriptions. After a linking verb, connect the final two adjectives with and: bright and spacious. Do not automatically insert and between every modifier before a noun.
Try it yourself
Choose the usual neutral order. She bought a ___ chair. (beautiful old / old beautiful)
Show answer or example answer
beautiful old
An opinion such as beautiful normally precedes an age description such as old in a neutral noun phrase.
Choose the usual neutral order. He wore a long ___ scarf. (blue woollen / woollen blue)
Show answer or example answer
blue woollen
Colour normally comes before material, so blue woollen is the expected order here.
Choose the usual neutral order. We found an old ___ coin. (Italian silver / silver Italian)
Show answer or example answer
Italian silver
Origin normally precedes material, giving Italian silver. The coin's age is already stated by old.
Practice round
Answer questions and rebuild English sentences to practise. Your score is shown.
Choose the usual neutral order. She bought a ___ chair. (beautiful old / old beautiful)
Choose the usual neutral order. He wore a long ___ scarf. (blue woollen / woollen blue)
Choose the usual neutral order. We found an old ___ coin. (Italian silver / silver Italian)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe three objects using two or three modifiers each. Explain which word gives your opinion and which names a material. Rewrite one description after looks with and.