The order of adjectives in English

The adjective, as well as a noun in the English language, is one of the main parts of speech. It describes those items, persons and events, we are talking about. Well, when a noun is accompanied by a single definition, for example: a young girl (young girl), a black table (black table), an interesting book (interesting book), etc. And what if the adjectives that belong to one and the same way, not two or even three or more? How clever to say? What will be the order of adjectives in the English language, if we are faced with such a situation?

Of course, the English language — the language of exclusion and various amendments. But, nevertheless, he still has some usual algorithm, according to which all English adjectives have their place in the phrase with a noun. First, it should be noted that the adjectives can be divided into two major groups — the actual (objective — fact adjectives) and adjectives expressing a personal opinion someone (subjective — opinion adjectives). The first provides a real existing information about anything, that is, something with which you can not argue. This may be the size, color, age, etc. But the second group of adjectives responsible for how someone perceives a particular subject (person, event) and what grade gives him. In this case, the order of adjectives in English is as follows: first, the subjective and then objective adjective.

• an unusual gold ring — unusual gold ring (that is golden, no one will not argue. And unusual it may be only for a certain group of persons)
• a nice old lady — nice elderly lady (age and so clear, but the question of whether it is pleasant or not remains open)
• a lovely sunny day — a lovely sunny day (the weather that day is visible to the naked eye, but who is pleasant that day and who does not is anyone’s guess)
• a delicious hot soup — a delicious hot soup (hot — it is clear, if you try. But the taste and color of comrades not, someone may not like it)
• an interesting historical movie — an interesting historical film (historic because it tells about the events of the past. It may only be interested in those who are interested in history. The rest is unlikely to produce memorable).

The order of adjectives in English

Complicates the situation. Before that we spoke only two adjectives, facing a noun. Now an action plan in a situation with three or more adjectives. The order of adjectives in the English objective zyke the presence of two or more words is organized as follows:

1. The overall quality, character, price (quality and price)
2. Size (size — how big?; Without a little)
3. Age (age — how old? Including little)
4. Form (shape)
5. Color (colour)
6. Origin, nationality (origin — where from?)
7. The substance, material, method of manufacture (material — what is it made ​​of?)
8. Word forming a noun meaning a group — the purpose, the goal (purpose — what for?)
9. Directly noun

Some sources, paragraphs 3 and 4 are swapped, do not let this surprise. And now clearly demonstrate how to build the order of adjectives in the English language:

• a small black metal box — a small black metal box (points 2-5-7)
• beautiful long fair hair — beautiful long blond hair (paragraphs 2-5, including an adjective that expresses the speaker’s assessment of the subject)
• a high white brick wall — high white brick wall (points 2-5-7)
• a friendly fat young man — full of friendly fashion people (paragraphs 2-3, plus the view of the speaker in the beginning) / li>
• a long dark wooden table — a long dark wooden table (points 2-5-7)
• a fantastic 18 ^{th century Scottish castle —} stunning Scottish castle of the 18th century (paragraphs 3-6, plus the view of the speaker at the beginning)
• a new steel carving knife — new steel carving knife (points 1-7-8)
• a dirty old cotton tie — dirty old tie of cotton (paragraphs 3-7, plus the view of the speaker in the beginning)
• delicious chocolate cookies — delicious homemade cookies (item 7 plus the opinion of the speaker in the beginning).

The basic algorithm, which is built with the order of adjectives in the English language, we have learned. And now a few more additions to it:

1. Adjectives in the comparative and superlative degrees of comparison are facing all the other: some of the best French actresses — some of the best French actresses.
2. Adjectives, nouns that refer to something, anybody, nothing, etc., placed after these nouns: something green (something green), nothing new (nothing new).

If we have phrases with adjectives measures (deep, high, long, wide, etc.), then place them after the noun: ten kilometers long (10 km long), four meters deep (depth of five meters).

And now go to the test to see how well you have learned the subject.

 

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Grammar