Order of Adjectives with Rules, Examples and Exercise

As an English learner, understanding the correct order of adjectives is essential for effectively describing people, places, and things. The order of adjectives ensures clarity and coherence in your sentences. In this comprehensive blog post, we will take you on a journey from the basics to advanced concepts of the order of adjectives. By the end, you will have a solid grasp of this important aspect of English grammar. Let’s dive in!

1. What is the Order of Adjectives?

The order of adjectives refers to the specific sequence in which multiple adjectives should appear before a noun. While there are no strict rules, native English speakers intuitively follow a specific pattern to maintain coherence and fluency in their speech and writing.

2. The Basic Order of Adjectives

In the basic order of adjectives, the sequence generally follows this pattern:

Opinion: Expressing personal thoughts or feelings about the noun (e.g., beautiful, delicious).
Size: Describing the physical dimensions or magnitude (e.g., small, large).
Age: Indicating the age of the noun (e.g., old, young).
Shape: Describing the physical form or outline (e.g., round, square).
Color: Depicting the color of the noun (e.g., red, blue).
Origin: Identifying the place of origin (e.g., American, French).
Material: Describing the substance or material (e.g., wooden, metal).
Purpose: Indicating the intended use or function (e.g., cooking, gardening).

3. Advanced Considerations

As you progress in your English language journey, it’s important to be aware of additional factors that may influence the order of adjectives:

Quantity: When multiple adjectives of quantity are used, they typically appear before all other adjectives (e.g., two, several).
Condition: Adjectives describing the condition of the noun usually come after those indicating quality (e.g., clean, broken).
Sound and Texture: Adjectives related to sound or texture are often placed after all other adjectives (e.g., loud, soft).

Order of Adjectives Chart Table with Examples and One Sentences showing order of all adjectives — Order of Adjectives Chart Table with Examples and One Sentence showing order of all adjectives

4. Punctuation and Comma Usage

When using multiple adjectives, it’s essential to use commas to separate them. However, there are situations where commas are not necessary, such as when the adjectives are coordinate or if they follow the basic order of adjectives.

Table of Contents

Mnemonic for Order of Adjectives

Here’s a mnemonic device to help you remember the order of adjectives:

OSASCOMP

Each letter in the mnemonic represents the corresponding category of adjectives in the correct order:

O: Opinion
S: Size
A: Age
S: Shape
C: Color
O: Origin
M: Material
P: Purpose

Basic Examples of Adjectives

I have a beautiful small house in the countryside.
She wore an elegant long dress to the party.
The children played with a new wooden toy.
He drove a fast red sports car down the highway.
We enjoyed a delicious Italian meal at the restaurant.
The museum displayed an ancient Egyptian artifact.
She carried a small black leather handbag.
They live in a modern spacious apartment in the city center.
The students read an interesting historical novel for their English class.
He bought a round glass coffee table for his living room.

Advanced Example Sentences

She bought a stunning, antique, silver necklace adorned with precious gemstones.
The team conducted a thorough, detailed, scientific, comparative study on climate change.
The hotel offers luxurious, spacious, oceanfront, five-star suites with panoramic views.
I was captivated by the enchanting, mystical, ancient, mythical stories from the folklore.
He is known for his innovative, groundbreaking, award-winning, documentary-style filmmaking.
The art gallery displayed a collection of vibrant, abstract, contemporary, thought-provoking paintings.
We hiked through the dense, lush, verdant, untouched rainforest in search of rare species.
The chef prepared a mouthwatering, aromatic, flavorful, authentic Indian curry.
She wore an elegant gown made of flowing, silk, embroidered, floor-length fabric.
The architecture of the building showcased a blend of modern, sleek, minimalist, glass-and-steel design.

Order of Adjectives Exercise with Solution

Here are some practice sentences to test your understanding of the order of adjectives. At the end, you’ll find the solutions with explanations:

She adopted a fluffy, little, adorable puppy.
He bought a big, red, old car.
They live in a beautiful, small, white house.
The store sells expensive, designer, Italian handbags.
I saw a tall, handsome, young man at the party.

Now, let’s go through the solutions:

She adopted an adorable, little, fluffy puppy. Explanation: The correct order is Opinion – Size – Age. “Adorable” expresses an opinion, “little” indicates size, and “fluffy” describes a characteristic of the puppy.
He bought an old, big, red car. Explanation: The correct order is Age – Size – Color. “Old” indicates the age of the car, “big” describes its size, and “red” specifies its color.
They live in a beautiful, white, small house. Explanation: The correct order is Opinion – Color – Size. “Beautiful” expresses an opinion, “white” specifies the color, and “small” indicates the size of the house.
The store sells designer, expensive, Italian handbags. Explanation: The correct order is Purpose – Opinion – Origin. “Designer” denotes the purpose, “expensive” expresses an opinion, and “Italian” indicates the origin of the handbags.
I saw a young, tall, handsome man at the party. Explanation: The correct order is Age – Size – Opinion. “Young” indicates the age, “tall” describes the height, and “handsome” expresses an opinion about the man’s appearance.

Check Your Understanding by Solving