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Task

Tasks: The Order of Adjectives


Summing up:

  • Coordinate adjectives are separated by a comma or the conjunction 'and'. You can also change their order and still have a logical sentence.

  • Cumulative adjectives are not separated by a comma and must be placed in a specific order based on which category they belong to. The order is as follows:

    quantity, opinion, size/measurement, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose.


Discuss:

Work together in pairs or small groups.

  1. Read the sentences below and decide whether these sentences contain cumulative or coordinate adjectives. Ask yourself:
    – Can you change the order of the adjectives?
    – Can you separate the adjectives using the conjunction 'and'?
    If the answer to these two questions is 'yes', you are dealing with coordinate adjectives.

  2. We have removed all commas in the sentences containing coordinate adjectives, just to make it a bit more difficult for you. Add the missing commas.

  1. She was a smart beautiful woman.

  2. What a gratifying productive day.

  3. We explored a picturesque Italian village.

  4. He was a friendly kind man.

  5. She is an attractive young British lady.

  6. He bought her some lovely long-stemmed red roses.

  7. She brushed her long shiny hair.

  8. She was resting in a soapy luxurious bath.

  9. She is a famous Muslim doctor.

  10. We had some delicious Thai food.

  11. Mary is a creative funny girl.

  12. He’s wearing a shabby wool jacket.

Correct answer:

  1. She was a smart, beautiful person. (Coordinate)

  2. What a gratifying, productive day. (Coordinate)

  3. We explored a picturesque Italian village. (Cumulative)

  4. He was a friendly, kind man. (Coordinate)

  5. She is an attractive young British lady. (Cumulative)

  6. He bought her some lovely long-stemmed red roses. (Cumulative)

  7. She brushed her long, shiny hair (Coordinate)

  8. She was resting in a soapy, luxurious bath. (Coordinate)

  9. She is a smart Muslim woman. (Cumulative)

  10. We had some delicious Thai food. (Cumulative)

  11. Mary is a creative, funny girl. (Coordinate)

  12. He’s wearing a shabby wool jacket. (Cumulative)



Drag and drop

The following sentences all contain cumulative adjectives. Are you able to place them in the correct order?



Write

Work in pairs or groups. Take turns making sentences containing at least four adjectives. Make sure you place them in the correct order (quantity, opinion, size/measurement, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose).

We will give you the beginning and the end of the sentences. You are also free to make your own sentences.

Expand your vocabulary by using these lists of adjectives:

Compare your answers with the class. Who can make the longest sentence? Who can make the strangest sentence?


  1. John just bought a __ __ __ __ car. I really envy him.

  2. Mary hates her __ __ __ __ coach. He’s really giving her a hard time.

  3. Last night I was close to dying - I found __ __ __ __ cockroaches in my bed.

  4. For Christmas, I got a __ __ __ __ jacket. It was really awful.

  5. Dad grew up with __ __ __ __ sisters. He really had a terrible childhood.

  6. He was sitting in a __ __ __ __ chair, enjoying himself.

  7. The man was wearing a __ __ __ __ hat. It was the strangest creation I’ve ever seen.

  8. The man had a terrible holiday; he was almost eaten by a __ __ __ __ alligator.

  9. My sister spent most of her holiday on the __ __ __ __ beach.

  10. My grandfather has a __ __ __ __ house. It’s truly beautiful.



Related content

Subject material
The Order of Adjectives

In which order would you place the adjectives in a sentence? And where would you use a comma?