Order of adjectives

In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific order. Generally, the adjective order in
English is:
1. Quantity or number
2. Quality or opinion
3. Size
4. Age
5. Shape
6. Color
7. Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
8. Purpose or qualifier

For example:

1. I love that really big old green antique car that always parked at the end of the street.
2. My sister adopted a beautiful big white bulldog.
When there are two or more adjectives that are from the same group, the word and is placed between the two adjectives:

1. The house is green and red.

2. The library has old and new books.
When there are three or more adjectives from the same adjective group, place a comma between each of the coordinate
adjectives:

1. We live in the big green, white and red house at the end of the street.
2. My friend lost a red, black and white watch.
A comma is not placed between an adjective and the noun.

Order of adjectives – examples

More examples:

1. I love that beautiful old big green antique car that always parked at the end of the street. [quality – age – size
– color – proper adjective]
2. My sister has a big beautiful tan and white bulldog. [size – quality – color – color]
3. A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion – age – origin]
4. A big square blue box. [dimension – shape – color]
5. A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion – color – material]
6. Some slim new French trousers. [dimension – age – origin]
7. An amazing new American movie. [opinion – age – origin]
8. I bought a pair of black leather shoes. [color – material

Order of adjectives exercises

1. Choose the best answer for each sentence.
The house is __________________.
 large and white
 white and large
 large white

2. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus.
B. We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus.
C. We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.

3. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. I’d like three good reasons why you don’t like spinach.
B. I’d like a good three reasons why you don’t like spinach.
C. I’d like good reasons three why you don’t like spinach.

4. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. I like that really big red old antique tractor in the museum.
B. I like that really big old red antique tractor in the museum.
C. I like that old, red, really big antique tractor in the museum.

5. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
B. My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.
C. My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.

6. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A. My grandmother lives in the ________________________ house on the corner
 little blue, green and white
 little blue and green and white
 little, blue, green, and white
B. The store carries an assortment of _____________________ objects.
 interesting new, old and antique
 new, old, interesting and antique
 interesting, old and new and antique
C. We went for a two-week cruise on a __________________________ ocean liner.
 incredible brand-new, huge Italian
 incredible, huge, brand-new Italian
 Italian incredible, brand-new, huge

7. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A. I bought a pair of _________________ boots.
 new, nice, red rain
 nice new red rain
 red nice new rain
B. My dad was thrilled with his gift of ______________________ bowties for his clown act.
 three squirting new nice big polka-dotted
 three polka-dotted nice new squirting
 three nice big new polka-dotted squirting
C. Please put the marbles into that ______________________ box.
 round little old red
 little old round red
 little old red round

8. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank:
A. I was surprised to receive a __________________ puppy for my birthday.
 little, cute, eight-week-old golden retriever
 cute eight-week-old little golden retriever
 cute little eight-week-old golden retriever
B. Our work uniform consists of black pants, black shoes, and a ________________ shirt.
 yellow baggy big polo
 big baggy yellow polo
 baggy yellow big polo

C. I’ve been spending a lot of time in antique shops looking for the perfect _______________ clock.
 little silver Italian cuckoo
 little Italian silver cuckoo
 silver little Italian cuckoo

9. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black and white stripes.
B. Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black with white stripes.
C. Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black, white stripes.
Answer: A
10. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?
A. During my college years, I wore a red, white and black big hat to sporting events.
B. During my college years, I wore a big red, white and black hat to sporting events.
C. During my college years, I wore a big red white and black, hat to sporting events.

Comparing adjectives
Forming comparative adjectives
As well as serving as modifying words like beautiful and big, adjectives are also used for indicating the position on a scale
of comparison. The lowest point on the scale is known as the positive form, the middle point is known as the
comparative form, and the highest point is known as the superlative form. Here are some examples:
Positive Comparative Superlative
This book is long. This book is longer than that book. This is the longest book.
The airport is far. The airport is farther than the train station. This is the farthest airport.
My mom is a good cook. My mom is a better cook than your mom. My mom is the best cook.
The comparative form
When two objects or persons are being compared, the comparative form of the adjective is used. The comparative adjective can be
formed in two ways:
1. Adding –er to the positive form of the adjective.
2. Adding the word more before the adjective.
For example:
1. My essay is longer than yours.
2. She is more beautiful than her sister.
Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
Add When Example Forming and Exceptions
 Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘r‘ to the end of the word (e.g., lame →
lamer).
 Words with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the
–er Words of one syllable This is a longer book.
consonant and add –er to the end of the word (e.g., big → bigger).
 Words with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at
the end, add –er to the end of the word (e.g., hard → harder).
Words of two syllables
–er This doll is prettier. Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –er to the end of the word.
ending with ‘y‘
Words of two syllables He is more charming
more Insert more before the adjective
not ending with ‘y‘ than his friend.
Three syllable words or This is a more
more Insert more before the adjective
longer powerful cable.
When comparing two things, the word than is positioned between the adjective and the thing being compared. For example:
1. Apples are tastier than oranges.
2. This painting is more interesting than that painting.

Superlatives
The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind. The superlative
can be formed in two ways:
1. Adding –est to the Positive form of the adjective.
2. Adding the word most before the adjective.
For example:
1. This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.
2. The biggest table in the room.
Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
Add When Example Forming and Exceptions
 Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘st‘ to the end of the word (e.g., large →
largest).
This is the longest  Words with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the
–est Words of one syllable
book. consonant and add –est to the end of the word (e.g., big → biggest).
 Words with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at
the end, add –est to the end of the word (e.g., blue → bluest).
Words of two syllables This doll is the
–est Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –est to the end of the word.
ending with ‘y‘ prettiest.
He is the most
Words of two syllables
most charming boy at Insert most before the adjective
not ending with ‘y‘
school.
Three syllable words or This is the most
most Insert most before the adjective
longer powerful story.
Superlatives are usually preceded by the word the.

Positive form
The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things or persons. To form the positive,
we use the word as before and after the positive form of the adjective. For example:
1. Danny is as smart as Phillip.
2. She is as beautiful as her older sister.
This can also be applied in a negative context to indicate that the compared objects are not similar:
1. Danny is not as smart as Phillip.
2. She is not as beautiful as her older sister.
Exceptions (irregular forms)
Certain adjectives have irregular forms in the comparative and superlative degrees:
 Positive Comparative Superlative
Superlative

Good Better Best

Bad Worse Worst

Little Less Least

Much/many/some More Most

Examples of comparing adjectives

1. This house is bigger than that one.
2. This flower is more beautiful than that.
3. He is taller than Mr. Hulas.
4. He is more intelligent than this boy.
5. Jonathan is the most handsome man on campus.
6. This is the prettiest dress in the window.
7. I lost my most comfortable shoes.
8. My job is worse than yours.

Comparing adjective exercises

1. Choose the comparative adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
1. Her hair is short.
2. Her hair is shorter than it was before.
3. Her hair is the shortest it has ever been.
B.

1. We live nearer the train station than we used to.

2. Park in the lot nearest the train station.
3. I know the train station is somewhere near.
C.
4. My dog might be ugly, but he is nice.
5. That’s the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen!
6. Because he was uglier than the others, my dog won the ugly dog contest.
D.
7. Your presentation was more informative than most.
8. She gave an informative talk on honeybees.
9. That’s the most informative speech I’ve ever heard Professor Brown give!

2. Which of the following sentences does not contain a comparing adjective?

A. I’d like to have more participation from each of you this time around.
B. If you’d have listened better, you wouldn’t be confused right now.
C. They live in the brick house on the corner.

3. Choose the superlative adjective in each group of sentences:

A.
1. That’s the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted!
2. You’re a lot nicer than your sister.
3. This is delicious cake.
B.
1. This presentation seems longer than usual.
2. Of all the hairstyles in the room, hers is most stylish.
3. I’m often trying to do better than others.
C.
1. Lake Silfra has some of the clearest water on the world.
2. This shop carries nicer things than it used to.
3. My cat has three adorable kittens.
D.
1. Be careful; that’s a fragile vase.
2. You’re more cheerful than you used to be.
3. This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.

4. Which of the following sentences contains a superlative adjective?

A. I can run further than before.
B. She has the pinkest cheeks I’ve ever seen!
C. Jimmy is a cute baby.
5. Choose the positive adjective in each group of sentences:
A.
1. Your face is red.
2. You have the reddest face!
3. If you don’t wear sunscreen, your face will get redder.
B.
1. This is the best book I’ve ever read.
2. I like this book better than the last one I read.
3. That’s a good book.
A.
1. Most chocolate is sweet.
2. Milk chocolate is sweeter than dark chocolate.
3. I’m not sure which chocolate is sweetest.
B.
1. This is a charming house.
2. Our new home is so much more charming than our old one.
3. She’s the most charming person I’ve ever met.

6. Choose the correct comparing adjective for each sentence:

A. My mother is a _____________ woman.
 Smart
 Smarter
 Smartest
B. The surgeon worked ____________ to stabilize the patient.
 Quickly
 Most quickly
 More quickly
C. We ran ______________ than we did last week.
 Fast
 Faster
 Fastest
D. After the party, the house was the _______________ it’s ever been.
 Messy
 Messier
 Messiest

7. Name the type of comparing adjective in each sentence:

A. Jinx is a hairy dog.
B. She has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.
C. He made me madder than I’ve been in a long time.
D. We felt more excited than ever when we heard the news.

8. Choose the sentence with the positive form comparing adjective:

A. This book is more interesting than that one.
B. The story we heard this week was as interesting as last week’s.
C. This is one of the most interesting stories I’ve ever heard.

9. Which of the following sentences contains a comparing adjective in the comparative form?
A. We’ve had a run of bad luck lately.
B. This is the worst snowstorm we have had in ten years.
C. Your injury is worse than mine.

10. Which of the following sentences contains a comparing adjective in the superlative form?
A. She is not as mean as her older sister is.
B. This is the least exciting movie I’ve ever seen.
C. Mr. Brown is more boring than Mr. Philips.