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How to Use Adjectives

How to Use Adjectives

Date: Oct 11 2007

Topic: Grammar

Author: ehlton

Lesson





An adjective describes how something 'is'. For this reason, we usually use the verb 'to be' when using adjectives. Adjectives are used to describe nouns.

Example: He is a good doctor.
Example: beautiful trees, they are happy


Adjectives don't have a singular and plural form OR a masculine, femine and neuter form.
Adjectives can also be placed at the end of a sentence if they describe the subject of a sentence. Example: My doctor is excellent.
NOT!!: difficults books

Rule: Adjectives are placed before the noun.
Example: a wonderful book very interesting people



Adjective Placement
When using more than one adjective to describe a noun place the adjectives in the following order before the noun.
NOTE: We usually use no more than three adjectives preceding a noun.

Opinion
Example: an interesting book, a boring lecture

Dimension
Example: a big apple, a thin wallet

Age
Example: a new car, a modern building, an ancient ruin

Shape
Example: a square box, an oval mask, a round ball

Color
Example: a pink hat, a blue book, a black coat

Origin
Example: some Italian shoes, a Canadian town, an American car

Material
Example: a wooden box, a woolen sweater, a plastic toy

Here are some examples. Notice that the adjectives are not separated by commas.

A wonderful old Italian clock. (opinion - age - origin)
A big square blue box. (dimension - shape - color)
A disgusting pink plastic ornament. (opinion - color - material)
Some slim new French trousers. (dimension - age - origin)

NOTE: It may be useful this acronym; works well with my students:

O - opinion

D - dimension

A - age  

S - shape

C - color

O - origin

M - material

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Salwa

Salwa

Sweden

Thank you

04:11 PM Jan 28 2008 |

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