Adjectives are essential in adding detail, color, and specificity to our sentences. They help us describe, quantify, and even qualify the nouns and pronouns in our speech and writing. However, one common challenge for language learners is understanding the correct position of adjectives within a sentence. Misplacing adjectives can lead to confusion or awkward phrasing. This article aims to elucidate the rules governing the position of adjectives in English sentences.
Adjectives Before Nouns
In English, the most common position for an adjective is directly before the noun it modifies. This is known as the attributive position. For example:
– She wore a beautiful dress.
– He adopted a small dog.
In these sentences, “beautiful” and “small” are attributive adjectives that directly describe the nouns “dress” and “dog,” respectively.
Order of Adjectives
When multiple adjectives are used before a noun, they often follow a specific order. Though some minor variations exist, the generally accepted order is:
1. Quantity or number (e.g., three, several)
2. Quality or opinion (e.g., beautiful, ugly)
3. Size (e.g., large, tiny)
4. Age (e.g., old, young)
5. Shape (e.g., round, square)
6. Color (e.g., red, blue)
7. Origin (e.g., American, Chinese)
8. Material (e.g., wooden, metal)
9. Purpose (e.g., sleeping [as in sleeping bag], cooking [as in cooking pot])
For example:
– She bought three large red apples.
– He lives in a beautiful old wooden house.
Adjectives After Nouns
Adjectives can also come after nouns in specific contexts. This is known as the predicative position, typically following a linking verb such as “is,” “seems,” “feels,” or “becomes.” For example:
– The sky is blue.
– The cake tastes delicious.
In these sentences, “blue” and “delicious” are predicative adjectives that describe the subjects “sky” and “cake,” respectively, and they follow the linking verbs “is” and “tastes.”
Adjectives Following Certain Nouns
Some adjectives follow the noun they modify, particularly in certain set phrases or idiomatic expressions. For example:
– The president elect will take office in January.
– He is a poet laureate.
In these cases, the adjectives “elect” and “laureate” follow the nouns “president” and “poet,” respectively, as part of established expressions.
Adjective Phrases and Clauses
Adjectives can also form part of larger units called adjective phrases or adjective clauses, which can come after the noun they describe. For example:
Adjective Phrases
An adjective phrase is a group of words that describe a noun and includes an adjective along with any modifiers. For example:
– The cat, covered in mud, looked miserable.
– The book, filled with illustrations, was fascinating.
Here, “covered in mud” and “filled with illustrations” are adjective phrases that provide more information about “cat” and “book.”
Adjective Clauses
An adjective clause, also known as a relative clause, is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and provides additional information about the noun. These clauses often begin with relative pronouns like “who,” “which,” or “that.” For example:
– The man who is wearing a hat is my uncle.
– She adopted the dog that was abandoned.
In these sentences, “who is wearing a hat” and “that was abandoned” are adjective clauses providing more details about “man” and “dog.”
Special Cases and Exceptions
Adjectives with Indefinite Pronouns
When using adjectives with indefinite pronouns like “something,” “nothing,” “anything,” and “everything,” the adjective typically follows the pronoun. For example:
– Is there anything interesting on TV tonight?
– She had nothing important to say.
In these cases, “interesting” and “important” follow the indefinite pronouns “anything” and “nothing.”
Postpositive Adjectives
Postpositive adjectives follow the noun and are more common in formal or literary contexts, legal language, or specific set phrases. For example:
– The princess royal attended the event.
– We have rooms available for tonight.
In these sentences, “royal” and “available” are postpositive adjectives that follow “princess” and “rooms,” respectively.
Adjective Agreement and Concord
While English does not have the same level of adjective agreement as languages like French or Spanish, it’s important to ensure that the adjective appropriately matches the noun in terms of number (singular/plural) and sometimes gender. For example:
– He has a red car. (singular)
– They have red cars. (plural)
The adjective “red” remains the same, but the noun changes to match the number.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Misplacing Adjectives
One of the most common mistakes is misplacing adjectives, which can lead to confusion or awkward sentences. For example:
– Incorrect: She wore a dress beautiful.
– Correct: She wore a beautiful dress.
To avoid this, remember that attributive adjectives usually come before the noun they modify.
Incorrect Order of Multiple Adjectives
Another mistake is using multiple adjectives in the wrong order. For example:
– Incorrect: She bought red three apples.
– Correct: She bought three red apples.
Following the generally accepted order of adjectives can help make your sentences clearer and more natural.
Practice and Application
To master the position of adjectives, practice is key. Try the following exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned:
Exercise 1: Attributive Adjectives
Rewrite the following sentences by placing the adjectives in the correct position:
1. She has a cat black.
2. They bought a house big.
3. He is wearing a suit new.
Exercise 2: Multiple Adjectives
Rewrite the following sentences by placing the adjectives in the correct order:
1. She has a red small car.
2. He bought a wooden old table.
3. They adopted a cute young dog.
Exercise 3: Predicative Adjectives
Complete the following sentences by adding a suitable predicative adjective:
1. The flowers smell __________.
2. The food tastes __________.
3. The sky looks __________.
Exercise 4: Adjective Clauses
Add an adjective clause to the following sentences:
1. The book __________ is on the table.
2. The man __________ is my neighbor.
3. The cake __________ was delicious.
Conclusion
Understanding the position of adjectives in a sentence is crucial for clear and effective communication. By following the rules and guidelines outlined in this article, you can enhance your descriptive language and avoid common mistakes. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to the placement and order of adjectives in your writing and speech. With time and effort, you’ll find that using adjectives correctly becomes second nature.
