Adjectives are essential elements in any language, providing depth and richness to our sentences. They describe, quantify, and identify nouns and pronouns, making our communication more precise and vivid. Understanding the correct position of adjectives in a sentence is crucial for language learners, as it ensures clarity and coherence. In English, adjectives can appear in various positions, primarily before the noun they modify, after certain verbs, or in a list. This article will explore these positions in detail, providing examples and rules to help you master the placement of adjectives in English sentences.
Attributive Adjectives: Before the Noun
The most common position for an adjective in English is before the noun it modifies. This is known as the attributive position. Attributive adjectives provide essential information about the noun, making it clear and specific.
For example:
– She wore a beautiful dress.
– He bought a new car.
– They live in a large house.
In these sentences, the adjectives “beautiful,” “new,” and “large” are placed directly before the nouns “dress,” “car,” and “house,” respectively. This placement is straightforward and typically does not vary.
Order of Multiple Adjectives
When more than one adjective is used to describe a noun, there is a preferred order that native English speakers intuitively follow. This order is not random; it follows a specific sequence that includes:
1. Opinion (e.g., lovely, terrible)
2. Size (e.g., big, small)
3. Age (e.g., old, young)
4. Shape (e.g., round, square)
5. Color (e.g., red, blue)
6. Origin (e.g., American, French)
7. Material (e.g., wooden, metal)
8. Purpose (e.g., sleeping [as in sleeping bag], cooking [as in cooking utensils])
For example:
– She has a beautiful, small, round, wooden table.
In this sentence, the adjectives “beautiful,” “small,” “round,” and “wooden” follow the correct order, ensuring the sentence sounds natural and clear.
Predicative Adjectives: After the Verb
Adjectives can also appear after the verb in a sentence, functioning as predicative adjectives. This position is typically used with linking verbs such as “be,” “seem,” “become,” “feel,” “look,” “sound,” and “appear.” Predicative adjectives describe the subject of the sentence and are connected to the subject via the linking verb.
For example:
– The weather is cold.
– She seems happy.
– The soup tastes delicious.
In these sentences, the adjectives “cold,” “happy,” and “delicious” follow the linking verbs “is,” “seems,” and “tastes,” describing the subjects “weather,” “she,” and “soup,” respectively.
Common Linking Verbs
Linking verbs are crucial for identifying predicative adjectives. Here are some common linking verbs that are often followed by adjectives:
– Be (am, is, are, was, were)
– Seem
– Become
– Feel
– Look
– Sound
– Appear
– Taste
For example:
– The sky looks blue.
– He became angry.
– The music sounds great.
Understanding and recognizing these linking verbs can help you correctly place adjectives in the predicative position.
Postpositive Adjectives: After the Noun
Although less common, adjectives can sometimes appear after the noun they modify. These are known as postpositive adjectives. This position is often used in certain fixed expressions, in legal or formal language, or when the adjective is part of a phrase or clause.
For example:
– The president elect will address the nation.
– The heir apparent to the throne.
– She saw something strange.
In these sentences, the adjectives “elect,” “apparent,” and “strange” follow the nouns “president,” “heir,” and “something,” respectively.
Fixed Expressions and Formal Usage
Postpositive adjectives are frequently found in fixed expressions and formal contexts. Here are some examples:
– Attorney general
– Notary public
– Court martial
– Time immemorial
These expressions are exceptions to the usual rule of placing adjectives before the noun.
Adjectives in a List
When using multiple adjectives in a list, commas are typically used to separate them. However, when the adjectives describe different aspects of the noun and follow the preferred order, commas are not always necessary.
For example:
– She has a bright, cheerful, spacious living room.
– He is a tall dark handsome man.
In the first sentence, commas are used to separate the adjectives “bright,” “cheerful,” and “spacious” because they describe different qualities of the living room. In the second sentence, no commas are used because the adjectives “tall,” “dark,” and “handsome” follow the preferred order and describe different aspects of the man.
Cumulative vs. Coordinate Adjectives
It’s important to distinguish between cumulative and coordinate adjectives when using them in a list:
– Cumulative adjectives build upon each other and usually do not require commas. They follow the preferred order and describe different aspects of the noun.
– Coordinate adjectives are of equal importance and describe the noun independently. They require commas or the word “and” between them.
For example:
– She adopted a cute little puppy. (Cumulative: “cute” describes “little puppy”)
– She adopted a cute, playful puppy. (Coordinate: “cute” and “playful” independently describe “puppy”)
Adjectives with Noun Modifiers
Sometimes, adjectives are used with noun modifiers to create compound adjectives. These are often hyphenated and placed before the noun they modify.
For example:
– A well-known author
– A high-quality product
– An old-fashioned dress
In these sentences, “well-known,” “high-quality,” and “old-fashioned” are compound adjectives that modify the nouns “author,” “product,” and “dress,” respectively.
Hyphenation Rules
Hyphenation is crucial when forming compound adjectives, as it ensures clarity and prevents misreading. Here are some general rules for hyphenating compound adjectives:
– Hyphenate compound adjectives before a noun (e.g., a well-known artist).
– Do not hyphenate compound adjectives after a noun (e.g., The artist is well known).
– Use a hyphen with compound numbers (e.g., a twenty-one-year-old student).
– Hyphenate fractions used as adjectives (e.g., a two-thirds majority).
By following these rules, you can effectively use compound adjectives in your writing.
Adjective Placement in Questions
In questions, the placement of adjectives can vary depending on the structure of the question. Typically, the adjective still precedes the noun, but the overall word order of the sentence can change.
For example:
– What kind of book is this?
– How old is your dog?
– Which red dress do you prefer?
In these questions, the adjectives “kind,” “old,” and “red” still come before the nouns “book,” “dog,” and “dress,” but the sentence structure is adjusted to form a question.
Yes/No Questions
In yes/no questions, the adjective placement remains consistent with declarative sentences. The auxiliary verb typically precedes the subject, but the adjective still comes before the noun.
For example:
– Is the food delicious?
– Are they happy?
In these yes/no questions, the adjectives “delicious” and “happy” follow the linking verbs “is” and “are,” respectively, maintaining their predicative position.
Adjective Placement with Indefinite Pronouns
When using adjectives with indefinite pronouns (e.g., something, someone, anyone, nobody), the adjective usually follows the pronoun. This is a specific case where the adjective placement is reversed compared to the usual attributive position.
For example:
– She wants to buy something expensive.
– Is there anything interesting on TV tonight?
– I need someone reliable to help me.
In these sentences, the adjectives “expensive,” “interesting,” and “reliable” follow the indefinite pronouns “something,” “anything,” and “someone,” respectively.
Adjectives with Articles and Demonstratives
When adjectives are used with articles (a, an, the) or demonstratives (this, that, these, those), they are placed between the article or demonstrative and the noun.
For example:
– A red car
– The big house
– This interesting book
– Those old photographs
In these sentences, the adjectives “red,” “big,” “interesting,” and “old” are positioned between the articles or demonstratives and the nouns they modify.
Quantifiers and Adjectives
When quantifiers (e.g., some, many, few, several) are used with adjectives, the quantifier typically precedes the adjective.
For example:
– Many beautiful flowers
– Few important details
– Several new projects
In these sentences, the quantifiers “many,” “few,” and “several” come before the adjectives “beautiful,” “important,” and “new,” respectively, modifying the nouns “flowers,” “details,” and “projects.”
Conclusion
Mastering the position of adjectives in a sentence is essential for clear and effective communication in English. Whether adjectives appear before the noun (attributive position), after the verb (predicative position), after the noun (postpositive position), or in lists and compound forms, understanding their correct placement will enhance your language skills.
Remember the preferred order of multiple adjectives, the use of hyphenation in compound adjectives, and the special cases involving indefinite pronouns, articles, and quantifiers. By practicing these rules and applying them in your writing and speech, you’ll become more confident and proficient in using adjectives accurately in English sentences.
Happy learning, and may your sentences always be vivid and precise!
