29 ESL Troublespots: Adjectives

ESL TROUBLESPOTS

29

Adjectives

When using adjectives, ESL writers need to pay special attention to how adjectives are arranged when they modify the same noun and how adjectives are combined with prepositions. (For more on adjectives, see 1d and Section 9 of the Handbook.)

29a Follow the conventional order when two or more adjectives modify the same noun

Possessives come before numbers.

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Ordinal numbers (first, second ) come before cardinal numbers (one, two).

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Descriptive adjectives should appear in the following order.

  1. Article or possessive noun: an, Dr. Green’s, these
  2. Opinion: favorite, hideous, lovely
  3. Size: big, enormous, tiny
  4. Shape: circular, rectangular, round
  5. Age: elderly, teenaged, three-year-old
  6. Color: black, blue, maroon
  7. National origin: English, Nigerian, Vietnamese
  8. Religion: Christian, Jewish, Muslim
  9. Matter or substance: crystal, onyx, tweed
  10. Noun used as an adjective: book (as in book jacket), picture (as in picture frame), record (as in record producer)

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29b Combine adjectives with specific prepositions to express your meaning precisely

Keep a list of adjective-preposition combinations that you hear in conversation or notice in your reading. Consult an ESL dictionary when you are not sure whether a particular combination expresses the meaning you intend. Here are some common adjective-preposition combinations.

afraid of responsible for (thing or action)
ashamed of responsible to (person)
full of satisfied with
grateful for (thing) sorry for
grateful to (person) suspicious of
interested in tired of
proud of