Adjectives: word order

When we use more than one adjective to describe a noun, we have to take care with the word order. Hard-and-fast rules cannot be given, since much depends on the emphasis a speaker wishes to make. A general guide is as follows:

Adjectives: usual order noun

Quality size/age/shape colour origin past participle

beautiful old brown French handmade cupboard

kitchen cupbocr teak cupboard

Note that general qualities go before particular qualities. The more particular the quality, the closer the adjective is to the noun. Let's begin with the noun and work backwards:

Types of adjectives and their uses

The noun

A noun may be [> 2.10, 6.13]:

- one-word: a cupboard

- two-word: a kitchen cupboard a teak cupboard

- three-word: a teak kitchen cupboard

Where there are three words, material (teak) precedes purpose or use (kitchen): a cotton shirt a summer shirt, a cotton summer shirt Compound nouns are never separated by adjectives.

Adjectival past participle

This is usually closest to the noun: a handmade teak cupboard, a handmade kitchen cupboard, a handmade teak kitchen cupboard

8.20.3 Origin
A nationality word indicating origin [> App 49] or an adjective
referring to a historical period (e.g. Victorian) usually precedes an
adjectival past participle:

a Chinese handmade shirt, a Chinese handmade cotton shirt This is not invariable: handmade Chinese shirt is also possible. If a present participle adjective is used (i.e. the -ing form), then it precedes origin:

quick-selling Chinese handmade shirts

8.20.4 Size/age/shape/temperature/flavour, etc.
Size generally precedes age and shape, etc.:

a large old table, a large round table, a large old round table, a huge ice-cold strawberry milkshake

8.20.5 Quality (i.e. subjective assessment)
Adjectives expressing our general opinion of the quality of people or
things come first: e.g. beautiful, big, clean, dirty, nice

a beautiful tall building, a cheap Indian restaurant If there is more than one 'general quality' adjective, then the most general usually comes first:

a beautiful spacious airy room

8.20.6 Modification with (great) big' and 'little'
The adjectives big or great big generally precede quality adjectives,
while little generally comes after:

great big boots, a (great) big tall policeman. a nice little restaurant a friendly little waiter