englishforeveryone.

org Name________________
Date________________
O Or rd de er r o of f A Ad dj je ec ct ti iv ve es s
In English, it is common to use more than one adjective to describe a noun. These adjectives
must be used in the proper order.

E Ex xa am mp pl le e: : Here is a beautiful, red, cloth flag.

Why does beautiful come before red?
Why does red come before cloth?

Understanding the proper order of adjectives takes practice. Use the following table to practice
using the proper order of adjectives in the following sentences.

N Nu um mb be er r O Op pi in ni io on n S Si iz ze e A Ag ge e S Sh ha ap pe e C Co ol lo or r O Or ri ig gi in n M Ma at te er ri ia al l P Pu ur rp po os se e N No ou un n
small round German
red sleeping
generous old man
four metal

D Di ir re ec ct ti io on ns s: : Choose the correct order of adjectives in the following sentences.

1 1) ) The woman is wearing a ________
dress.
A A) ) yellow long
B B) ) long yellow

2 2) ) He is a ________ man.
A A) ) tall thin
B B) ) thin tall

3 3) ) The company makes ________
products.
A A) ) excellent farming
B B) ) farming excellent

4 4) ) James recently departed on a
________ trip.
A A) ) camping long
B B) ) long camping

5 5) ) I love eating ________ strawberries.
A A) ) red big
B B) ) big red

6 6) ) The ________ woman did well on the
test.
A A) ) intelligent young
B B) ) young intelligent

7 7) ) The ticket costs ________ dollars.
A A) ) ten US
B B) ) US ten

8 8) ) The scientists have found a ________
cure for the disease.
A A) ) new great
B B) ) great new



9 9) ) I am going to wear my ________ tie
to the wedding.
A A) ) big cotton blue
B B) ) blue big cotton
C C) ) big blue cotton

1 10 0) ) Please recycle those ________ bottles.
A A) ) three water empty
B B) ) three empty water
C C) ) water empty three

1 11 1) ) She packed her clothes in a ________
box.
A A) ) green flimsy cardboard
B B) ) flimsy green cardboard
C C) ) cardboard flimsy green

1 12 2) ) Their dog is a ________ shepherd.
A A) ) brown big German
B B) ) big brown German
C C) ) German big brown

1 13 3) ) I am drinking from a ________ cup.
A A) ) small English tea
B B) ) tea small English
C C) ) English small tea

1 14 4) ) My ________ teacher talks for hours!
A A) ) philosophy old boring
B B) ) old philosophy boring
C C) ) boring philosophy old
D D) ) boring old philosophy

D Di ir re ec ct ti io on ns s: : Now write two of your own sentences using more than one adjective to describe a noun.

1 1) ) ____________________________________________________________________________

2 2) ) ____________________________________________________________________________