Sometimes you want to describe a noun with two or more adjectives. There is a correct sequence for different types of adjectives. You might not need to memorize it, but you should know about it so you can check it when editing your writing.
Here is the sequence adjectives appear in English:
- Quantity or number
- Quality or opinion
- Size
- Age
- Shape
- Color
- Nationality or other place of origin
- Material
- Purpose or qualifier
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The blue big car drove down the road. | The big blue car drove down the road. |
If you use adjectives from two or more different categories, you do not need to use commas. If you use two or more adjectives of the same type, use commas between them.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Italian, leather, dress shoes can be very expensive. | Italian leather dress shoes can be very expensive. |
| The interesting challenging movie won several awards. (three adjectives of quality or opinion) | The interesting, challenging, exciting movie won several awards. |
It is unusual to have more than three adjectives with a noun. So, while this skill may be exciting, resist the urge to use 10 adjectives for every noun!
