Order of Adjectives

ADJECTIVES

• Describe nouns
Example: That car is fast. (What kind of car? Answer: a fast car.)

• Have the same form in both plural and singular number
Example: She has three lovely cats.

• Often comes before nouns and after “be”.

Example:
He is a powerful CEO.
I hope to be a famous pharmacist.

Adjectives like nice/bad/good are OPINION adjectives. They tell us what somebody thinks of someone or something.

Example: The company’s choice to diversify during these times is a bad one.

Adjectives like new/golden/round are FACT adjectives. They give us factual information about age, size,color, and so on.

Example: We prefer the new advertisement over the old one.
Opinion adjectives come before fact adjectives.

Example: Did you have a nice, long holiday?

At time, we use several fact adjectives to describe someone or something. We follow this order.

Determiner – Quantity/Number – Size – Age – Shape – Color – Origin/Proper Adjective – Material/Purpose – NOUN

Examples:

Mr. Sham bought a large, old, round, red, Chinese, wooden drawer.

There is a disgusting red metal crab ornament in their front yard.

We took a ride on an ancient, red Californian tram.

 

Exemptions:

• Adjectives of size and length usually come before adjectives of shape and width.

Example: She is a tall, thin girl.

• When there are two or more adjectives from the same group, we use “and”.

Examples:

She wore a yellow, red, and black gown for the product launch.

The shop sells old and new things.

• We use adjectives with the verbs be/get/become/seem.
Example: I am tired and I’m getting sleepy.

• We also use adjectives to say how somebody or something looks, feels, tastes, smells, and sounds:

Example: That was an interesting presentation.
I am interested in your new product.

Rip-off Restaurant

B1 –  Intermediate

Japanese tourists were allegedly ripped off their meal at a Venice restaurant. The tourists reported the incident to the police which was then escalated to the mayor.

Let’s find out more by clicking on the links.

Audio  (Listen before reading the text)

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1801/180124-rip-off-restaurant.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s your take on the issue?
2. What do you think of the mayor’s reaction?
3. Have you ever been ripped off? If so, how and why?
4. Do you check TripAdvisor.com for a certain establishment’s rating?

Test 234

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Digitizing Old Weather Reports

© BBC News

C1 – Advanced

At a time when we depend on computers so much, we opt to digitize everything.

Old handwritten weather data from the Ben Nevis weather station are aimed to be copied into a database.

Learn more about the old way they gathered weather data at Ben Nevis and the quest to have all records digitized.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41166778

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think that the project is relevant? Why or why not?
2. How can the digitized weather data be helpful for us at present and in the future?
3. Given a chance, would you be willing to volunteer in a project such as this?
4. Asked which is more accurate between a computer or a human, Prof. Hawkins said, “for accuracy, the human eyes still do it better”. Do you agree or disagree with him.

Test 615

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Articles with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Level: Beginner-Intermediate

Form

article + countable / uncountable noun


I eat an apple for breakfast every day. (Apple is countable.)
I eat bread for breakfast every day. (Bread is uncountable.)

Usage

  • You can use a/an/the with singular countable nouns.

I bought a car. (Not I bought car.)

The ostrich laid an egg.
Get the papers on my table.

  • You cannot use a/an/the with uncountable nouns.

Sugar is used in making soda.

  • But you can use a + ___ + of

a bottle of soda

  • Generally, use (1) a definite article or (2) no article with plural nouns.

1. I like the animals at the aquarium. (animals specifically found at the aquarium)

2. I like animals. (Animals in general)

Read the text:


I saw a girl with long, curly hair. The girl is holding a box of chocolates. The girl was talking to herself while walking. I think the girl has mental issues.

  • Take note that we use a/an if it is the first time we mention someone or something in a conversation. We use the if the listener already knows which specific object we are referring to in a conversation.

Other English grammar lessons can be found here.

Modals: Can and Could

CAN

-Used to say that something is possible or allowed

Example:
I can meet you later if you want.
I can go out this weekend as long as I finish my housework.

-Used to say that someone has the ability to do something

Example:
He can speak seven languages.
She can solve math problems in 30 seconds.

The negative form of CAN is CAN NOT (contraction: can’t).

Example:
I’m afraid I can’t go to the theater with you on Friday.

-You use CAN’T to say that you believe something is not possible

Example:
You’ve just had dinner. You can’t be hungry already.

 

COULD 

-Sometimes could is the past tense of CAN

We use could especially with:
Hear, smell, taste, feel, see, understand,remember

Example:
As soon as I got in my room, I could smell the burning air conditioner.

-Is also used to say that somebody had the general ability to do something

Example:
She could dance well when she was in her teens.

-Is also used to say someone had permission to do something

Example:
We could go out at night. My grandparents weren’t too strict with us.

The negative form of could is COULD NOT (contraction: COULDN’T).

-Used to talk about possible actions NOW or in the future (especially to give suggestions)

Example:
You could stay in my house when you go to Paris.

-Used for actions that are not realistic

Example:
I am so hungry, I could eat a cow.

-We also use could to say that something is possible now or in the future. (similar to might in meaning)

Example:
She could be waiting for you at the hotel.

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