adjective order

When two or more adjectives come before a noun, they go in a fixed order. What you think about it (your opinion) comes first, then the facts.

The order

1. opinion: nice, lovely, beautiful, horrible
2. size: big, small, long, short
3. age: old, new, young
4. colour: red, black, blue
5. origin (where it's from): Italian, French, Mexican
6. material (what it's made of): wooden, plastic, cotton

Then the noun.

You don't need a word from every group. Two adjectives are normal and three are fine, but with more, put some of the description after the noun: a lovely old house with a red door.

After be

After be, put and between the last two adjectives.

Common mistakes

• × a black small bag → a small black bag
• × a red big car → a big red car
• × an Italian lovely restaurant → a lovely Italian restaurant
• × a car red → a red car
• × The house is old beautiful. → The house is old and beautiful.