As a business person, it's important to have strong writing skills, including an understanding of adjective order. Proper adjective order is crucial to effective communication, as it helps to clarify meaning and ensure that the reader understands the intended message. Let’s go over the importance of adjective order and then look at some example sentences:
The Importance of Adjective Order
Adjective order is the order in which multiple adjectives should be placed when describing a noun. The order is based on the function of the adjective in the sentence, with certain types of adjectives coming before others. Failure to follow the correct order can lead to confusion and misinterpretation, which is why it's important to understand the proper order of adjectives.
The Proper Order of Adjectives
There are several categories of adjectives, and they should be placed in the following order:
- Opinion
- Size
- Age
- Shape
- Color
- Origin
- Material
- Purpose
Example Sentences
To help illustrate the importance of adjective order, let's take a look at a few example sentences.
"He bought a large old French oak desk."In this sentence, "opinion" (large) comes before "age" (old) and "origin" (French). This is the correct order of adjectives.
"She wore a beautiful blue silk dress."In this sentence, "opinion" (beautiful) comes before "color" (blue) and "material" (silk). This is also the correct order of adjectives.
"He drove a red fast sports car."In this sentence, "color" (red) comes before "opinion" (fast) and "purpose" (sports). This is incorrect, as "opinion" should come before "color."
Tips for Using Adjectives Correctly
- Know the order: Familiarize yourself with the proper order of adjectives to ensure that you use them correctly.
- Use commas: Use commas to separate adjectives that are of the same type. For example, "He wore a blue, green, and yellow tie."
- Be concise: While it's important to use descriptive language, don't go overboard with adjectives. Stick to the ones that are most relevant and necessary.
- Practice: Practice using adjectives in the correct order to help reinforce the correct usage.
Understanding the proper order of adjectives is an important aspect of effective communication in business writing. Adjectives should be placed in the correct order based on their function in the sentence. By following the correct order and using commas as needed, you can ensure that your writing is clear and easy to understand. Remember to be concise and practice using adjectives in the correct order to improve your speaking and writing skills.
