Describing People and Objects
Adjectives
Adjectives are placed directly before nouns to describe certain qualities.
A money market fund is a safe investment.
The fact that you allowed a bounced check to clear doesn't make you a bad person.
Adjectives are also often used with the verb 'to be' to describe the character of people or things. In this case, place the adjective at the end of the sentence.
The verification process is very reliable.
A 15% return on investment is extraordinary.
Adjective Order
It is possible to use a string of adjectives to describe a person, place or thing. When using more than one adjective, use the following pattern to place the adjectives in order before the noun.
Opinion, dimension, age, shape, color, origin, material + noun
NOTE: Use no more than three adjectives to describe a noun.
1. Opinion
Example:
The great credit rating insured he would be approved for the loan.
A trustworthy guardian must act on behalf of this minor.
2. Dimension
Example:
My personal property has a large value attached to it.
The large tax base of the city made it's account desirable.
3. Age
Example:
It is a matured treasury bond.
This is our old preferred stock.
4. Shape
Example:
He and the cosigner purchased the rectangular plot of land.
5. Color
Example:
The subsidiary is represented in this graph by the yellow lines.
The red numbers indicate unpaid debts in his account history.
6. Origin
Example:
The German gentleman also has a voting share.
China's voting share is too high for this product.
7. Material
Example:
The expensive treasury bond was very valuable.
A treasury bond offers secure investment.
Here are some examples of nouns modified with three adjectives in the correct order based on the list above.
Don't expect a fast turnaround if you renovate a large, old brick building and try to sell it.
The fortunate 21 year old American payee didn't even have a cosigner.
Most people trust an official certified check.
The quick, easy, digital turnaround is only two days.