Writing 1

4

B Communicatiye grammar

BI You probably 'know' three or four thousand English adjectives, but do you use morę than one of them confidently with any given noun?

a magnificent 1 9th-century hand~carved mahogariy easy chair

a pair of superb 1 3-inch French solid brass candlesticks

D

glass German champagne glasses

a Victorian rosewood chiming grandfather ciock

Here is a summary of principles (not rules) governing the ordering of adjectives: that my (determiner) fantastic nasty (subjective comment) large little (size)
Edwardian	modern	(age)	(Though, of course.
round	triangular	(shape)	only two or three
dark brown	white	(colour)	would normally be
English oak kitchen table	Korean plastic dining- table	(nationality/ origin) (materia f) (compound element) (noun)	' used at one time.)

The 'compound element' includes many nouns and verbs acting adjectiva)ly - car door, Christmas present. running shoes, frozen food - and a few adjectives which are so close to their noun that in many languages they produce a single word: old woman, young man. double bed

Another principle is that generał descriptive adjectives precede morę specific or morę powerful ones - leaving the best till last, as it were For examp!e: a loud. piercing. ear-splitting scream.

B2 On the Dasis of the above. how would you move the adjectives below to find a home in front of their respective noun?

1    I want some appies. (greeh / rj^ce\ eahing / Wg)

2    She was wearing a scarf. (beautiful / Japanese / silk / red)

3    i met a lady. (old / little I good- natured)

4    We need a pot. (iron j cooking / targe / round)

5    I had an experience last night. (frightening / almost supernaturai / strange)

6    He bought a pair of boots. (riding / size 9 f Spanish / brown i ieather)

7    We saw a film. (sentimenta! / deeply movmg j sad)

8    We stayed in a cottage. (200-year-otd / picturesgue f lovely / thatchecf)

B3 Gamę: ‘Add a word' (see Teacher s Guide Unit 4)