Order of Adjectives in English – Rules & Examples

Ever heard someone say something like, “She bought a leather nice red Italian handbag”? It sounds kind of off, right? That’s because while all the words are correct, they’re in the wrong order. In English, we have a natural flow when it comes to stacking adjectives before a noun — and even if most native speakers don’t consciously know the rule, they feel when it’s broken.

We are going to break that rule down in a way that makes total sense, with easy tips, real examples, and even a code to remember the order forever. So whether you’re writing an essay, speaking fluently, or trying to sound more natural, learning the order of adjectives is a must-have tool in your grammar toolbox.

Let’s start with the basics — what is an adjective, anyway?

What Is an Adjective?

An adjective is simply a word that describes or modifies a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea). It gives more information about the noun — like its color, size, shape, opinion, age, etc.

Here are a few quick examples:

• red apple
• old house
• friendly neighbor
• long road

Adjectives help us paint a clearer picture. Compare:

• “She wore a dress” vs.
• “She wore a stunning, long, emerald-green evening dress.”

More vivid, right?

Now, just a heads-up — adjectives can appear in two spots:

• Before the noun (called attributive): “a noisy cat”
• After a linking verb (called predicate): “The cat is noisy”

But in this guide, we’re focusing on when multiple adjectives come before a noun, which brings us to…

What Is the “Order of Adjectives”?

The order of adjectives is the specific sequence in which different types of adjectives are placed before a noun. English speakers typically follow this order without thinking about it, but for learners, it can feel like a puzzle.

For example, if you want to describe a bag, do you say:

• “a red big leather Italian bag”
  or
• “a beautiful big old Italian leather handbag”?

It’s the second one that sounds right. That’s because in English, adjectives stack in a preferred order, and when that order’s flipped or mixed, it throws off the rhythm of the sentence.

This is what we’re going to master — so you never have to second-guess it again.

The Standard Order of Adjectives (OSASCOMP Rule)

Here’s the golden rule to remember:

Opinion – Size – Age – Shape – Color – Origin – Material – Purpose

This order can be remembered using the acronym OSASCOMP.

Let’s break it down:

So if you want to describe a noun using several adjectives, this is the order you follow.

Example:

“She carried a beautiful (opinion), small (size), old (age), round (shape), red (color), Spanish (origin), leather (material), jewelry (purpose) box.”

That’s a mouthful — but it flows naturally when the adjectives are in the right order.

Mnemonic Tip:
Try remembering a sentence like:
“Only Silly Angry Spiders Can Order My Pizza.”
(Okay, maybe it’s silly — but it sticks!)

Next up, let’s really understand what each type of adjective means with examples for each category.

Breaking Down Each Category with Examples

To truly get the order of adjectives, it helps to break each category down. Think of these as building blocks that go in a certain sequence before a noun. Below, I’ll walk you through each type — what it means, how to spot it, and examples to make it stick.

1. Opinion (What do you think about it?)

This is all about your personal judgment. Is it lovely? Horrible? Interesting? Adjectives in this category express feelings, evaluations, or observations.

Examples:

• a beautiful painting
• an annoying noise
• a delightful surprise

You can see how these are subjective — someone else might not agree.

2. Size (How big or small?)

Size comes right after opinion. It describes how large or small something is.

Examples:

• a tiny insect
• a huge house
• a medium-sized bag

It answers: “How big?”

3. Age (How old is it?)

Age-related adjectives tell us how young, old, or new something is.

Examples:

• an ancient temple
• a new phone
• a teenage girl

You’ll often hear these in everyday conversation without even thinking about it.

4. Shape (What’s the form?)

This describes the form or contour of the object — whether it’s flat, round, rectangular, etc.

Examples:

• a square table
• a long road
• a curved blade

Shape helps visualize what the noun actually looks like.

5. Color (What’s the color?)

Pretty self-explanatory — color words add vibrancy to your sentence.

Examples:

• a blue sky
• a golden necklace
• a black-and-white photo

Color usually comes after shape and before origin.

6. Origin (Where’s it from?)

These adjectives tell you the geographical or cultural origin — where the item or person comes from.

Examples:

• an Italian dish
• a Brazilian carnival
• a Chinese vase

This is important when you want to describe something foreign or cultural.

7. Material (What’s it made of?)

These adjectives refer to the substance something is made of — like wood, plastic, gold, cotton, etc.

Examples:

• a wooden chair
• a silk scarf
• a metal gate

It answers: “What is it made of?”

8. Purpose/Qualifier (What’s it used for?)

This is the last one in the stack — and it usually describes what the object is for. These are often compound adjectives made from verbs (like “sleeping” bag or “racing” car).

Examples:

• a sleeping bag
• a cooking pot
• a gardening tool

They often end up becoming a part of the noun phrase itself.

Let’s stack all eight together in the right order:

“A beautiful (opinion), large (size), ancient (age), round (shape), green (color), Greek (origin), stone (material), serving (purpose) bowl.”

Sounds smooth and natural, right? If you jumble the order — say, “green beautiful stone Greek ancient large round serving bowl” — it starts to fall apart.

That’s why order matters so much.

Next, let’s see how this works in the real world — because no one walks around using eight adjectives all the time. But when you use two, three, or even four, knowing the order keeps your sentence sounding native and natural.

Ready for some real-life examples?

Multiple Adjectives in a Sentence (Real Examples)

Now that you’ve got the OSASCOMP structure down, let’s look at how it actually plays out in real-life sentences. Most of the time, you won’t use all eight types of adjectives at once. But even when you’re using just two or three, the correct order makes all the difference.

Here are some examples with different combinations of adjectives, following the correct order:

Correct Order:

• She adopted a small brown French poodle.
  (Size → Color → Origin)
• He bought a beautiful vintage Italian watch.
  (Opinion → Age → Origin)
• They live in a huge old stone house.
  (Size → Age → Material)
• I found a lovely little round wooden box.
  (Opinion → Size → Shape → Material)

Incorrect Order (Sounds Wrong):

• ❌ She adopted a French brown small poodle.
• ❌ He bought a Italian vintage beautiful watch.
• ❌ They live in a stone old huge house.
• ❌ I found a wooden round little lovely box.

Notice how the incorrect versions sound clunky or unnatural? Even though all the words are technically right, the order makes them feel wrong to a native speaker.

This is why the adjective order rule is so powerful — especially if you’re trying to sound fluent.

A Tip on Using Commas

When you use more than two adjectives of the same type, especially opinion adjectives, you might need commas.

Example:

• She’s a smart, kind, funny teacher.
  (Here, all three are opinions — so we separate them with commas.)

But when you’re following the OSASCOMP order and using different types, skip the commas.

Example:

• He wore a bright red silk tie.
  (No commas needed — color + material)

Real-life Usage:

Let’s look at this in a real context:

“He gave her a beautiful large blue Chinese ceramic serving bowl.”

Break it down:

• beautiful (opinion)
• large (size)
• blue (color)
• Chinese (origin)
• ceramic (material)
• serving (purpose)
• bowl (noun)

That sentence has six adjectives before the noun — and it still sounds perfectly natural.

But if we rearranged them randomly:

“He gave her a Chinese ceramic blue large beautiful serving bowl.”

It loses that smooth, logical flow.

Exceptions to the Rule (Because English Loves Exceptions)

Alright, we all know English isn’t famous for always playing by the rules. And while the OSASCOMP order is a solid guideline that works most of the time, there are a few curveballs worth knowing about.

Let’s walk through the most common exceptions — so you’re not caught off guard.

1. When Adjectives Are Joined by “and”

Sometimes you’ll see adjectives linked with “and” — especially when you’re describing qualities from the same category (often opinion).

Example:

• She’s a smart and talented musician.
  (Both are opinion adjectives)

You wouldn’t say “a smart talented musician” here — the “and” gives the sentence a more balanced rhythm.

2. Cumulative vs. Coordinate Adjectives

There are two main types of adjective combinations:

• Coordinate adjectives: You can switch the order and use commas or “and.”
  • a cold, windy day
  • a long and tiring journey
• Cumulative adjectives: You can’t switch the order, and they build on each other.
  • a small wooden table
  • an old French painting

Most of the OSASCOMP examples are cumulative — meaning their order matters.

Test Tip: If you can add “and” or swap them and it still makes sense, they’re coordinate.

3. Adjectives Used as Emphasis

Sometimes, you might see adjectives placed out of the usual order for dramatic effect or stylistic reasons — especially in creative writing or poetry.

“A strange, beautiful madness took hold of him.”

Here, “strange” comes first because it’s setting the tone, even though “beautiful” is typically the opinion word. Writers occasionally break the rules — but they usually know the rule before they break it.

4. When the Noun Is Implied or Understood

Sometimes, adjectives pile up, but the noun is left out because it’s understood from context.

Example:

• “I prefer the large red over the small blue.”

We’re likely talking about cars, shirts, phones — whatever fits the situation. In casual speech, the noun gets dropped, but the adjective order still follows the rule.

5. Compound Adjectives Don’t Always Follow the Order

Some adjective phrases like “high-quality,” “full-length,” or “well-known” are treated as single units — and they often take priority regardless of the typical order.

Example:

• “A well-known French actor”
  Here, well-known (compound adjective) goes before French (origin), and that’s totally fine.

So while OSASCOMP is the go-to rule, keep these exceptions in your back pocket. Native speakers don’t always speak like grammar books — but knowing the structure lets you bend the rules with confidence.

Quick Reference Sentence to Remember the Order:

“Only Some Anthropologists Saw Colorful Oriental Marble Pillars”

(Each capitalized word stands for Opinion, Size, Age, Shape, Color, Origin, Material, Purpose)

If acronyms help you more, just remember OSASCOMP — say it a few times and it’ll start to feel natural.

Practice Exercises (Put Your Skills to the Test)

Alright, it’s time to flex those adjective-order muscles. The more you practice, the more natural it’ll feel — just like riding a bike or tying your shoes. This section gives you a chance to apply what you’ve learned and spot mistakes like a pro.

Exercise 1: Put the Adjectives in the Correct Order

Rearrange the adjectives in the right OSASCOMP order before the noun.

1. a Spanish / small / leather / stylish handbag
2. an old / wooden / round table
3. a green / little / adorable parrot
4. a metal / large / black / new toolbox
5. a running / light / white / German shoe

Answers:

1. a stylish small Spanish leather handbag
   (Opinion → Size → Origin → Material)
2. an old round wooden table
   (Age → Shape → Material)
3. an adorable little green parrot
   (Opinion → Size → Color)
4. a large new black metal toolbox
   (Size → Age → Color → Material)
5. a light new white German running shoe
   (Size → Age → Color → Origin → Purpose)

Exercise 2: Identify the Incorrect Sentence

Which of the following sentences does not follow the correct adjective order?

A. He adopted a cute small brown puppy.
B. She bought a French lovely silk scarf.
C. They live in a big old white wooden house.
D. I saw an interesting ancient Greek sculpture.

Answer:

B. She bought a French lovely silk scarf.
❌ The correct order should be: a lovely French silk scarf
(Opinion → Origin → Material)

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Add appropriate adjectives in the correct order for each blank.

1. He drove a _____ _____ _____ car. (You choose: opinion, size, color)
2. We stayed in a _____ _____ _____ cottage. (age, material, purpose)
3. I need a _____ _____ _____ coat for winter. (opinion, origin, material)

Sample Answers:

1. He drove a sleek small black car.
2. We stayed in a charming old stone vacation cottage.
3. I need a warm Canadian wool coat for winter.

These exercises not only help reinforce the OSASCOMP rule but also get you thinking like a native speaker — choosing words based on what feels right and flows smoothly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (And How to Fix Them)

Even with the OSASCOMP order in your toolkit, it’s easy to trip up — especially when you’re stacking multiple adjectives in a sentence. But don’t worry, these mistakes are super common and totally fixable once you know what to look out for.

Let’s break down the top errors learners make when using multiple adjectives — and how to sidestep them like a pro.

Mistake 1: Putting Adjectives in Random Order

This is the most common one. Learners often string adjectives together based on how they sound, not their function. But English adjective order isn’t random — it’s based on logic.

Wrong:

• a cotton blue big jacket
• a Italian beautiful car

Right:

• a big blue cotton jacket
• a beautiful Italian car

Fix: Think about what kind of adjective you’re using — opinion, size, origin, etc. Follow the OSASCOMP order to keep it smooth.

Mistake 2: Overloading Too Many Adjectives

Yes, you can technically use all eight types before a noun, but that doesn’t mean you should. Too many adjectives can make your sentence feel clunky or overwhelming.

Overload Example:

• She wore a gorgeous shiny tiny old round red French velvet dancing dress.

That’s… a lot.

Better:

• She wore a gorgeous red velvet dress.

Fix: Trim the extras. Ask yourself: Do I really need all of these to describe this noun? Keep it concise unless you’re going for poetic or dramatic effect.

Mistake 3: Using Commas Incorrectly

Not all adjective strings need commas. Commas are only used when adjectives are of the same category — like multiple opinions.

Wrong:

• A big, red, Italian, leather sofa.
  (This wrongly suggests all adjectives are equal.)

Right:

• A big red Italian leather sofa.
  (No commas because they’re different types.)

Fix: If you can put “and” between adjectives and it still sounds right, use a comma. If not, skip it.

Mistake 4: Ignoring the Purpose Adjective

The purpose adjective often gets overlooked. It’s usually a noun acting like an adjective to show what something is used for (e.g., “sleeping bag,” “racing car”).

Wrong:

• A leather red sleeping nice bag.

Right:

• A nice red leather sleeping bag.

Fix: Purpose always goes last — right before the noun.

Mistake 5: Assuming Native Speakers Always Follow the Rule

Here’s a twist: native speakers sometimes break the rule — but not randomly. They’re guided by feel and context. Still, if you’re learning English, sticking with OSASCOMP is your safest bet.

Wrong (but sounds fine to natives):

• a big ugly gray truck

Technically Correct:

• an ugly big gray truck

Fix: Don’t overthink occasional native “exceptions.” Focus on clarity and correctness — fluency will follow.

Mastering these mistakes is like upgrading your grammar GPS — you’ll not only get where you want to go, but the ride will be smoother.

Final Thoughts

By now, you’ve probably realized that the order of adjectives in English isn’t just some confusing grammar trivia — it’s what helps your sentences sound clear, polished, and natural.

Whether you’re writing a story, describing a product, or just trying to say something the way native speakers do, knowing the correct adjective order makes a big difference.

What You Should Do Next

Here’s how to keep growing your confidence with adjective order:

• Practice: Use real examples — describe objects around your room or scenes in movies.
• Listen: Pay attention to how native speakers stack their adjectives.
• Write: Try journaling with vivid descriptions using the OSASCOMP framework.
• Teach it: If you can explain the order to someone else, you’ve truly learned it.

One Last Tip

If you’re ever unsure, simplify. You don’t always need five adjectives — sometimes, one well-placed word is more powerful than eight stacked in a row.

But when you do want to go all out, now you know how to do it the right way.