2.2 Adjectives and adverbs

You can ‘paint a picture’ by adding one or more adjectives to a noun. Similarly, you can describe a verb by adding an adverb or adverbial phrase. However, writing becomes tiresome and predictable unless there is a variety of structures, and often a more concrete image can be achieved with a precise noun or verb.

2.3 Grammatical structures

It is more effective to express yourself forcibly or emphatically rather than in a flat way. You can do this not only by using interesting words and expressions but also by some grammatical structures in English which you can use to lend emphasis to what you are saying.

2.4 Varying your sentences

Prepositions of position (behind, in front of, next to) can be very useful when describing a scene, but they are not the only way to describe spatial relationships. You can improve your writing by using a variety of structures.

(Advanced Writing with English in Use CAE. pp.39-40, 83)

(Writing Skills CAE. p. 37)

2B DESCRIBING OBJECTS

Descriptions of objects can be found in leaflets, catalogues, advertisements or parts of letters, stories, reports or articles.

2.0 Order of adjectives

When a number of adjectives (and other qualifiers) go before a noun, they are generally written in the following order.

1 Number or determiner 2 Opinion 3 Size 4 Age 5 Shape 6 Colour 7 Origin 8 Material 9 Compound 10 Noun

a/ one/ a dozen/ 365/ her/ my teacher’s/ too many/ Cleopatra’s/ Genghis Khan’s/ innumerable favourite/ adorable/ stylish/ priceless/ charming/ romantic/ useful/ comfortable/ sophisticated/ decadent/ scandalous/ dangerous/ old-fashioned/ cheap/ nasty/ ugly/ useless/ disgusting/ boring short/ little/ microscopic/ gigantic/ dwarf antique/ brand-new/ ten-year-old/ second-hand oval/ square/ round/ spiral/ streamlined/ baggy/ pointed/ tapered/ heart-shaped/ pear-shaped jet black/ tartan/ canary yellow/ shocking pink Cherokee/ Chinese/ Alpine/ Renaissance/ Roman/ Aboriginal gold/ leather/ copper/ diamond/ wooden/ marble/ glass ear/ key/ wedding/ electric/ summer/ dinner/ disco/ smoking/ dining/ religious/ motor/ toy/ bird/ tree/ jazz ring/ trumpet/ jacket/ shoes/ shirt/ skirt/ table/ painting/ car

(Advanced Writing with English in Use CAE. p.41)

It is possible to use more than three or four adjectives to describe something, but it sounds a bit unnatural if you have as many as nine adjectives in front of a noun.

e.g. *My teacher’s charming little antique tapered black Chinese wooden ear trumpet.

2.1 Points to consider

• When you describe an object, you should give an accurate picture of it.

• Descriptions begin from general to specific, from qualitative to quantitative.

• To describe objects you should use a variety of adjectives. Always list opinion adjectives (e.g. beautiful, inexpensive, unusual, etc) first, followed by fact adjectives. (e.g. large, rectangular, silver, etc). Avoid using all of them one after the other, as this will make your description sound unnatural. Instead of writing: It's a lovely, heavy, old, oval mirror with a carved wooden frame ... you could write: It's a lovely, heavy, old mirror. It's oval, with a carved frame made of wood.

(Successful Writing. Intermediate. St’s book. p.54)