UNIVERSIDAD POPULAR DEL CESAR

ADVANCED ENGLISH II
GRAMMAR: Using adjectives as nouns, adjective order.

We can use certain adjectives as nouns to categorize people by social class or physical condition.

For example, as an alternative to saying deaf people, we can simply say the deaf. This means ALL deaf people.
Likewise, instead of saying poor people, we can say the poor. This means ALL poor people.
Note that we always use a definite article (the) in these cases.
Here are some examples in sentences:

 The local library has facilities such as ramps and low tables for the disabled.
 A new support centre has opened for the unemployed.
 The film has subtitles for the hard of hearing. [people with hearing difficulties]
 The recession, as is always the case, has hit the poor very hard.
 The bus service is free for the elderly.
 Films such as Forrest Gump and E.T. were a hit with the young and the old alike.
Also notice that these nouns are plural, so we use a plural verb:

 The rich are better off after the tax reforms.

 The injured were taken to a nearby hospital.
 The old and sick are advised to stay at home when pollution levels increase.
We use of to speak about possession with these nouns, not ‘s:
 The needs of the disabled. NOT The disabled’s needs.
 for the benefit of the poor NOT the poor’s benefit

The adjective cannot be used without the article ‘the’ in these expressions. In some cases, these expressions
can have a singular meaning. Examples are: the accused, the injured, the diseased etc.

 The deceased is survived by his wife.

There are the blind, the deaf, the elderly, the famous, the homeless, the innocent, the
intelligent, the jobless, the meek, the old, the poor, the politically correct, the privileged, the
rich, the sick, the strong, the underprivileged, the unemployed, the weak, the wealthy, the
young, etc.

EXERCISES
A-Choose the correct option
1-The government should help _______________
a-unemployed b-The unemployed c-the unemployed people d-The unemploy
2-They are collecting money for the _______________________
a-people blind b-blind c-blinded people d-blind people
3-The _________were taken away.
a-dead b-deads c-dead people d-dead´s people
4-Of course, _________are famous for their wines and cooking.
a-the French people b-French c-the French d-French persons
5-This ___________ looks very nice.
a-woollen jacket b-jacket woollen c-wool jacket d-wool´s jacket
6-The ______________ don´t like learning languages.
a-English b-English people c-people English d-Englishmen
7-Public transportation is rarely adapted to the needs of _______________________.
a-disable b-the disables c-the disable people d-the disabled
8-This money is for _________________ of the parish.
a-the people b-poor c-the poor d-poor people
9-As a rule, the ______________ are very intelligent.
a-Japanese b-Japanese people c-people Japanese D-Japanese men
B-Complete the sentences with the correct order of the adjectives in parentheses.

1. We wanted________________________________________ (grey / a / metal) table.

2. They bought________________________________________ (red / a / new) car.
3. She went home and sat on________________________________________ (comfortable / her / wooden / old)
bed.
4. He bought______________________________________ (woollen / a / British / fabulous) suit.
5. They have___________________________________ (Dutch / black) bicycles.
6. He wants__________________________________ ____ (some / French / delicious / really) cheese.
7. _________________________________________ (young / a / pretty) girl walked into the room.
8. He has__________________________________________________ (a lot of / old / interesting) books.
9. She bought__________________________________________ (plastic / red / a / new) plastic lunchbox.
10. He is looking for_______________________________________ (leather / stylish / a /black) bag.
11. She dropped____________________________________________ (old / beautiful / the) plate and it smashed.
12. I want______________________________________________ (silk / green / an / amazing) dress.
13. She drank___________________________________________ (Italian / black / hot) coffee.
14. He saw________________________________________ (French / writing / old / an) desk.
15. They stayed in __________________________________________ (little / a / cute) cottage.
16. I visited _______________________________________ (ancient / a / spooky / German) castle.
17. He has_________________________________________ (silver / old / beautiful / a) ring.
18. We ate ___________________________________________ (green / English / round / some) apples.
19. I need__________________________________________ (computer / comfortable / a) desk.
20. They went on holiday to____________________________________ (small / wooden / a / beautiful) cabin.

C-Choose the correct option.

1. He was wearing a ________ shirt.
a-dirty old flannel b-flannel old dirty c-old dirty flannel

2. Pass me the ________ cups.

a-plastic big blue b-big blue plastic c-big plastic blue

3. All the girls fell in love with the ________ teacher.

a-handsome new American b-American new handsome c-new handsome American

4. I used to drive ________ car.

a-a blue old German b-an old German blue C- an old blue German

5. He recently married a ________ woman.

a-young beautiful Greek b-beautiful young Greek C-beautiful Greek young

6. This is a ________ movie.

a-new Italian wonderful b-wonderful Italian new c-wonderful new Italian

7. She is a ________ supermodel.

a-beautiful slim Brazilian b-Brazilian beautiful slim c-slim Brazilian beautiful

8. It's in the ________ container.

a-large blue metal b-blue large metal c-blue metal large

9. He sat behind a ________ desk.

a-big wooden brown b-big brown wooden c-wooden big brown

10. She gave him a ________ vase.

a-small Egyptian black b-black Egyptian small c-small black Egyptian
D-Choose the best answer for each sentence.
A-The house is ______________________________
1-large and white 2-white and large 3-large white
B-They live in a______________________________ house.
1-large and white 2-white and large 3-large white

E-Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

1-
A. We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus.
B. We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus.
C. We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.

2-
A. I’d like three good reasons why you don’t like spinach.
B. I’d like a good three reasons why you don’t like spinach.
C. I’d like good reasons three why you don’t like spinach.

3-
A. I like that really big red old antique tractor in the museum.
B. I like that really big old red antique tractor in the museum.
C. I like that old, red, really big antique tractor in the museum.

4-
A. My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
B. My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.
C. My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.

F- For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A-My grandmother lives in the_________________________ house on the corner
1-little blue, green and white
2-little blue and green and white
3-little, blue, green, and white

B-The store carries an assortment of_______________________objects.

1-interesting new, old and antique
2-new, old, interesting and antique
3-interesting, old and new and antique

C-We went for a two-week cruise on a__________________________ocean liner.

1-incredible brand-new, huge Italian
2-incredible, huge, brand-new Italian
3-Italian incredible, brand-new, huge

G-For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A-I bought a pair of____________________boots.
a-new, nice, red rain b-nice new red rain c-red nice new rain

B-My dad was thrilled with his gift of__________________________ bowties for his clown act.
a-three squirting new nice big polka-dotted b-three polka-dotted nice new squirting
c-three nice big new polka-dotted squirting

C-Please put the marbles into that__________________________box.

a-round little old red b-little old round red c-little old red round
ANSWERS
EXERCISE A
1. We wanted a grey metal table.
2. They bought a new red car.
3. She went home and sat on her comfortable old wooden bed.
4. He bought a fabulous British woollen suit.
5. They have black Dutch bicycles.
6. He wants some really delicious French cheese.
7. A pretty young girl walked into the room.
8. He has a lot of interesting old books.
9. She bought a new red plastic lunchbox.
10. He is looking for a stylish black leather bag.
11. She dropped the beautiful old plate and it smashed.
12. I want an amazing green silk dress.
13. She drank hot black Italian coffee.
14. He saw an old French writing desk.
15. They stayed in a cute little cottage.
16. I visited a spooky ancient German castle.
17. He has a beautiful old silver ring.
18. We ate some round green English apples.
19. I need a comfortable computer desk.
20. They went on holiday to a beautiful small wooden cabin.

B-Choose the correct option.

1. He was wearing a ________ shirt.
a-dirty old flannel b-flannel old dirty c-old dirty flannel

2. Pass me the ________ cups.

a-plastic big blue b-big blue plastic c-big plastic blue

3. All the girls fell in love with the ________ teacher.

a-handsome new American b-American new handsome c-new handsome American

4. I used to drive ________ car.

a-a blue old German b-an old German blue C- an old blue German

5. He recently married a ________ woman.

a-young beautiful Greek b-beautiful young Greek C-beautiful Greek young

6. This is a ________ movie.

a-new Italian wonderful b-wonderful Italian new c-wonderful new Italian

7. She is a ________ supermodel.

a-beautiful slim Brazilian b-Brazilian beautiful slim c-slim Brazilian beautiful

8. It's in the ________ container.

a-large blue metal b-blue large metal c-blue metal large

9. He sat behind a ________ desk.

a-big wooden brown b-big brown wooden c-wooden big brown

EXCERSICE D
D-Choose the best answer for each sentence.
A-The house is ______________________________
1-large and white 2-white and large 3-large white
B-They live in a______________________________ house.
1-large and white 2-white and large 3-large white

EXERCISE E
Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?
1-
A. We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus.
B. We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus.
C. We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.
2-
A. I’d like three good reasons why you don’t like spinach.
B. I’d like a good three reasons why you don’t like spinach.
C. I’d like good reasons three why you don’t like spinach.

3-
A. I like that really big red old antique tractor in the museum.
B. I like that really big old red antique tractor in the museum.
C. I like that old, red, really big antique tractor in the museum.

4-
A. My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade.
B. My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade.
C. My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade.

EXERCISE F
F- For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A-My grandmother lives in the_________________________ house on the corner
1-little blue, green and white
2-little blue and green and white
3-little, blue, green, and white

B-The store carries an assortment of_______________________objects.

1-interesting new, old and antique
2-new, old, interesting and antique
3-interesting, old and new and antique

C-We went for a two-week cruise on a__________________________ocean liner.

1-incredible brand-new, huge Italian
2-incredible, huge, brand-new Italian
3-Italian incredible, brand-new, huge

EXERCISE G
G-For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.
A-I bought a pair of____________________boots.
a-new, nice, red rain b-nice new red rain c-red nice new rain

B-My dad was thrilled with his gift of__________________________ bowties for his clown act.
a-three squirting new nice big polka-dotted b-three polka-dotted nice new squirting
c-three nice big new polka-dotted squirting

C-Please put the marbles into that__________________________box.

a-round little old red b-little old round red c-little old red round