Rule: When using multiple adjectives in a list, put them in the correct order, according to the following characteristics:

1. Quantity/Number

2. Opinion

3. Size

4. Physical Quality

5. Shape

6. Age

7. Color

8. Origin

9. Material

10. Type

11. Purpose

Examples:

Wrong: The metal, tall, red stand is on David's drafting table.

Correct: The tall, red, metal stand is on David's drafting table.

Wrong: My first-edition, stunning, editing, large book is on the bookshelf next to the disco ball.

Correct: My stunning, large, first-edition, editing book is on the bookshelf next to the disco ball.

Practice: If you were describing a single object with the following characteristics, what order would the adjectives go in?

1. long-sleeved, American, cotton, frayed

2. porcelain, new, stunning, seven

3. sparkly, fixing, tiny, heart-shaped

Practice Answers

Resources for further explanations of adjectives in order:

Cambridge Dictionary's Page

Ginger Software's Page