Adjectives in English

Adjective + noun

When we use adjectives with a noun in English, the adjectives go before the noun.

• It’s an expensive guitar. ✅
• It’s a guitar expensive. ❌
• She has a new car. ✅
• She has a car new. ❌

Am/is/are + adjective

We can also use adjectives without a noun after the verb be.

• This guitar is expensive. 
• Her car is new. 

In questions, the adjective can go after be + subject.

• Is your car new? 
• Are your classmates nice? 

Feel/look/smell/sound/taste + adjective

We can also use adjectives without a noun after the verbs of the senses: feel, look, smell, sound, taste.

• Your idea sounds interesting. 
• I don’t like this soup. It tastes horrible.
• You look tired. 
• These cookies smell delicious. 
• I feel depressed. 

No plural

Adjectives in English have no plural. They are always singular.

• These are my favourite shoes. ✅
• These are my favourites shoes. ❌
• She has blue eyes. ✅
• She has blues eyes. ❌

Very/quite

We can use very and quite before the adjectives.

• It’s very expensive.
• It’s quite expensive.

Adjective Order

Adjectives in English follow a typical order from left to right: