[Grammar] Order of Adjectives: "old" and adjectives denoting condition

[naweewra]

Hello,

Which sentences would you say?

1a) That crumbling old house is a disaster waiting to happen.
1b) That old crumbling house is a disaster waiting to happen.

2a) She always wears those torn old jeans.
2b) She always wears those old torn jeans.

Thank you.

Nawee

 

[Matthew Wai]

According to the royal order of adjectives, 'old' should be put after 'crumbling' and 'torn'.

Not a teacher.

 

[Odessa Dawn]

***NOT A TEACHER***

Hello naweewra.:-D

Answered here.

We recommend posting a question on one forum only initially. If you do not get a satisfactory answer from that forum and you feel that you have exhausted its possibilities, then of course trying a different forum might help. It is only courteous however, to tell the second forum that you have already asked the question on another forum and then give a precis of the answers you received there, along with an explanation of why you are now looking elsewhere.

(emsr2d2)

 

[Champleon]

Hello, Nawee,
I would say 1a) and 2a)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello,

Which sentences would you say?

Using Matthew's Royal Order of Adjectives (which sounds like a fraternal lodge for British English professors!), you can go two ways:

1: If you consider crumbling and torn to be observations, then Matthew is right, old should come after those words.

2: But if you want to treat them as physical conditions, then they can be used in either order, and commas are needed:

1a) As an observation: That crumbling old house is a disaster waiting to happen.
1b) As a physical condition: That old, crumbling house is a disaster waiting to happen.

2a) As an observation: She always wears those torn old jeans.
2b) As a physical condition: She always wears those old, torn jeans.

Thank you.

Nawee

You're welcome!

 

[naweewra]

Sorry if I have offended anyone. I only wanted to see what would be the first choice that pops into people's mind, so I tried to reach as many people as possible.

***NOT A TEACHER***

Hello naweewra.:-D

Answered here.


(emsr2d2)

 

[naweewra]

Dear Charlie,

Could you explain what you meant by "an observation" and "a physical description"?

Thank you.

Nawee

You're welcome!

 

[Matthew Wai]

Could you explain what you meant by "an observation" and "a physical description"

'An ugly short boy.'
According to the royal order of adjectives, 'ugly' is an observation and 'short' is a physical description.

Not a teacher.