As a professional scribbler, one might think I’d know everything about the English language. Aside from a fuzzy recall of gerunds and dangling participles, I’m a fairly good grammarian. However I was surprised to learn that there was a rule about the order adjectives should appear in a descriptive sentence. I have always strung them together by instinct, according to what sounded logical and pleasing to my ear. However, Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty in her book Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing maintains that the quasi-official order is as follows:
Opinion (ridiculous, crazy, beautiful)
Size (big, small)
Age (old, young)
Shape (round, square)
Color (yellow, blue)
Origin (American, British)
Material (polyester, Styrofoam)
Purpose (swimming, as in “swimming pool”; shooting as in “shooting range”
Furthermore, she suggests I will remember the order by using the acronym OSASCOMP (OS-AS-COMP, O-SAS-COMP) Oh, brother! As if that's going to stay in my brain for more than five seconds.
Intrigued, I decided to test her order rule.
Scary old white man
Talented middle-aged Scottish singer
Batty orange comb-over
Menacing, titanic, pinwheel-shaped, brindled hurricane with a kick-ass, colossal, old, slate-gray, swirling eye (phew!)I think I'm getting the hang of it. Your turn now.
And if that's not enough entertainment for a Monday morning, watch this (manditory viewing for all writers).
Happy Monday and Grammar On!
As an aspiring writer, please tell me that video is just a cruel joke.
ReplyDeleteToni Shaw
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThere has never been anything more accurate than that video.
ReplyDeleteGood post, patty.
Jim
Okay. Beloved, big-eyed, lumpen, cosmic, flesh and bloodish matinee idol.
ReplyDeleteWhich gives rise to another rule: more often than not, less is more. I would have gone for "Our ET."
Oh, Mims, I love that description of Our ET.
ReplyDeleteJames O, hope you were laughing through your tears.
And Toni, keep the faith and write on.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't that be "Menacing, titanic, pinwheel-shaped, brindled hurricane with a kick-ass, colossal, old, swirling, slate-gray eye" instead of "Menacing, titanic, pinwheel-shaped, brindled hurricane with a kick-ass, colossal, old, slate-gray, swirling eye"?
ReplyDeleteJust trying to follow the guideline....