Descriptive adjectives add information about a noun by telling what it is like. They can describe qualities such as size, color, shape, age, condition, value, or personality. They help make meaning more precise by narrowing which noun you mean or by adding extra detail. In English, descriptive adjectives usually appear before the noun or after certain linking verbs.

Most descriptive adjectives come before the noun in the noun phrase, often in a specific order when you use more than one. Descriptive adjectives can also come after a linking verb such as be, seem, look, feel, sound, smell, or taste. Pre-noun position is common for identification, while after-linking-verb position often emphasizes a state or impression.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Adjective before a noun is most common	📌 名词前放置形容词是最常见	a quiet street	🧩 一条安静的街道
Adjective after a linking verb describes the subject	📌 连系动词后面的形容词描述主语	The street is quiet.	🧩 这条街道很安静。
Do not place descriptive adjectives after the noun in standard English	📌 在标准英语中不要把描述性形容词放在名词之后	a quiet street | ❌ a street quiet	🧩 ✅ 一条安静的街道 | ❌ 街道安静

An adjective is attributive when it comes directly before the noun inside the noun phrase. Attributive adjectives are often used to classify or identify the noun, especially in fixed combinations like a wooden table or a medical student. When an adjective is attributive, it typically sits close to the noun it describes, and other words like determiners come before the adjective.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Determiners usually come before attributive adjectives	📌 限定词通常在定语形容词之前	those old books	🧩 那些旧书
Attributive adjectives commonly form noun phrases that feel like categories	📌 定语形容词常形成看起来像类别的名词短语	an electric car	🧩 一辆电动汽车
Multiple attributive adjectives can stack before one noun	📌 多个定语形容词可以堆叠在一个名词前	a small bright room	🧩 一间小巧明亮的房间

An adjective is predicative when it follows a linking verb and describes the subject. This use commonly describes temporary states, impressions, or evaluations, though many adjectives can be used both ways. Predicative adjectives are especially common with verbs of perception like look and feel, and with be to describe condition.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use linking verbs to connect the adjective to the subject	📌 使用连系动词将形容词与主语联系起来	She looks tired.	🧩 她看起来很累。
Predicative adjectives can describe condition or evaluation	📌 表语形容词可描述状态或评价	The plan seems risky.	🧩 计划似乎很危险。
Predicative position often works well for emphasis in statements	📌 表语位置在陈述句中常用于强调	The room is absolutely silent.	🧩 房间里绝对安静。

When several descriptive adjectives come before a noun, English usually follows a natural order so the phrase sounds correct. A common pattern is opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose, then the noun. This order is a guideline, not a strict law, but changing it can make speech sound unnatural. Purpose is often closest to the noun because it works almost like a classifier.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Opinion usually comes before factual descriptors	📌 观点/评价通常排在事实性描述词之前	a beautiful red dress	🧩 一条美丽的红色连衣裙
Size often comes before age	📌 大小通常排在年龄之前	a big old house	🧩 一座又大又旧的房子
Color usually comes before origin or material	📌 颜色通常排在来源或材料之前	a black Italian leather bag	🧩 一只黑色的意大利皮包
Purpose is commonly nearest the noun	📌 用途通常靠近名词	a new sports car	🧩 一辆新的运动汽车

Many descriptive adjectives are gradable, meaning they can show different degrees. Gradable adjectives commonly use very, quite, rather, or a bit, and they form comparisons with -er and -est or with more and most. Some adjectives are not naturally gradable, especially when they describe absolute categories. Choosing the right degree helps you sound accurate and natural.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use intensifiers with gradable adjectives	📌 对可分级形容词使用加强程度副词	very cold	🧩 非常冷
Use -er and -est for many short adjectives	📌 对许多简短形容词使用 -er 与 -est	colder | the coldest	🧩 更冷 | 最冷的
Use more and most for many longer adjectives	📌 对较长的形容词使用 more 和 most	more expensive | the most expensive	🧩 更贵 | 最贵
Avoid grading absolute adjectives in formal English	📌 在正式英语中避免对绝对形容词进行分级	unique | ⚠️ very unique	🧩 ✅ unique | ⚠️ 非常独特

Comparatives describe a difference between two people or things. Use than to show what you are comparing to, and use the correct comparative form: -er or more. Some adjectives are irregular and must be memorized. Comparatives can also be used with structures like much, far, or a lot to strengthen the comparison.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use than to introduce the comparison target	📌 使用 than 引入比较对象	This route is shorter than the other one.	🧩 这条路线比另一条短。
Use more with many multi-syllable adjectives	📌 对许多多音节形容词使用 more	This option is more practical than that one.	🧩 这个选项比那个更实用。
Use irregular comparative forms when required	📌 在需要时使用不规则的比较形式	good → better	🧩 good → better
Use modifiers to strengthen a comparative	📌 使用修饰语加强比较	much better	🧩 much better

Superlatives identify the extreme within a group, usually with the and the -est form or most. The group can be stated with in for places or organizations and of for sets of people or things. Like comparatives, some superlatives are irregular. Superlatives often appear in descriptions, opinions, and rankings.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use the with most superlatives	📌 在多数最高级结构中使用 the	the tallest building	🧩 最高的建筑
Use in for a place or organization	📌 用 in 表示地点或组织	the best restaurant in town	🧩 城里最好的餐厅
Use of for a set or group	📌 用 of 表示集合或群体	the youngest of the three	🧩 这三者之中最年轻的
Use irregular superlative forms when required	📌 在需要时使用不规则最高级形式	good → the best	🧩 good → the best

Descriptive adjectives often fall into common meaning groups such as color, size, shape, texture, condition, and personality. Recognizing these groups helps you build natural multi-adjective noun phrases and choose accurate words. Some adjectives refer to measurable facts like tall or heavy, while others express opinion like amazing or boring. Mixing factual and opinion adjectives is common, but the order affects naturalness.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
red	🎨 红色	having the color red	🎨 具有红色	a red scarf	🎨 一条红色围巾
tiny	📏 纤小	very small in size	📏 尺寸非常小	a tiny apartment	📏 一间很小的公寓
rough	🧊 粗糙	not smooth to the touch	🧊 触感不光滑	a rough surface	🧊 一张粗糙的表面
clean	🧼 干净	not dirty	🧼 不脏	a clean kitchen	🧼 一个干净的厨房
friendly	🙂 友好	kind and pleasant to others	🙂 对他人友善、和蔼	a friendly neighbor	🙂 一个友善的邻居

Descriptive adjectives can describe a pronoun, but they usually appear after a linking verb rather than directly next to the pronoun. This is especially common with personal pronouns like I, you, he, she, we, and they. In some fixed patterns, an adjective can follow an indefinite pronoun like someone or nothing. Understanding this prevents unnatural word order.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use a linking verb to describe personal pronouns	📌 使用连系动词将形容词与主语联系起来	She is calm.	🧩 她看起来很平静。
Adjectives can follow some indefinite pronouns	📌 形容词可以跟在某些不定代词后面	something interesting	🧩 某些东西有趣
Avoid placing adjectives directly before personal pronouns	📌 避免把形容词直接放在人称代词前面	He is tired. | ❌ tired he	🧩 ✅ 他很冷静。 | ❌ tired 他

When two or more adjectives appear before a noun, punctuation depends on whether the adjectives are coordinate or cumulative. Coordinate adjectives have equal weight and can often be separated by and, so they may take commas. Cumulative adjectives build toward the noun and typically do not take commas. Hyphens are common in compound adjectives before a noun to show they act as one unit.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use commas for coordinate adjectives	✍️ 对并列形容词使用逗号	a long, boring meeting	✍️ 一场漫长、无聊的会议
No comma for cumulative adjectives	✍️ 对累积形容词不使用逗号	a small wooden box	✍️ 一个小木盒
Hyphenate many compound adjectives before a noun	✍️ 在名词前对许多复合形容词使用连字符	a well-known author	✍️ 一个众所周知的作者
Many compound adjectives are not hyphenated after a linking verb	✍️ 很多复合形容词在连系动词之后不加连字符	The author is well known.	✍️ 作家很知名。