Ms. Pryzbylkowski, Sixth Grade Language Arts
PAINTING WITH ADJECTIVES SHIFTED OUT OF ORDER
 Adjectives out of order call attention to the details of an image.
 When authors want to stack an image with three adjectives, they avoid a
three-in-a-row string by using a technique called adjectives out of order.
 Leaving one adjective in its original place, the authors shift two others after
the noun.
With a sentence about the angry moose, an author might transform it into: “The
large bull moose, red-eyed and angry, charged the intruder.”
*The effect creates a spotlight and emphasis on the image. You NEED TO FOCUS
on each image you write about.
As a writer, you never want to use more than three adjectives in a sentence.
Otherwise, your reader will be confused about your descriptions because it will be
information overload. Below you will find the directions on how to use the
adjectives out of order writing tool. There are two ways to use adjectives out of
order: “Rule 1” and “Rule 2.”
Rule 1: If you have two adjectives…
Adjective #1: beautiful
Adjective #2: stunning
In your sentence, place adjective #1 and adjective #2 after the noun they are
describing. When you place two adjectives after the noun, you must put a comma
before and after these adjectives. You separate these adjectives with a conjunction
(and, but, for, nor, or, yet, so).
Example: The girl, beautiful and stunning, took my breath away.
*Notice how the two commas hug these adjectives that are separated by the
conjunction “and.”
Ms. Pryzbylkowski, Sixth Grade Language Arts
Rule 2: If you have three adjectives…
Adjective #1: beautiful
Adjective #2: stunning
Adjective #3: brown-eyed
In your sentence, place one adjective in front of the noun you are describing. Then
you place your remaining two adjectives after the noun. You must put a comma
before and after these adjectives and separate them with a conjunction (and, but,
for, nor, or, yet, so)—exactly like Rule 1.
Example:
The beautiful girl, stunning and brown-eyed, took my breath away.
More examples:
(Excerpts taken from ©Image Grammar)
The Pavilion was a simple city, long and rectangular. (Caleb Carr)
I could smell Mama, crisp and starched, plumping my pillow, and the cool muslin
pillowcase touched both my ears as the back of my head sank into all those
feathers. (Robert Newton Peck)
The woman, old and wrinkled, smiled upon her newborn grandson with pride.
(Stephanie Schwallie)
The boxer, twisted and tormented, felt no compassion for his contender. (Chris
Hloros)
The cheetah, tired and hungry, stared at the gazelle, which would soon become his
dinner. (Zach Vesoloulis)