Episode 44: A Great Man, A Tall Building

Adjective order & position — Abraham Lincoln, 1863 (A2-B1)

The Question

Luna wrote: “He is a tall, thin, kind man.” Then she tried: “He is a kind, tall, thin man.” She frowned. “Professor, does order matter? Which sounds better?” The watch glowed. Professor Wisdom smiled. “Let’s hear the most famous short speech by a tall, humble president.”

The Journey

Gettysburg, November 19, 1863. Gray autumn sky. Luna and Professor Wisdom stand in a field. Thousands of people wait quietly. A tall, thin man walks to the platform. Dark coat. Tired eyes. Lined face.

This is Abraham Lincoln. He is the American president. The country is broken. North fights South. Brother fights brother. Over 50,000 soldiers died here four months ago. This field was a battlefield.

Today, they dedicate this ground as a cemetery. Another speaker talked for two hours. Now Lincoln stands. He holds two small pages. Just 272 words.

He begins: “Four score and seven years ago…” His voice is high but clear. His hands hold the paper steady.

“…our fathers brought forth a new nation…” Luna notices his words. Simple words. Short sentences. Strong meaning.

He continues: “The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here…” Luna hears the order. “Brave” comes before “living and dead.” Opinion before fact.

“…that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom…” Again. “New” before “birth.” Size/age before noun.

The smell of earth fills the air. The sound of wind moves through the crowd. Lincoln’s tall, thin figure stands alone. But his words reach everyone.

He finishes in three minutes. Some people barely notice. They expected more. But his words live forever.

Before Gettysburg, people said “the United States are…” After Lincoln, they said “the United States is…” He made many states into one nation. His short, powerful speech changed how Americans saw themselves.

Luna feels the weight of his words. This tall, sad, wise man spoke truth. He used simple adjectives. He put them in natural order. Beautiful, memorable, perfect speech.

The Insight

Professor Wisdom explained: “Luna, English has a natural order for adjectives. We say ‘a tall, thin man,’ not ‘a thin, tall man.’ The order feels right to native speakers.”

“The basic order is: opinion → size → age → color → origin → material → purpose → noun. We say ‘a beautiful old Italian table,’ not ‘an old beautiful Italian table.'”

“But remember: usually we use only two or three adjectives before a noun. More than that sounds unnatural. Lincoln knew this. ‘Brave men.’ ‘New nation.’ Simple. Clear. Strong.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

1. “A small wooden box” — size before material
2. “A beautiful young woman” — opinion before age
3. “An expensive Italian car” — opinion before origin
4. “The tall green trees” — size before color
5. “A comfortable old chair” — opinion before age
6. “An interesting new book” — opinion before age

Exercises:

1. Put in correct order: “a / American / tall / man”

2. Choose the correct:
   a) A red big car
   b) A big red car

3. Match the order:
   – Opinion + Size: “a ___ ___ house” → beautiful big
   – Size + Color: “a ___ ___ flower” → small yellow
   – Age + Origin: “an ___ ___ temple” → old Chinese

4. Complete: “Lincoln was a ___ (tall), ___ (wise), ___ (humble) president.”

5. Your turn: Describe a historical building using 2-3 adjectives in correct order.

Answer Key:

1. a tall American man (size before origin)
2. b) A big red car (size before color)
3. beautiful big house, small yellow flower, old Chinese temple
4. tall, wise, humble (all opinions, so any order works, but this flows best)
5. Check: Did you follow natural order? Did you use only 2-3 adjectives?

The Lesson

Luna understood. Adjective order isn’t a strict rule. It’s a natural rhythm. Like Lincoln’s speech. Short. Simple. Natural. The right words in the right order create beauty. Sometimes the simplest way is the most powerful way.