The production of serialized adjectives by Jordanian EFL learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29038/eejpl.2025.12.1.alnKeywords:
adjective ordering, attributive adjectives, Jordanian EFL learners, predicative adjectivesAbstract
This study investigates the production of serialized adjectives by Jordanian EFL learners, focusing on how the number and syntactic position of adjectives influence their ordering. Grounded in Scott’s (2002) universal serialization framework, the study investigates learners’ adherence to adjective ordering rules. Data were collected from 30 university students using two tests assessing attributive and predicative adjectives. The findings revealed that learners performed more accurately when producing sentences with two adjectives compared to three or four. Additionally, learners demonstrated better performance with attributive adjectives than with predicative ones. These findings question the notion of universal hierarchies in adjective ordering, emphasizing the role of cognitive constraints in shaping learners’ performance. The study suggests shifting pedagogical approaches to prioritize fostering effective communication over strict adherence to syntactic hierarchies. Furthermore, language instructors are encouraged to develop activities focusing on gradual mastery of syntactic complexity and contextualized practice of adjective use.
Disclosure Statement
The authors reported no potential conflicts of interest.
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Appendix A
Attributive Adjectives
Test 1
The following sentences contain multiple adjectives. Please read each sentence carefully and decide whether the adjectives (provided in brackets) are correctly ordered. If they are not, reorder them to create correct sentences.
1. I bought a (long/Indian) shirt.
The correct answer: I bought a ___________________________________ shirt.
2. I saw a (big/beautiful) house.
The correct answer: I saw a ___________________________________ house.
3. I found a (red/small) car.
The correct answer: I found a ___________________________________ car.
4. I bought a (wide/wooden) table.
The correct answer: I bought a __________________________________ table.
5. I visited a (wide/deep) river.
The correct answer: I visited a ___________________________________ river.
6. I bought a (small/wooden/ brown) table.
The correct answer: I bought a ____________________________________ table.
7. I bought a (fast/Chinese/beautiful) car.
The correct answer: I bought a ___________________________________ car.
8. I found a (big/glass/old) vase.
The correct answer: I found a ___________________________________ vase.
9. I bought a (blue/new/square) clock.
The correct answer: I bought a ___________________________________ clock.
10. I visited a (gray/Roman/stone) building.
The correct answer: I visited a ___________________________________ building.
11. I bought a (beautiful/wide/fastJapanese) car.
The correct answer: I bought a ___________________________________ car.
12. I bought (red/Turkish/big/cotton) shirts.
The correct answer: I bought ___________________________________ shirts.
13. I found a (round/wooden/small/blue) box.
The correct answer: I found a ___________________________________ box.
14. I ate a (delicious/small/fresh/Turkish) cake.
The correct answer: I ate a ___________________________________ cake.
15. I saw a cute/old/white/small) dog.
The correct answer: I saw a ___________________________________ dog.
Appendix B
Predicative Adjectives
Test 2
The following sentences contain multiple adjectives. Please read each sentence carefully and decide whether the adjectives (provided in brackets) are correctly ordered. If they are not, reorder them to create correct sentences.
1. The explanation was (long/useful).
The correct answer: The explanation was ___________________________________
2. The house was (high/nice).
The correct answer: The house was ___________________________________
3. The car is (red/metal).
The correct answer: The car is ___________________________________
4. The sea is (deep/big).
The correct answer: The sea is ___________________________________
5. The man was (brown/old).
The correct answer: The man was ___________________________________
6. The house was (warm/big/high).
The correct answer: The house was __________________________________
7. The tower was (high/white/old).
The correct answer: The tower was _____________________________________
8. The sea is (blue/wide/deep).
The correct answer: The sea is ___________________________________
9. The explanation is (useful/fast/long).
The correct answer: The explanation was ___________________________________
10. The table is (wooden/rectangular/Italian).
The correct answer: The table is ___________________________________
11. The house is (large/white/old/rectangular).
The correct answer: The house is ___________________________________
12. The car is (Chinese/red/fast/new).
The correct answer: The car is ___________________________________
13. The mountain is (tall/cold/ancient/rocky).
The correct answer: The mountain is ___________________________________
14. The dog was (friendly/black/old/small).
The correct answer: The dog was _____________________________________
15. The cake was (delicious/chocolate/round/fresh).
The correct answer: The cake was ___________________________________
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ayah Alnajjar, Abdel Rahman Altakhaineh
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