2.19 Information focusing: adjective structures

Adjectives are used in two main structures. One of them involves adjectives modifying a noun group. If you say 'Julia was carrying a battered old suitcase', your main purpose is to say that Julia was carrying a suitcase. The adjectives 'battered' and 'old' give more information about what kind of suitcase it was.

• He had a beautiful smile.
• ...a technical term.
• ...a pretty little star-shaped flower bed.