Grammar

2.177 used with adjectives

If you want to give more information about a noun that has a noun modifier in front of it, you can put adjectives in front of the noun modifier.

...a long car journey.
...a new scarlet silk handkerchief.
...complex business deals.
...this beautiful morning sunlight.
...the French film industry.

When an adjective comes in front of two nouns, it is usually obvious whether it is modifying the two nouns combined or only the noun modifier.

For example, in 'an electric can opener', the adjective 'electric' is modifying the combination 'can opener'; whereas in 'electric shock treatment', 'electric' is modifying the noun 'shock' and then both the adjective and the noun modifier are modifying the noun 'treatment'.

Adjectives are explained in paragraphs 2.2 to 2.107.