How to Answer Order of Adjectives Questions in BECE & WASSCE English

In the BECE and WASSCE English objective test papers, one of the most common grammar questions involves the Order of Adjectives. Many students lose marks here because they rely on what “sounds right” rather than using a proven system.

To score 100% on these questions, you must follow a specific mathematical sequence. If the adjectives are out of order, the sentence will be grammatically incorrect.

The Secret Formula: SASOCOMP

Think of adjectives like a mathematical equation. They must follow this SASOCOMP formula from left to right:

1. S – Size (Large, tiny, huge)

2. A – Age (Old, new, young, ancient)

3. S – Shape (Round, square, oval)

4. O – Opinion (Beautiful, ugly, delicious, smart)

5. C – Colour (Red, blue, dark, pale)

6. O – Origin (Ghanaian, Nigerian, British, Chinese)

7. M – Material (Wooden, plastic, gold, silk)

8. P – Purpose (Serving, frying, walking, sleeping)

Pro-Tip for Exams: Most exam questions only use 2 or 3 adjectives. Even if some categories are missing, the remaining ones must still follow the SASOCOMP order.

Step-by-Step Strategy for the Objective Paper

Example Question: “Kofi bought a _________ car.”

• Step 1: Identify the Adjective Types in the Options.

  • Expensive = Opinion

  • New = Age

  • German = Origin

• Step 2: Apply the Formula.

  • Opinion (Expensive) must come before Age (New), which comes before Origin (German).

• Step 3: Pick the Correct Match.

  • Correct Answer: expensive new German car.

5 Solved Examples (Exam Style)

1. Question: She wore a __________ dress to the party.

   • A. silk beautiful red

   • B. beautiful red silk

   • C. red silk beautiful

   • Correct Answer: B (Opinion: beautiful > Colour: red > Material: silk)

2. Question: My mother has a __________ table.

   • A. round wooden large

   • B. wooden large round

   • C. large round wooden

   • Correct Answer: C (Size: large > Shape: round > Material: wooden)

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3. Question: They found some __________ coins in the cave.

   • A. old gold tiny

   • B. tiny old gold

   • C. gold tiny old

   • Correct Answer: B (Size: tiny > Age: old > Material: gold)

4. Question: I am looking for my __________ boots.

   • A. leather black walking

   • B. black walking leather

   • C. black leather walking

   • Correct Answer: C (Colour: black > Material: leather > Purpose: walking)

5. Question: He is a __________ man.

   • A. young tall handsome

   • B. handsome tall young

   • C. tall handsome young

   • Correct Answer: B (Opinion: handsome > Size: tall > Age: young)

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