WAEC 2020 English Language · Question 134

The man gave the girl a … fountain pen.

Question

From the words or group of words lettered A to D, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences. The man gave the girl a_________ fountain pen.

A.small new blue
B.blue small new
C.blue new small
D.new small blue

Answer: A. small new blue

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: This tests the order of adjectives before a noun. When several adjectives describe one noun, English follows a set order.

The concept: The usual order is:

Opinion → Size → Age/Shape → Colour → Origin → Material → Purpose → Noun

A simple way to remember it is OSASCOMP: Opinion, Size, Age, Shape, Colour, Origin, Material, Purpose.

Solution: The adjectives in the options are:

small: size
new: age
blue: colour

Putting them in order gives: Size → Age → Colour, which is small new blue.

So the sentence reads: The man gave the girl a small new blue fountain pen.

Checking the other options:

B. blue small new: colour comes first, which is wrong.
C. blue new small: colour comes first and size last, which is wrong.
D. new small blue: age comes before size, which is wrong.

Answer: A. small new blue

Exam tip: Colour sits closest to the noun, as in "blue pen". Start from the noun and work backwards: colour, then age, then size. The adjective that is most a part of the noun's identity stays nearest to it. Memorize OSASCOMP and you can solve these questions in seconds.

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