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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

Pair

Hello,

Do we say fresh pair of eyes or pair of fresh eyes? Not necessarily fresh but any adjective, for that matter. His malicious pair of eyes were staring at me. And so forth. Which is the right order - (adjective) pair of eyes or pair of (adjective) eyes?

2) the situation got/turned/became worse - are all three okay?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

1-- I wouldn't use 'pair' at all there: ' His malicious eyes were staring at me'. However, usage is going to vary: I bought a new pair of glasses today and a pair of red shoes. 2-- All OK.

— Mister Micawber

  • 1-- I wouldn't use 'pair' at all there: ' His malicious eyes were staring at me'.
  • However, usage is going to vary: I bought a new pair of glasses today and a pair of red shoes.
  • 2-- All OK.
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3 Answers
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1-- I wouldn't use 'pair' at all there: 'His malicious eyes were staring at me'. However, usage is going to vary: I bought a new pair of glasses today and a pair of red shoes.

2-- All OK.
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Mister MicawberQuote
1-- I wouldn't use 'pair' at all there: 'His malicious eyes were staring at me'. However, usage is going to vary: I bought a new pair of glasses today and a pair of red shoes.
Thanks, but is there a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to these things, especially describing the eyes?
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No; or at least, both your permutations sound OK to me: a malicious pair of eyes, a pair of malicious eyes. And then there is a pair of blue eyes (not a blue pair of eyes) and a crossed pair of eyes (not a pair of crossed eyes). It hinges on which noun the adjective more nearly describes, but that is often in the eyes of the beholder.
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